Elegant period features, historic craftsmanship, character, charm…
These are just some of the advantages that come with owning a listed property.
But there are also responsibilities and rules.
You are the latest guardian of a property that is of such special architectural or historic interest, it has been given protected status.
It is down to you to preserve and maintain it.
Internal and external alterations and extensions require Listed Building Consent from your local planning authority.
This applies to maintenance and repairs, too. It’s a criminal offence to carry out unauthorised work and owners can be issued with heavy fines and orders to reverse changes they have made.
The HKA team has years of experience in working with listed buildings.
We can guide and support property-owners on every aspect – from maintenance and repairs using the right materials to energy conservation, understanding and navigating the Listed Building Consent process and working with your conservation officer.
GAINING PERMISSION FOR DOUBLE-GLAZED WINDOWS IN A GRADE II LISTED HOME
HKA recently worked alongside consultancy Stainton Planning to help the CEO of Chesterfield marketing agency CNS Media, Andy Hattersley, with a task which is relatively straight-forward for non-listed building-owners… Replacing the windows at his Grade II Listed home.
CLIENT ANDY:
“Our Georgian detached house was built in 1830 and is Grade II listed. We have lived here since 2013 and it is a fabulous family home, with lots of space and beautiful period features.
“It had been fully renovated to a high standard 10 years before we bought it, so it hasn’t been a money pit. We keep up with regular maintenance tasks and have added new bathroom and kitchen fittings. But the one big thing we needed to tackle was the windows.
“The previous owners had replaced all but one of the Georgian windows with new single-pane. But these windows were leaky and needed a lot of upkeep. In winter they were covered in condensation and made the house cold and draughty.
“We wanted to replace them with double-glazed windows in a style which would be more keeping with the property’s age.
“We knew we would require Listed Building consent and after making initial enquiries, we contacted Charlotte Stainton. She suggested we also bring in HK Architecture and heritage consultant Blue Willow Heritage. They worked together to help us.
“We understood and respected the conservation officer’s wish to retain as many of the house’s original features as possible, but gaining consent was a complicated and slow process.
“There were times when the terminology used was hard for a layman like me to understand and it felt frustrating when the reasons we wanted planning permission was to replace existing windows that were not right for the property and to achieve a warmer, less draughty home. We needed a lot of hand-holding during that process and HKA was great.
“It took a year before we were given permission to replace 18 windows, three sets of French doors and the front and back door – we were required to keep the original Georgian window.
“The conservation officer made recommendations and we were able to find a company locally who could create bespoke hardwood windows to the right heritage design and specifications. HKA worked with them, smoothing that process.
“The hard work was totally worth it. We now have a fully-modernised Grade II listed property. We believe we have done right by the house – the new windows enhance it. In addition, we have more comfortable lives; the internal temperature has gone up two degrees and the house is much quieter.”
ALISTAIR AT HKA:
“We were brought in by Charlotte Stainton to assist with the listed building application for replacement windows at Andy’s stone-built listed property
“The single glazed windows were very leaky, making the house difficult to heat and their style wasn’t in keeping – they had fairly thick glazing bars.
Andy fully understood the need to gain Listed Building Consent but in his initial approaches to planning officers he had been met with resistance to the idea of double-glazed windows, and to his initial choice of windows fabricator.
“He needed a more specialist approach. Working alongside Charlotte Stainton and Blue Willow Heritage, my technologist Scott Wood and I surveyed the windows inside and out, drew up the house and showed its positions.
“The conservation officer advised on a thinner frame and slimmer glazing bars, which we agreed would suit the property’s age. Scott and I went to specialist firm Archtop Joinery’s workshops in Wirksworth; we liked the quality of their workmanship and their willingness to understand heritage conservation requirements.
“We liaised very closely with them on the specification and style that would be acceptable to the conservation officer and HKA was then able to create a set of window drawings for the application, which proved successful.
“Andy and his family were able to comply with the conservation officer’s requirements and improve the comfort and the look of their beautiful listed home.”
