Ensleigh Cottage, Granville Road, Lansdown
Ensleigh Cottage is a late 19th century dwelling, now a garage, situated within the contemporary Ensleigh housing development in the Bath World Heritage site. It is ancillary to Ensleigh House, a Grade II Victorian detached house, along with additional material infrastructure such as the boundary wall along Granville Road. Consequently, all material aspects of the plot surrounding Ensleigh House positively contribute to the setting of a listed building due to the broadly contemporary presence of the cottage and the adjoining wall, and their shared use of a natural vernacular palette.
The Trust feels that insufficient justification has been provided for the removal of another portion of the existing wall. The unsuitability of the existing garage entrance has not been clearly communicated. Therefore, we are inclined to object to this application due to the associated visual detriment to the setting of a listed building.
Whilst BPT appreciates that portion of this wall proposed to be removed was built in 1995, and therefore does not constitute a loss of historic fabric, we feel that its reconstruction has positively contributed to the contextual setting of Ensleigh House whilst remaining an attractive and rural feature within the development’s streetscape. The stone boundary wall has retained an important visual connection between Ensleigh House and Ensleigh Cottage, and the singular shared entrance helps to present the two buildings within a still-visible boundary of their original ancillary footprint. Therefore, we feel that the loss of a portion of the wall would ultimately result in the aesthetic separation of these buildings despite their strong historic and evidential association with one another.
Furthermore, in application 18/04438/FUL regarding the demolition of Ensleigh Cottage, the permit was accompanied by a Condition in which the boundary wall is to be retained “to safeguard the character and appearance of the surrounding area” and to protect the setting of a listed building. Therefore, this application is contrary to the stated conditions, and will require an application for the removal or variation of a condition in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The Trust maintains that the removal of part of the boundary wall constitutes harm to the setting of a listed building. Furthermore, it is in breach of the Condition Three attached to application 18/04438/FUL. This application is therefore contrary to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 16 of the NPPF, and Policies B1, BD1, CP6, D1, D2, D3, D4, and HE1 of the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan and should be refused or withdrawn.