Proposal
Installation of 3 roof windows in first floor rear extension.
Our Response

43 Milsom Street is a Grade II mid-18th century terraced townhouse, now a commercial premises with shopfront at ground floor, situated within the commercial core of the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site. Alongside its notable grouped value as part of a contemporaneous terrace, it additionally constitutes part of a high concentration, terraced group of Grade II and Grade II* buildings along Milsom Street, a large number of which are contemporary to the original development of Milsom Street in 1762 by Thomas Lightholder. Milsom Street remains a highly significant commercial streetscape, though originally residential, representative of large-scale Georgian town planning providing intentional sightlines into the city centre. 43 Milsom Street’s value is largely derived from its aesthetic contribution to the wider conservation area and World Heritage Site, and its architectural consistency throughout the rest of the terrace. It also possesses additional evidential value with the retention of a number of ghost signs across the upper floors, advertising the building’s former use as, amongst others, a circulating library.

This application currently appears to be incomplete, with no further information provided regarding the historic context of the building or specific heritage and material details regarding the area where works are proposed. No D&A/Heritage Statement has been submitted as part of this application, and therefore there is a failure to provide an appropriate assessment and justification of the proposals with regard to potential impact on the special historic and architectural interest of a Grade II listed building. In its current format, we do not feel that a fully informed decision can be made on this application and strongly recommend that further documentation is submitted in line with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, paragraph 189 of the NPPF, and Policy BD1 of the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan.

We further recommend that appropriate contextual elevations or sections would help to clarify the proposed location of works, and to appropriately justify the selection of more standard single-pane rooflights rather than conservation grade alternatives, which may be more appropriate to the appearance and character of a listed building.

Application Number: 21/05209/LBA
Application Date: 22/11/2021
Closing Date: 23/12/2021
Address: 43 Milsom Street, City Centre, Bath
Our Submission Status: Comment