Comfort Inn, 27 – 29 Henrietta Street, Bathwick

Given the complexity of the internal alterations proposed by this scheme, it is impossible to comment meaningfully without a site visit. However we welcome the general principle of refurbishment of this listed buildings subject to the case officer’s review of individual proposals. Our only comment would be to question whether the optimum location for the lift is within the historic building, and not the modern extension. In the current proposals the lift position appears awkward in its juxtaposition to plan form and would result in the loss of much historic fabric.

Given the newer building is two storey with accessible connections to several new rooms, we ask whether the duty to provide accessible accommodation and facilities can be fulfilled by providing the lift in this section of the building, rather than a far more harmful intervention into the listed building itself, where historic plan form would be irretrievably lost.