Listed building consent

[gasmanuk]

Hi all Im currently looking to buy a grade II listed building which currently has uPVC windows to floors 1 and 2. The propert consists of a ground floor shop with a 3 bed maisonette above. The shop front is an old wooden canopy with pillasters and wraps around the buildin which is on a corner. Now the problem I have is that I want to convert the shop into another flat the property is currently deralict and is in a street of which all the houses are residential. I have checked the listing and it states the facade in some detail in some detail but also mentions the windows (currently uPVC) are six pane sash windows. Ironiclly at the time of listing (1975) the shop windows had been replaced with modern wooden windows so would not need replacing. My question is if I apply for LBC to convert to a flat will they flag up the uPVC windows and make me replace them also?

Finally I don't want people saying the old lines of uPVC shouldn't be allowed we are in a costal town in the north and u get looked down on not to mention rained in on if you haven't got uPVC windows. Its not in a conservation area in fact its in quite a rough area of the town centre.

I have spoken to the planning office and after there shock " are you sure this is listed?" they where non commital.

Here is a copy of the listing

Shop with dwellings over. c1870. Scored stucco on brick, C20
tile roof. Corner site: 3 storeys, 3x1 bays. Robert Street
facade: plain door with overlight flanked by wooden pilasters;
renewed 6-pane shop window on right under plain frieze and
cornice on brackets. 1st and 2nd floors have projecting sills
to 6-pane sashes in reveals under cambered arches. Allison
Street facade: matching shop window and door composition under
continuous entablature. Bay 1 has later casements to ground
and 1st floors otherwise windows as to Robert Street. Wooden
cornice on brackets at eaves of hipped roof.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Listed Buildings can be a total and utter thorough nightmare. Really though it depends on your approach. Go in softly softly and talk to the conservation officer, don't waste time talking about the listed element with planning. Go in with the wrong attitude and it can be a world of pain. Essentially, if you can get planning, get a full plans approval from Building Control done under the approval of the Conservation officer and you're laughing as there will very likely be conflicting stances from each party and invariably the Conservation Officers usually win. Try and do it on a Notice and keep the Conservation officer arms length with dribs and drabs and it can exceedingly painful and more costly. Enforcement notices are not that uncommon if you step out of line.

Do not underestimate the hoops a conservation officer can make you jump through and the power they possess.

A conservation officers approach to listed buildings is often that if you wish to own such a building you will be expected to you must accept the responsibility that comes with it.

Even assuming planning and highways are happy with the development bottom line is nobody on here can predict what response you will get from the CO.

Then again it might be a walk in the park!

 

[Nige F]

Just to add a small part that might be useful - At a listed building (hotel) I used to look after - the front entrance door was fully wood panelled . The owners wanted to replace 2 of the panels with glass . The passage through the planning maze ( which I known now`t about) was made a lot easier by me finding an archive photo of the whole door and massive stone surround ....standing in a salvage yard before being fitted way back in the `40s - It had 2 glass panels exactly as the new owners wanted . (Presumably the previous owners had wanted more privacy, pre listing of the building )Never underestimate the power of archive material