1 The Old House, The Hill, Freshford

1 The Old House is a Grade II mid-18th century house situated within the Freshford conservation area, Bath Green Belt, and Cotswolds AONB. It forms part of the setting to the Grade II mid-18th century former coach house attached at the rear of the building. This application specifically relates to the building’s garden setting and coursed rubble stone boundary wall along the roadside of The Hill and Station Road; whilst historically associated with The Old House as part of its domestic infrastructure, the wall is Grade II listed in its own right and therefore maintains an independent historic and aesthetic significance. Boundary treatments within this area of the conservation area are largely characterised by rubble/coursed rubble boundary walls varying in height and formality and/or well-established hedgerows and planting. There are some less frequent examples of wrought iron railings.

BPT previously commented in response to application 20/02469/LBA, now consented. This application relates to works following the relevant boundary wall repair works and removal of leylandi, cypress and laurel hedging to replant sections of the historic yew hedge.

We maintain that the feather edge fence as proposed, and retrospectively installed, is visually inappropriate within this prominent historic location, but we recognise that this is intended as a temporary health and safety measure whilst the new yew hedging grows. Should planning permission be granted, we strongly recommend this comes with a condition for the fence’s removal by an established date to ensure it remains a strictly temporary addition.