The Bird, 18-19 Pulteney Road, Bathwick

18-19 Pulteney Street is an unlisted mid-19th century semi-detached dwelling, now restaurant and hotel, situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site. It is considered a Non-Designated Heritage Asset (NDHA) due to its attractive, Italianate appearance and contribution to the spacious and grand villa streetscape appearance and character of the conservation area. The rear of the building overlooks the Recreation Ground as well as being publicly visible from William Street. The building rear is currently extensively tarmacked for parking, and the single storey 20th century extensions are of negligible historic or aesthetic value.

In principle, the Trust maintains the use of timber cladding within an ‘inner city’ context is inappropriate. Bath’s urban core has a distinctive local vernacular in which the use of timber would be an incoherent insertion that would not relate visually or architecturally within its historic context. The Trust maintains that the use of timber cladding is better suited within rural or green settings due to its soft, natural finish, colouring, and weathering.

On grounds of the site’s public visibility from the rear, we maintain the use of timber cladding would be inappropriate, and recommend a cladding treatment more harmonious to the colour and materiality of the main building body is considered.