Chimney breast in kitchen corner

[Charlotte Ray]

Hoping for some advice...
We have recently purchased a 1930s former council house which has not had much updating - needs a full rewire and central heating installed.
In the corner of the kitchen is an unused chimney breast (the opening is large enough to fit a cooker, and comes to around chest heigh. I've uploaded a picture which will hopefully be visible)
How much difficulty would we have in removing this? I assume the rest of the chimney would need supporting if this lower section was to be removed? Makes planning a fitted kitchen rather tricky!
Many thanks

 

[mikeey84]

What's the other side of the wall?

 

[Charlotte Ray]

To the left is the sitting room, behind it is the property next door (my mums house). Her chimney breast was removed before she moved in 30 years ago.

 

[mikeey84]

The fact that the other side has had their breast removed makes it more challenging, as you often depend upon the other side to take some of the strain.

I would recommend you look at taking it out completely, including the upstairs breasts and the loft, and the roof.

If that isn't on the cards, you will need to get an structural engineer in, as you need to make sure the rest of the chimney bus supported properly.

Also need to inform Building Control and get it inspected

So quite tricky, but not impossible

 

[Charlotte Ray]

Thanks for that - was much as we suspected unfortunately.
Not something we will probably consider in the short term - looks like it's going to need to be blocked off annoyingly!

 

[mikeey84]

You might be able to open it up a bit, and make a feature of it. Difficult to tell without taking the plaster off and exposing the brickwork.

 

[Charlotte Ray]

Ooh that's a brilliant idea.