I had a letter passed through my door recently, informing me that my flat is included in the area which is covered by the proposed conservation area extension. Personally, Im really pleased but will it mean that the shops on Dartmouth Road will be expected to smarten up? I know that there has always been a conservation area in existence in Dartmouth Road but reading the literature that I received, it seems that the majority of shop frontages do exactly the opposite of what the conservation area is supposed to promote. The whole road seems to me to be getting more and more scruffy with poorly painted frontages, crooked and often broken signage etc. I would love something to happen which might mean these things might get sorted. Does anyone know if this is likely?

I live on Waldenshaw Road which I understand is already in the conservation area. Doesnt seem to make a jot of difference judging by things like sattelite dishes stuck to the front of most houses. My next door neighbour has one the size of Joddrell Bank whacked on the front of their house.

The Conservation Area is a con, and should be abolished, not extended. It's such a fantasy that Lewisham can't even be bothered making up enough specious nonsense about it on their site to finish the first sentence. You don't need a conservation area to tidy up - but it's a status symbol that will assuage some middle-class opinion that likes the idea. How does it help empty derelict shops in a tight urban environment to have some pointless bureaucrat sniffing at the sans-serif signage of the place next door? Why is anyone that bothered about satellite dishes other than naked and frankly rather unpleasant snobbery?

I don't see how extending the blooming thing halfway down to Sydenham helps the genuinely beautiful buildings we have - spreads the same resources more thinly. Opposed, and will remain so.

The conservation area extensions were agreed at Mayor and Cabinet on 14th July.

Personally, I am not sure that this is the obvious place to start in improving Dartmouth Road as a retail environment, but would be interested in whatever ideas are around as to how it might work.

Success would require:

1. Considerable and persistent engagement from the local authority and other agencies.

2. The engagement of an active, representative group of local retailers.

3. Some kind of constructive engagement of the local community around the real world issues.

If you don't have the above, the conservation area will not work.

What is the plan?