7 Sion Hill Place, Lansdown, Bath

7 Sion Hill Place forms part of a Grade I mid-18th century terrace of townhouses by John Wood the Elder, situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site. The terrace has retained its well-balanced, symmetrical appearance with a continuous rusticated ground floor, bracketed balconettes across the first floor, and the retention of traditional features such as Georgian-style multi pane sash windows. The building forms part of the elegant terrace morphology indicative of Bath’s polite Georgian vernacular, and therefore contributes towards the Georgian Architecture and Town Planning OUV of the World Heritage Site.

We are generally supportive of the proposed remedial works to restore the railing base and reset the existing railings. We commend the retention and re-straightening of the existing railings, rather than replacement.

We welcome the opportunity for the removal of paint at lower ground floor which would reinstate the original Bath stone appearance of the building as a whole, with benefit to the group value of the Grade I terrace. It is noted that “any blown or damaged stone discovered at these walls will be removed and replaced with like for like material.” However, from the photographs provided it appears that a significant amount of deterioration is already present (see Fig 1) and will likely require substantial ‘piecing in’ repairs. Whilst we recognise that the scale of damage is unclear until the paintwork is stripped back, a more in-depth works methodology or sectional assessment would help to clarify the scope of proposals.

It is proposed that the new hardwood casement window in the lower ground lightwell would be double glazed. We maintain that the use of slimlite double glazing with an approximate profile of 12-14mm would be more appropriate to the character and appearance of the building.