3 College View, Ragland Lane, Fairfield Park, Bath

3 College View is an unlisted terraced dwelling, situated within the Bath World Heritage Site and the indicative townscape setting of the Bath Conservation Area. No. 3 forms part of a wider late 19th/early 20th century terrace, attributed to 1900; the terrace is modest in form, utilising a two storey two bay stepped façade in Bath stone ashlar that follows the east-west slope down towards Fairfield Road. The end-terrace houses both feature a projecting bay window at ground floor level. In form and appearance, the College View terrace bears a strong resemblance to the adjacent terrace at 1-14 Raglans Terrace, which is indicated to also date to approx. 1900. Raglans Terrace has been the subject of numerous later alterations, including the addition of front porches to a number of properties as well as the insertion of a second window at first floor level in the principal elevations of Nos. 9, 8, 7, 5, and 4. These later additions have resulted in a more varied and disparate appearance across the frontage of Raglans Terrace, whereas in contrast College View appears to have retained a well-balanced symmetry and rhythm across the frontage with limited visible intervention. This symmetry is further reflected along later terraces to the west throughout the early 20th century; whilst each later section of terrace (eg. Fairfield View, Fairfield Terrace, Melrose Terrace) does vary in terms of architectural detailing and use of materials, each segment retains a largely homogenous shared streetscape façade, where alterations to the rear elevation offers a greater opportunity for extensions and alterations.

We recognise that alterations across Raglans Terrace may be considered a precedent for alterations to the street façade where this has already introduced a more varied and mixed appearance along Ragland Lane. However, we maintain that the addition of a second window at first floor level would unbalance the otherwise retained symmetry and rhythm of the College View terrace, where the principal façade has otherwise been retained with little interference. We suggest that further consideration could be given as to whether the proposed alterations to accommodate an upper floor bathroom could be revised to move the bathroom to the rear and relocate the proposed window opening to the south elevation.