Barn House, Charlcombe Lane, Charlcombe, Bath

Barn House is an unlisted mid-19th century building situated within the Charlcombe village conservation area, the Green Belt, the Cotswolds AONB, and the indicative landscape setting of the World Heritage Site. The dwelling forms part of the rural setting of the Grade II St Mary’s Church, but is of low visibility from the roadside due to established mature tree and hedgerow planting around the site boundary. The area is characterised as verdant and rural in character, with high hedgerows and trees bordering fields as well as private gardens forming an enclosed, green appearance along Charlcombe Lane. Select viewpoints along the lane allow for expansive views to the south and south-east over the city through breaks in the trees. To the north, buildings are set back within generous gardens further up the slope, and are largely screened from public view, with the cumulative visual effect of houses ‘peeking’ through the trees or from behind ashlar or rubble stone boundary walls.

Whilst we appreciate the need for tree works, we therefore emphasise the need to retain the perceived density of tree and hedgerow planting along the roadside due to the positive contribution to the rural, enclosed appearance and character of the Charlcombe conservation area and the wooded backdrop of the village townscape.