14 Grosvenor Place, Lambridge, Bath

14 Grosvenor Place forms part of a monumental Grade I late 18th century terrace of townhouses situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site. It originally formed the initial phase of works around the proposed Vauxhall Gardens, now Kensington Meadows, by John Everleigh, and remains evidentially significant of a speculative Georgian leisure enterprise. The terrace form is notable for its symmetrical layout and uniform detailing in plain Bath stone ashlar with rusticated window and door arches. However, there are some instances of architectural diversity with some townhouses, including 14 Grosvenor Place, featuring rustication along the ground floor. Later additions include the painting of elevations, both along the front and the secondary rear elevation facing onto Ringswell Gardens, which interrupt the material homogeneity and regularity of the terrace whole. 14 Grosvenor Place has retained a mix of elevational treatments across its rear elevation, with a deteriorating layer of cementitious render on the second floor (the subject of this application) and the application of newer paint and/or render across the ground and first floors in a similar style to its neighbour 13 Grosvenor Place.

BPT is supportive of the opportunity to reinstate the natural Bath rubble stone appearance of 14 Grosvenor Place’s rear elevation and the removal of damaging cement-based render which is currently in a poor and visually deleterious condition. Care should be taken to minimise loss of historic fabric or damage to stonework through the render removal process. The removal of render would restore the whole building to its original, designed appearance and would be beneficial when viewed as part of its wider terraced setting, with resulting enhancement to the Grade I terrace’s special architectural and historic interest.

We note the potential for issues with the stonework to be uncovered as part of paint removal works and trust that this will be repaired where appropriate and with the necessary consent.

We note that there are examples of repainting/rendering across the lower floors of the building, and we strongly recommend that similar works are resisted once the existing render has been removed. BPT encourages the retention of the exposed rubble stone elevation to better accord with the natural material treatment of the wider terrace as seen across the terraced rear elevation of its neighbours to the north-east.