WHC is pleased to announce listed building consent has been granted for two applications for works to a 17th century grade II listed building in Cambridgeshire.
The first application was for replacement of the existing thatch and render. The second application was for the retention of replacement windows and front door.
THATCH AND RENDER APPLICATION
The existing thatch was well past its useable life and needed replacing. That in and of itself is not hugely contentious. However, the owner sought to get the work done when the thatcher was available, which meant the works were being carried out during the application process and before the consent had been granted. The conservation officer was made aware of this prior to their site visit so there would be no surprises. Despite this, they were very supportive of the work being done and did not place any conditions on the approval.
The existing render was cracking and failing in numerous places due to water ingress and HGV movement on the road in front of the building. This was because the render was a cementitious pebbledash mixture applied many decades ago, which is inappropriate on an historic traditionally built building. The removal and replacement of the existing render will enable repair works to take place once removed. A lime rich render mix with a lime wash is to be used to complete the works. The conservation officer was not concerned about the proposal but has placed conditions on the consent to address the lime render and wash mix spec and colour. In addition, they want to be informed once the existing render has been removed to understand what, if any, repair work is required. These are standard conditions which should be straightforward.
RETENTION OF EXISTING WINDOWS AND FRONT DOOR
The owner had replaced all of the existing single glazed windows with new timber double glazed windows some 18 years ago. At the time there were discussions between the council and the owner, but nothing happened and eventually everyone moved on and soon forgot about it. The front door had been stripped of paint but had been retained and repaired due to rot. It is impossible to prove how old the single glazed windows were, and if any were of any age or significance. The replacements were left unpainted, which is something the conservation officer raised concerns about. In addition, they were not happy that the metal in between the double-glazed units was evident. Despite this, the planning officer chose to overrule the conservation officer, who was recommending the application be refused, and has approved the application.
IN THE END
This has been a challenging project. Seeking to regularise unauthorised works is never straightforward. There was a lot of discussions about pragmatic approaches versus firm conservation principles. The replacement of all of the windows with new slim double-glazed timber painted units would have been a huge expense for the owner who had legitimate reasons for changing them in the first place. Whilst it is not a perfect resolution, it demonstrates that a practical approach to an 18-year-old problem can be found. It also means that the owner is now able to sell the property without any unauthorised works holding them back (that is of course if they want to sell!).
Comentarios