Flat 4, Second Floor, 43 Combe Park, Lower Weston, Bath

43 Combe Park is an unlisted semi-detached late 19th century dwelling situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site, adjacent to the RUH. Combe Park is characterised as a uniform street of semi-detached contemporary Victorian dwellings in Bath stone ashlar with one-over-one single glazed timber sash windows. The street does retain a significant amount of its timber sash windows, although there is a creeping replacement with uPVC windows to the detriment of the shared character and appearance of the streetscape. 43 Combe Park’s semi-detached neighbour has retained its timber windows, and as a pair they largely retain a homogenous vernacular aesthetic.

In principle, BPT resists the installation of uPVC windows due to the consequent detriment to the aesthetic and material character the Bath conservation area. The replacement of existing timber sash windows with uPVC in the building’s principal street-facing elevation would neither preserve nor enhance the traditional character and appearance of the conservation area, and would erode the traditional fenestration character shared along Combe Park as a late Victorian housing development. We further maintain that the use of uPVC to replace three windows total in the front and rear elevation would result in a contrasting mix of materials and window styles across the building and would be visually inappropriate.

We strongly recommend that any window replacements considered are white-painted timber to minimise potential visual impact and to sustain the character and appearance of the streetscape and its contribution to the conservation area.

We maintain an in-principle objection to the use of uPVC within the conservation area and emphasise that this application would neither preserve nor enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area, and would be contrary to the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 16 of the NPPF, and Policies B1, BD1, CP9, D1, D2, D3, and HE1 of the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan and should be refused or withdrawn.