The Moorings, Midford Road, Midford, Bath

The Moorings is a Grade II 1800 detached house, situated within the Cotswolds AONB, Bath & Bristol Green Belt, and the indicative landscape setting of the Bath World Heritage Site. The building occupies a prominent roadside position along Midford Road, with a well-spaced three bay façade in Bath stone blockwork. Its frontage retains an attractively homogenous finish and intentional symmetry, flanked by a pair of chimney stacks above the east and west gable ends. The building retains traditional, multi-pane timber sashes (8-over-8) which are indicated to have been in situ by at least 1984 (Historic England) but are likely earlier in construction.

In response to the declared Climate Emergency, BPT is supportive of sensitive sustainability retrofits, where deemed appropriate, within the historic environment, as well as the sympathetic upgrade of traditional and listed building stock to better meet modern standards of living. As such, we therefore note a positive opportunity for the sensitive implementation of energy efficiency retrofits and thermal improvements where this does not result in harm or the loss of significant historic fabric.

We are supportive of the principle of installing secondary glazing as a less invasive and easily reversible retrofit measure to improve the thermal performance of a historic building, allowing for retention of the existing historic-style sash windows and established appearance of the listed building. The existing single-glazed windows are indicated to have a poor thermal performance and are “prone to surface condensation and the formation of mould and decay”. There are additional challenges related to the high levels of noise pollution due to the building’s roadside location.

Magnetically-fixed secondary glazing is a minimally invasive and easily reversible addition to improve the energy efficiency and residential comfort of a historic building and ensure its long-term, sustainable use. The proposed glazing model would allow the sashes to open and therefore retain their existing function and capacity for natural ventilation.