Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) Submissions
Before the end of 2017, Bray Tidy Towns submitted three Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) proposals to Wicklow County Council. This was in response to a request for submissions for the Bray Municipal District Local Area Plan 2017 – 2023.
All three submissions can be viewed here:
1. Quinsboro Road, Florence Road and Eglinton Road
2. Galtrim Road, Wyndham Park, Adelaide Road, Novara Avenue, Sidmonton and Meath Road
These ACA proposals were created for the following reasons:
1. To give troublesome issues (such as shopfront names and signage) a planning framework
ACA’s are bespoke and can deal with concepts such as minimising visual impact, general standard of design, signage on shop-fronts, service cables, size of road signage and waste disposal bins.
2. For the benefit of Quinsboro Road
We firmly believe that the adoption of planning policies through an ACA for the Quinsboro Road would at least halt some of the neglect currently endured by this historically significant street.
3. ACA's are more flexible in nature than Protected Structure Statutes
The building guidelines for ACA’s relate to areas and streetscapes which are similar in character and although offering guidelines for the preservation of building exteriors do not, unlike guidelines affecting buildings with protected status, seek to influence the internal structures of buildings.
4. Only relevant guidelines need to be included in planning policy
“It is at the discretion of the planning authority to make the policies to protect these areas appropriate to the particular circumstances”. AHPG, Chapter 3 Section 3.2.10. Therefore controls can be put in place to suit specific areas.
5. Not all notable buildings are on the Protected Structure list
There is a belief that most of the houses requiring to be protected are on the Record of Protected Structures list, but this is not the case.
Currently Bray, unlike eight other towns in Wicklow, does not have any ACA’s in place. The nearest town in size to Bray on this list is Wicklow town, which has ACA’s for four separate areas including their Main Street.
Other towns, which have ACA’s are:
• Blessington
• Rathdrum
• Tinahely
• Greystones – Four areas
• Delgany
• Dunlavin
• Enniskerry
Since submitting the ACA proposals to Wicklow County Council, we've written to local councillors requesting their consideration and support.
Our Tidy Towns 2017 adjudication report showed great encouragement for Bray's potential ACA's - so watch this space for further developments.