Camden protects future of historic Hatton Garden

Camden Council has recently taken steps to further protect and enhance the Hatton Garden Conservation Area, both to protect its historic nature and to ensure that any future development is appropriate for enhancing the area for both residents and business.

The area was first designated in 1999 in recognition of both its historic townscape but also the unique character that the jewellery trade plays in the area. Camden has updated its planning guidance for the conservation area through the publication of a new Hatton Garden Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan.

Hatton Garden incorporates London’s historic jewellery quarter and is home to thousands of Camden residents as well as a range of other businesses. There is significant pressure on the area from development, including the new Crossrail station at Farringdon, which means that Camden’s existing conservation area appraisal was in need of updating.

A wide-ranging public consultation took place in early 2017, to ensure that all interested parties had the opportunity to comment on the council’s proposals. Consultation responses received were largely positive and supported the publication of a new conservation area appraisal.

Gary Williams, Chair of the Hatton Garden Business Improvement District said:

"We welcome the strengthening of the planning guidance for Hatton Garden. The area is not only home to the UK's largest concentration of jewellery related businesses, but a wide variety of other businesses love calling Hatton Garden home, largely due to its cluster of creative industries.

“It is vital that this creative character and mix is protected. The planning guidance is a helpful tool to help us when working with the Council, developers and others looking to investment in this vibrant part of the capital."

Significant changes to the Conservation Area Appraisal include a new audit of buildings within the area, updated guidance for proposed developments and strategies for preserving or enhancing the area.

Each of Camden’s 40 conservation areas are covered by a conservation area appraisal which is adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to give it greater weight as a planning document to guide development in each area.

You can read more on the council’s website about the Hatton Garden Conservation Area Appraisal.