Mr William Powell AM	Date 22^nd October 2012
Petitions Committee Chair	Officer:  Rosie Burton
National Assembly for Wales	Title:  Building Conservation Officer
Cardiff Bay	Tel:  01874 620433
Cardiff	Email: rosie.burton@breconbeacons.org
CF99 1NA	Our Ref Talgarthconarea/RCB
	Your Ref

Petitions Committee : 6 November 2012 : P-04-365

Dear Committee Chair

Re: Petition: Protect Buildings of Note on the Mid Wales Hospital Site

Thank you for your letter dated 8^th May relating to the protection of the buildings of note at the above site.

I can confirm that a valid planning application for redevelopment of the site has been received by the Authority.  I can also confirm that the Authority is in receipt of an application for Conservation Area Consent to demolish many of the buildings on the site.  To that end my comments below are without prejudice to the Authority’s determination of the above applications.

You will be aware that the buildings on site are not listed and therefore not protected individually in their own right.  In terms of Conservation Area status the Town and Country Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 lays a duty on the local planning authority, in this case the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, to protect and enhance designated conservation areas.  Also the first of the special purposes of a National Park Authority includes a requirement to protect the cultural heritage of the area. The Authority will use this framework along with national guidance as set out in Circular 61/96 and local policies as set out in the approved Unitary Development Plan, to determine the current applications. 

For your information I would expect any application for demolition to clearly show what loss to the character of the conservation area and enhancement the proposal will bring.  In addition when large areas of demolition are proposed I expect a robust justification as to why each element of the property cannot be retained in any redevelopment proposals.   In

considering the redevelopment proposals, I will of course have to bear in mind that the property in question has suffered from much vandalism, theft and dilapidation from not being wind and weather tight.

If you have any queries relating to this letter please contact me on the number above.

Your sincerely

p.p  Rosie Burton

      Senior Heritage Officer (Building Conservation)