No:

BH2021/00427

Ward:

Brunswick And Adelaide Ward

App Type:

Listed Building Consent

Address:

The Mews House Adelaide Mansions Hove BN3 2FD

Proposal:

Erection of garden room on roof with roof terrace. Installation of replacement aluminium windows and doors to first floor balcony and new lower ground floor flue on East elevation.

 

Officer:

Charlie Partridge, tel: 292193

Valid Date:

22.02.2021

Con Area:

Brunswick Town

Expiry Date:

19.04.2021

Listed Building Grade:

Agent:

N/A

Applicant:

Miss Andrea Catlow The Mews House Adelaide Mansions Hove BN3 2FD

 

 

1.               RECOMMENDATION

 

1.1.          That the Committee has taken into consideration and agrees with the reasons for the recommendation set out below and resolves to GRANT Listed Building Consent subject to the following Conditions and Informatives.

 

1.         The works hereby permitted shall be commenced before the expiration of three years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with Sections 18 (as amended) and 74 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

 

2.         The glass balustrade hereby approved shall be frameless and retained as such thereafter.

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory appearance to the development and to comply with policies HE1 and HE6 of the Brighton & Hove Local Plan and CP15 of the Brighton & Hove City Plan Part One.

 

3.         The obscured glass wall on the southern end of the garden room hereby approved shall be installed prior to the first use of the terrace and shall remain obscured as such thereafter.

Reason: In order to protect adjoining properties from overlooking and to comply with policy QD27 of the Brighton & Hove Local Plan.

 

Informatives:

1.         This decision is based on the drawings listed below:

Plan Type

Reference

Version

Date Received

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-010

 

8 February 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-011

 

8 February 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-012

REV A

16 April 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-013

REV A

16 April 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-014

REV A

16 April 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-015

 

8 February 2021

Proposed Drawing

 1804-PA-015

 

6 May 2021

 

 

2.               SITE LOCATION

 

2.1.          This property is in the Brunswick Town Conservation Area and is attached to 1-4 Adelaide Mansions which is listed Grade II. The property is not itself a designated heritage asset, however it relates in scale and architectural treatment to the adjacent 3 storey rear extension of 1 Adelaide Mansions, and sits prominently in views of the listed buildings from the north along St Johns Road thereby having potential to impact the setting of this heritage asset.

 

 

3.               RELEVANT HISTORY

 

3.1.          BH2021/00426 Erection of garden room on roof with roof terrace. Installation of replacement aluminium windows and doors to first floor balcony and new lower ground floor flue on East elevation. Concurrent Householder Planning Consent application under consideration

 

3.2.          BH2014/01865 Application for removal of condition 2 of BH2014/00106 (Internal alterations to layout of second floor) which states that no works shall take place until full details of the external vent have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Approved 06.08.2014

 

3.3.          BH2014/00106 Internal alterations to layout of second floor. Approved 25.03.2014

 

3.4.          BH2009/00162 Erection of garden room on roof. Approved 30.04.2009

 

 

4.               APPLICATION DESCRIPTION

 

4.1.          Listed building consent is sought for the erection of a garden room on the roof with a roof terrace. Consent is also sought for the installation of replacement aluminium windows and doors to the first-floor balcony and a new lower ground floor flue on the East elevation.

 

5.               REPRESENTATIONS

 

5.1.          Five (5) letters have been received objecting to the proposed development for the following reasons:

 

·      Adverse effect on listed building

·      Adverse effect on conservation area

·      Detrimental to property value

·      Inappropriate Height of Development

·      Noise

·      Overdevelopment of the property

·      Overshadowing

·      Restriction of view

 

5.2.          Conservation Advisory Group 09.03.2021 Objection

The proposed glass room on top of the existing roof would be very visible from several parts of the public realm and because of its design and size and would introduce an alien and harmful intrusion into the street scene. The proposed glass balustrade for the proposed roof terrace would also be very visible from the public realm and would be equally, if not more harmful, to the setting of a listed building and to the street scene.

 

 

6.               CONSULTATIONS

 

6.1.          Heritage

09.03.2021 - Objection

This application is for a glazed structure with a pitched roof on top of the existing flat roof, a roof terrace and glass balustrading added to the existing parapet. Any increase in height of this property will have an impact on the highly visible roof-scape of the three storey extensions to Adelaide Mansions, and the setting of the listed building. The scale of building at this end of St Johns Road drops dramatically northwards from the principle frontage of 1 Adelaide Mansions and the development of the roof of Mews House has the potential to disrupt this relationship.

 

6.2.          It is considered that as proposed, the proportions of this structure would be overly prominent, and the addition of glass balustrading would be an uncharacteristic addition to the street scene. It is therefore suggested that a lower, flat-roofed structure would have less impact and would relate better to the roof profiles in views from the north, and an alternative balustrade arrangement, perhaps set back from the existing masonry parapet should be investigated. The heritage team is unable to support this application as submitted.

 

22.04.2021 - Comment following revised plans received 21.04.2021

6.3.          The design of the proposed structure has been amended to have a flat roof as suggested in the original comments. This is considered to reduce the prominence of the structure in the street scene due to the reduction in height and the simplification of the profile and is considered acceptable. The glass screen has been re-positioned inside the area of flat roof, rather than being placed on top of the existing parapet as originally proposed. It is considered that this has potential to reduce its visibility, however clarification of the impact this would have is considered necessary, and a section showing visibility from street level from the north is requested.

 

10.05.2021 - Approve with conditions - Final comment following information received 07.05.2021

6.4.          The applicant has provided a 3D visual and section to aid assessment of the visibility of the proposed glass screen. It is considered that the northern balustrade will be clearly visible in views southwards along St Johns Road, but the eastern barrier is likely to be less visible from closer viewpoints. It is therefore considered that the screen should be frameless (as indicated in the visuals) in order to minimise its visibility - please add a condition accordingly.

 

 

7.               MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

7.1.          In accordance with Section 38 (6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, this decision has been taken having regard to the policies and proposals in the National Planning Policy Framework, the Development Plan, and all other material planning considerations identified in the "Considerations and Assessment" section of the report.

 

7.2.          The development plan is:

·      Brighton & Hove City Plan Part One (adopted March 2016);

·      Brighton & Hove Local Plan 2005 (retained policies March 2016);

·      East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Plan (adopted February 2013);

·      East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Sites Plan (adopted February 2017);

·      Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan (adopted October 2019)

 

7.3.          Due weight has been given to the relevant retained policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan 2005 according to their degree of consistency with the NPPF.

 

8.               POLICIES

 

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

 

Brighton & Hove City Plan Part One

SS1 Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

CP15 Heritage

 

Brighton & Hove Local Plan (retained policies March 2016):

HE1 Listed Buildings

HE3 Development affecting the setting of a listed building

HE6 Development within or affecting the setting of conservation areas

 

Brighton & Hove City Plan Part Two (Proposed Submission October 2020)

Policies in the Proposed Submission City Plan Part 2 do not carry full statutory weight but are gathering weight as the Plan proceeds through its stages. They provide an indication of the direction of future policy. Since 23 April 2020, when the Plan was agreed for submission to the Secretary of State, it has gained weight for the determination of planning applications. The weight given to the relevant CPP2 policies considered in determining this application is set out in the Considerations and Assessment section below where applicable.

 

DM26 Conservation Areas

DM27 Listed Buildings

DM29 The Setting of Heritage Assets

 

Supplementary Planning Documents:

SPD09 Architectural Features

 

 

9.               CONSIDERATIONS & ASSESSMENT

 

9.1.          The main considerations in the determination of this application relate to design and appearance of the proposed alterations and whether they would have a detrimental impact on the historic character and significance of the adjacent Grade II listed building to which the Mews House is connected (1-4 Adelaide Mansions), the setting of other listed buildings and the wider Brunswick Town Conservation Area.

 

9.2.          In considering whether to grant listed building consent the Council has a statutory duty to have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses. Case law has held that the desirability of preserving a listed building or its setting or the character or appearance of a conservation area must be given "considerable importance and weight".

 

9.3.          Following the initial consultation with heritage, amended drawings were received which removed the pitched roof element from the design of the proposal to reduce the visual prominence of the structure and so that it would relate better to the surrounding roof profiles. The amended drawings also repositioned the glass balustrade as it was considered to be an uncharacteristic feature within the surrounding context of the area. The balustrade would now be set back from the perimeter rather than being situated on top of the existing parapet wall, reducing its visibility from the streetscene. A 3D visual and sectional drawing were also received following further consultation with heritage which confirm that the northern side of the balustrade would be clearly visible from St John's Road, but the eastern side would be less visible.

 

9.4.          Following these amendments to the design of the proposal and subject to the recommended conditions, the proposed works would not harm the historic character or appearance of the adjacent Grade II listed building or the wider conservation area, in accordance with policies HE1, HE3 & HE6 of the Brighton & Hove Local Plan, CP15 of the Brighton & Hove City Plan Part One and DM26, DM27 & DM29 of the Brighton & Hove City Plan Part Two.

 

 

10.            EQUALITIES

None identified