Flat 4 (top Flat), 3 Widcombe Terrace, Widcombe, Bath

3 Widcombe Terrace forms part of a Grade II* early 19th century residential terrace situated within the Bath City-Wide Conservation Area and World Heritage Site. The terrace is comprised of a 3 ½ storey façade in Bath stone ashlar, culminating in a rounded end-of-terrace façade overlooking Clarendon Road. The terrace largely retains its use of traditional-style 6-over-6 sash windows, with tripartite sashes across the principal first floor. The focus of works is at dormer level; the terrace features a greater variety of interventions where dormers of a later age and style have been inserted, somewhat to the detriment of the homogenous appearance and regularity of the terrace when viewed as a whole. No. 3 as existing features modern double glazed casement windows across both the front and rear-facing dormer, in contrast to the fenestration style used across the main body of the building.

Where the application proposes the like-for-like replacement of the existing windows, we acknowledge that there would be no resulting harm to the listed building, beyond that which has already resulted from the original installation of the windows. From this perspective, replacement would be considered acceptable where this would have a neutral impact on the appearance of the listed building, and there would be no visible change to the building in its existing condition.

Nonetheless, we highlight that this application offers a beneficial opportunity to address previous harm to the building and reinstate a more appropriate window appearance, fenestration, and profile that would reflect the traditional use of window joinery across both No. 3 and the wider Grade II* terrace, and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area. We encourage the possible consideration of replacing the existing, detrimental windows with traditional multi-pane sashes and reinstating the original appearance and interconnected special interest of a listed building.

Whilst the like-for-like installation of standard double glazing is acknowledged, there is a general preference for the use of slimmer profile double glazing units where these are more visually compatible with single glazing typically used in listed buildings.