Conservation Areas Q & A
Dorset is full of these special Planning consideration areas where we have had good success in winning orders and not least of all getting approval from the very difficult Conservation Officers.
Q: Is planning approval always required for a sun room extension, Orangery, or similar?
A: Not necessarily. If the project will be on a rear elevation – Permitted Development cannot be enjoyed if the construction is to be on the side elevation within a Conservation Area.
Q: If doors and windows are to be replaced, will we need to go through a Conservation Procedure?
Not necessarily but it would always be appropriate to submit your intentions to the Local Planning Authority and receive a Conservation Officer’s feedback. We have given the go-ahead to change windows in Conservation Areas for PVCu or Architectural Aluminium and there are no golden rules.
Q: To enhance our Approval to submit design and material details to the Conservation Department, how should we proceed?
A: Should your desire to use Hardwood, the main considerations will be overall design and flush frames together with balanced sashes. There are however, a number of good quality PVCu Systems which are far removed from ‘basic plaster windows’. These have been designed with attention to corner jointing detail, wood grain finish and a very wide range of coloured foils. There are most certainly sliding sash PVCu Systems, albeit a limited number, which might be considered inappropriate until the customer and Conservation Officer have viewed a demonstration model.
Q: How should we best proceed to establish the best way forward?
A: You may contact your Local Planning Authority and make an appointment to meet with the Conservation Officer or have them visit your home. Alternatively, we use the very good offices of Ben Hume, Town & Country Planning, who has a wealth of experience dealing with many character properties in Dorset. These may be Listed Buildings, AONB, Conservation Areas or properties of special historical interest. Ben Hume will initially give his general guidance without your incurring any fees and advise you what costs are probable, should you wish him to submit a Formal Application on your behalf.
Q: If we have a Listed Building, it is understandable that special rules will apply. How will these be best dealt with and what is the best way to proceed?
A: Should you have a Listed Property, you may will even find that deteriorating existing timber work should be restored. However, you will have a very good opportunity of replacing windows and doors need to be Timber and we very much recommend Hardwood treated with a High Specification Micro Porous Stain. Single or double glazing can be a contentious issue and this is somewhat frustrating when the current very strict Building Regulations Controls require maximum thermal efficiency. Sun Rooms and Extensions can usually be Approved for double glazing but changing existing windows in a Listed Building will historically involved somewhat of a battle with Conservation Officers. Hume, Town & Country Planning, who has a wealth of experience dealing with many character properties in Dorset. These may be Listed Buildings, AONB, Conservation Areas or properties of special historical interest. Ben Hume will initially give his general guidance without your incurring any fees and advise you what costs are probable, should you wish him to submit a Formal Application on your behalf.
We have removed rotting timber windows in properties around 100 years old, which were glazed with the most wonderful stained glass panels but sadly another English storm would devastate them. With careful negotiation involving Planning Authorities and Conservation Officers, we removed the timber framework, had the delicate stained glass panels restored and set into double glazed sealed units with toughened glass. The overall resulting appearance needs to be seen in the flesh but all concerned were delighted to agree that with even close inspection, the overall unique feature was not far removed from that which was originally constructed a 100 years or more ago.
Most importantly, many of us would have seen superb stained glass units in churches or similar with metal bars crudely fixed across them for protection against stormy winds. On many occasions I have hugely admired not only the wonderful stained glass architecture but stories which they had been created to tell. Their history is invaluable to be preserved but when they can be protected for the foreseeable future by encapsulation within toughened sealed units and the overall character maintained, is not giving into technology but using the latest techniques in securing our history of highly skilled trades people.
