A REVIEW of Royston s conservation area is to get under way in two weeks time. Then a public exhibition will outline North Herts District Council s plans to re-draw the current conservation area. There have not been any changes to the conservation area f

A REVIEW of Royston's conservation area is to get under way in two weeks' time.

Then a public exhibition will outline North Herts District Council's plans to re-draw the current conservation area.

There have not been any changes to the conservation area for more than 30 years when it was last reviewed in 1974.

The district council has drawn up a Register of Buildings of Local Interest.

"A number of buildings in Royston do not merit statutory listing, but are important individually in a local context," said a report on the project.

The buildings selected for the register came under a number of criteria:

- Good quality work of a well-known local architect or craftsman

- Buildings of particular local architectural interest, important for their special design.

- Buildings of historic interest

- Buildings which act as an important landmark

- Buildings which are well documented to have close historical association with important and significant local historic events or people.

The public consultation exercise will begin with an exhibition at Royston Town Hall on Saturday, January 20.

During February there will be a public launch of the scheme and the exhibition will be transferred to Royston library.

The consultation will come to an end on March 2 and the outcome will be reported to the Royston area committee on March 14.

There are a number of additions to the new scheme as well as areas that have now been withdrawn.

Additions include the former Corn Mill in Kneesworth Street while an area of relatively recent new-build property in the Princes Mews area has been withdrawn.

The Corn Mill is described as a building that "greatly contributed" to the industrial history and development of Royston.

Other additions to the conservation area include 2 Barkway Road which is seen as making a "positive contribution" to the street scene, and 1 Barkway Road, which was the original cottage hospital erected in 1869.

It, too, is said to make a "positive" contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.

Properties being removed from the conservation area include Heath House in Princes Mews and King's House.