PETERBOROUGH City Council has appointed Cambridgeshire-based heritage and conservation experts, Beacon Planning to review and appraise the conservation area around the cathedral in support of the on-going city centre regeneration works.

While the city has a total of 29 conservation areas, currently, Beacon Planning will concentrate on the city centre area which takes in the cathedral precincts as well as the historic areas of Cowgate, Priestgate, Westgate and Bridge Street.

The appraisal – which is scheduled for public consultation this summer (2011) – will see Beacon’s planners assess and appraise the special historic and architectural interest of this part of the city centre.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to designate and review conservation areas which are an important tool in the planning and management of the historic built environment.

The scope of the work in Peterborough’s city centre conservation area includes the examination of development in this area over the years, identifying distinctive characteristics and landmarks as well as making recommendations which seek to preserve or enhance the special character of this built environment.

Beacon Planning – whose offices are in  Stow-cum-Quy – has a proven track record of work in this specialist field for a range of local authorities including Norwich City Council, Cambridge City Council and a range of other Councils in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Essex, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire.

Dr Jon Burgess (above), director of Beacon Planning, said: “As well as contributing to the on-going positive management of the historic environment and its regeneration, the conservation area appraisal will support Peterborough City Council in delivering planned work on Cowgate funded, in part, by a recent £105,000 grant from English Heritage.”