Cottage in Central Ripon
Small cottage cum workshop to be replaced with three townhouses:
To be lost is a sweet old building occupying the rear of a burgage plot in the middle of Ripon.
Most would agree that it isn’t really worth a mention, it being a rugged simple brick and beam build. But look closer, and you can spot the nuance that won’t be present it its successor; the roof pitch doesn’t match the adjacent building; the brick is the same as that of the boundary wall; the entrance seems to be neither of the ground floor or first floor.
But from the Architects drafting I’m confident it will be tastefully replaced. Indeed, three new residential addresses down this side street could really breath life into this corner of the city. Still, it will be a long time before we have a new old building here to catch our curious eyes.
Hollycroft, Ilkley
Edwardian villa threatened with demolition in Ilkley:
A beautiful suburban Edwardian house that has been used until recently as a care home is threatened with demolition following acquisition by Barchester Healthcare Ltd. Although not listed, the building is within a conservation area, an as such this should be grounds for refusal on the harm that would result from its loss. Indeed even the heritage statement acknowledged that ‘ipso facto’ the building is a designated heritage asset.
Pre-application advice from the case officer at Bradford Council stated that the principle of the development is acceptable, effectively giving the go-ahead to the developer before the application has entered the public domain and the democratic due process.
Nonetheless it is reassuring to see the barrage of public comments objecting to this proposal, including objections from Ilkley Town Council who rightly point out that allowing demolition on the grounds that a building is in disrepair effectively rewards owners for neglecting heritage.
After so much opposition, it would be a shock to see this one get permission.
End terrace cottage, Meltham
Notice of demolition of a small end terrace dwellingin Meltham, Huddersfield:
Not sure why the owner is wanting to destroy this building in a conservation area. The planning statement suggests they will use the space as a garden, but I’m not convinced. The applicant also acknowledges that the removal of the building will leave an unweathered gable end that will require work. This alone would be enough to despoil the conservation area, which is otherwise a pristine townscape of Victorian stone built stock – I’m surprised this street isn’t used for filming.
The neighbouring terrace is grade 2 listed. Hopefully the planning officer has the fore site to see the harm this would do to the setting of this protected building.
Cottage in Stean village, near Harrogate
Stunning vernacular rural cottage to lost in the hamlet of Stean:
Stean is about as perfect a Yorkshire hamlet as you will find. And being a hamlet, the loss of a 9 bedroom cottage in the centre is a significant portion of the historic building stock.
Stean cottage, clearly is fundamental to the hamlet, as it bears its name. I can’t imagine what there is to gain from replacing a 9 bedroom dwelling however, the MET is likely to be outdated and the design and access statement suggests issues with damp.
The applicant assures that the replacement will recycle the existing materials, and insist that ‘any visitor will think it has been there forever’
Clough House, Birstall
Application to demolish two Georgian buildings in Kirklees for 30 new houses:
Top: front elevation of Clough House. Lower: Outbuilding to the rear
Cough House built in 1799 should be afforded statutory protection. I quote English Heritage; ‘all buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are likely to be listed, as are most buildings built between 1700 and 1850.’
This should be a relatively simple planning dialogue between Kirkless and the developer. Yes, go ahead and develop the site, but only in a way that preserves the historic buildings, and as per local policy, enhances the setting.
If this is not done, then Kirklees’ own policies have been flouted.
As expected the heritage statement commissioned by the developer supports the demolition of the buildings, as they are not as ornate as some of the other mill owners’ villas of the same period. He goes on to state that the new housing quantum is worth the loss of the building.
You can almost certainly have both. The developer as per usual is just demanding a carte blanche site to get stuck into. This is not good planning. I urge you to object.
House at Cliffe, Selby
Rural cottage to be replced with three hosues:
Charming Ivy clad cottage to come down just to teh East of Selby in Cliffe village. Its the nuances that are abscent from new builds that initially piqued my interest in heritage. The above, for example, has a boundary wall that attaches to the gable wall. This sort of feature will be abscent from the replacement, but in design terms, marries the building to its environment.
Hopefully the ivy will grow back over the three hosues that replace this bulding.
Cottages in East Yorkshire
Three rural cottages to be lost in The East Riding:
All three of which are a shame to lose it goes without saying, particularly as they are all fit for purpose. The Old Post office is in fact being encorporated into the neighbouring house, so the local authority will actually lose a dwelling.
The replacement housing comes straight out of the architects pattern book, to wit, three unique buildings will be gone forever.
Aubrey House, York
Plans to demolish a culster of buildings for student flats in York:
A sweet pair of houses will be lost to make way for student accomodation.
I fully understand the need to densify sites such as this, to avoid students consuming residential accomodation elsewhere in the city, so it would be difficult to oppose the loss of these buildings for that purpose.
Those black cast iron railings will be sorely missed however.
The Cottage residential care home, Hull
Former cottage home, Hull:
This building was lost last year but went under my radar.
One of a number of cottage homes for orphans in this area, that have been left to the elements and have subsequently been demolished, development of this site is now in the planning process. The buildings were afforded protection under a local listing status, but this goes to show that nothing is safe, if left in disrepair.
Props to the conservation officer, Philip Hampel, who has put the time into a detailed response, giving some historical context to the site and daring to note that the replacement dwellings are unsympathetic to the context, and disrupt the rhythm of the street front.
Bengreave Farm, Bradfield, Sheffield
Application to demolish a farmhouse near Damflask Reservoir, Sheffield:
I must give thanks to the heritage statement for the detailed research, placing this building in the mid18th century, as a traditional laithe-house with local historical significance. I can feel the author’s reluctance to support the demolition of this building, in spite of being on the books of the developer.
Let’s hope the replacement is as architecturally interesting and also manages to get three centuries of use from generations of families.
The Demolition Register 