Conservation area status changes of eight Ceredigion towns are expected to be signed off by Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet.

Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet, at a meeting on 7 January, received a report recommending that Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans be released for public consultation, covering Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Aberaeron, Lampeter, Llanbadarn Fawr, Llandysul, New Quay, and Tregaron.

The results of the consultations will be put before Cabinet members at a meeting on 3 June.

Local authorities are required to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of area designated as a conservation area and produce detailed management plans which address the issues raised.

Such detailed appraisals and management plans have not been undertaken for most of Ceredigion’s conservation areas.

A report fsaid: “By not having conservation area appraisals and management plans in place, the council is not meeting its statutory duty in full.

“Their absence means there is a lack of information available to Development Management Officers to justify the refusal of proposals which may harm Ceredigion’s conservation areas.

“Moreover, Inspectors may overturn officers’ decisions to refuse planning permission in conservation areas due to the absence of such appraisals.

“Collectively, this contributes to the erosion of the county’s conservation areas.”

The report said that officers were successful in securing funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to begin preparing appraisals and management plans for the eight areas.

Launched in January, the consultations were due to close on 9 March, but the deadline for responses was extended to 14 March.

The council said: “The Conservation Area Appraisals provide a detailed picture of what makes the areas special and provide a shared understanding of their character and importance.

“Once the current Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans have been adopted, the intention is to then prepare appraisals and management plans for the remaining conservation areas.”

A report to be put before members on 3 June said: “Following the consultation, relevant amendments have been made to the Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans to reflect the feedback received.

“The Planning Service now consider it appropriate to adopt the documents as SPG.

“Should Cabinet adopt the Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans as SPG, they will then form a material consideration when determining planning applications which impact the respective areas.

“Once the current Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans have been adopted, the intention is to then prepare appraisals and management plans for the remaining conservation areas.

“This process has already begun for Llansanffraid and will be commenced for the remaining areas once resources allow.”