Casa Bianca, Bathwick Hill, Bath

This is in effect a new building within the setting and curtilage of a significant listed building. We are surprised that there has been very little assessment of the impact of the proposed scheme on setting of the primary listed building (context elevations etc) and Priory Lodge. In our view the applicant should provide a 3D render of the building as viewed from the main house and surroundings, given that increased height will increase visibility and in order to understand how the finished scheme will interact with its surroundings. We refer to Section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas Act) 1990 that ‘decision makers should give “considerable importance and weight” to the desirability of preserving the setting of listed buildings’ when carrying out the balancing exercise.'

In addition we ask why proper justification for extending this building has not been provided; and whether a carer could not be accommodated within the large main house. We are concerned that this becomes a cumulative harm issue, with the garage being built in 1981 and now being turned into a separate dwelling, both bringing intervention and possible harm to the setting of listed buildings.

The quality of any ancillary building should reflect the quality and character of the primary listed building. The proposed scheme combines modern materials (aluminium windows, utilitarian garage door etc.) alongside more traditional stone and roof materials and is neither in a sympathetic modern nor a traditional replica style. The suggested render is not appropriate if the building is in replica design to the host and the image of the Bath stone rubble with lime pointing used in the D & A looks to be in a Cotswold stone construction and colour. The use of rendered quoins with blank render, rubblestone and the modern window and door materials appears a confused juxtaposition and not of a quality befitting its proximity to two buildings of particular architectural interest. We recommend that the applicant is asked to rethink both design and materials.