Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
Contents
1.0
Introduction
2.0
Description of existing property
3.0
Description of the proposed scheme
4.0
Heritage issues
5.0
Summary
6.0
Historic Reference
Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
1.0
Introduction
The statement is to be read in conjunction with the following information
 Application forms for Listed Building and Planning Consent
 Drawings; “6H-FP-00-P-PLANNING”, “6HFP-00-E-PLANNING”,
“A_C_Location_Roof_Drawing”, “A_C_6HFP-00-P”, and “Roof Drawing”
Photographs
Design and Access Statement
Planning Statement
Background Noise Survey And Plant Impact Assessment
2.0
Description of existing property
24 Hans Place is a Grade II listed Victorian town house, listed in 1969 noteworthy for its external red
brick design typical of the Hans Town area. C.W. Stephens built the property circa 1890.
At the time of listing the house was divided into self-contained flats with the insertion of bathrooms and
kitchens into each floor so as to create individual living spaces. The conversion meant much historic
detail was lost when fireplaces were removed and sealed, and partitions were erected to divide
spaces. Flat 6 is located on the Fourth floor of the building.
Flat 6 has a Reception Room, Kitchen, Bathroom and Three Bedrooms (one of which has an en-suite
Bathroom) all accessed of a main corridor.
The roof to the property is a mansard roof with sloping sections clad in slate and a large flat asphalt
roof. The photograph below shows that originally the property had a pitched roof and that at some
stage this was replaced with a flat roof, most probably after bomb damaged in WW2, which reports
can be found to confirm that a German bomb landed in Hans Place causing damage and fire . Note
the rendered section on the chimneybreast outlining the profile of the original pitched roof.
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Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
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Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
View from the flat roof looking towards Pont Street. All the neighboring properties have pitched roofs
that would run into the triangular parapet wall shown in the above photograph [painted red]
From RKBC Website
English Heritage Reference: 203808
RBKC Reference:41/16
Property: 23-27 HANS PLACE 23-27 CONSEC
Street: HANS PLACE , SW1
Date:15/04/1969
Grade: II
Grouped:
Description: Terraced houses. Late C19. Four storeys plus basement and attic. Red brick and tiled
roof. Turrets. With No’s 16-22. No’s 23-27 together with No’s 32-40 Pont Street, and No’s 1622, together with No’s 26-30 Pont Street, from 2 blocks flanking the southern exit from Hans Place.
English Heritage Description
TQ 2779 SEHANS PLACE SW 141/1615.4.69Nos 23 to 27 (consec)
TQ 2779 SE HANS PLACE SW 1 41/16 15.4.69 No’s 23 to 27 (consec) II Terraced houses. Late C19.
Four storeys plus basement and attic. Red brick and tiled roof. Turrets. W ith No’s 16-22. No’s 23-27
together with No’s 32-40 Pont Street, and No’s 16-22, together with No’s 26-30 Pont Street, form
2 blocks flanking the southern exit from Hans Place.
3.0
Description of the proposed scheme
The proposed scheme is to modernise the existing 3 Bedroom/Two Bathroom Flat making minor
alterations to improve the quality of living, energy efficiency and restore some of the 80’s/90’s changes
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Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
which are not in keeping with the properties age or use. The changes will enhance the space and return
many original features back into the property securing them for the future.
The main changes are as follows;
 Straighten an altered wall between the kitchen and bathroom
 Modernise the kitchen, bathroom and en-suite
 Close doorway between en-suite and main bedroom
 Install climate controlled air-cooling units to the living room and main bedrooms, with
concealed openings and small external unit placed on the flat roof
 Remove coving, repair lath and plaster walls and ceilings sympathetically, both using
traditional trades and skills
 Replace existing double-glazing units with low profile energy efficient units
 Re-wire electrical cabling to replace degraded and unsafe installations
4.0
Heritage Assessment [To be read in conjunction with photosheets]
Whilst there is no planning history relevant to the flat it seems as though works have been carried out
to the property in the last 20 years with the creation of the Shower Room in Bedroom Three.
Skirtings - To the Hall and all three bedrooms there is a 150mm high moulded skirting that we
propose to replace and replicate to all other locations. The skirtings in the Reception, Kitchen and
Bathroom are very basic 75mm pencil skirtings that we believe is the original decorative style in what
would have been the domestic living space of a Victorian townhouse. Historical documents found
showing the layout of houses in the area from this period indicate that the top floor would have been
used for the maid and housekeeper sleeping rooms, possibly laundry storage and/or a playroom. This
would lead us to believe that the decorative style would be minimal and not the highly ornate design
that the formal rooms lower down the house would have displayed.
Cornice - There is a cornice in much of the apartment that returns around the ceiling edges. We do
not believe that cornicing would have been used in domestic rooms and that this was a decorative
fashion item added in the late 80’s / early 90’s and should be removed. Additionally, this may be
damaging the original lath and plaster walls/ceilings, which should be repaired and restored using
traditional methods and skilled tradesmen.
Doors and Architraves - The internal doors are a mix of new and old four panel doors, the proposed
scheme will re-use the old doors and replace the new doors with solid timber panelled doors to match
the older doors in the property. To the kitchen glass panel inserts are proposed to ensure daylight
distribution throughout the hallway. The architraves are mainly moulded although to some areas they
are of a pencil round design and others more ornate styles. In line with elsewhere the proposed
scheme will have the ornate moulded architrave removed and the simple pencil round style
reintroduced, in keeping with the skirting.
Internal Walls - The existing wall between the Bathroom and Kitchen is partly plasterboard and partly
modern block work. The block work section being much thinner as shown on the plans. The
proposed scheme looks to reposition the Plasterboard section, in order to straighten the wall between
the kitchen and bathroom and enable the space to be used in a modern way optimizing both rooms.
Features - The existing cupboard in the hall will be retained.
Safety & Energy Efficiency – The building is currently served by a communal central gas boiler hot
water system that feeds all properties water distribution radiators, this system is old and requires a large
amount of resources to run. In winter it is always on and in summer mostly always off. This is not an
efficient use of climate control and does not allow each apartment to maintain the optimum
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Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
temperatures. Additionally, in summer the top floor apartment is subject to extreme temperatures. Both
sides of the apartment receive full sunlight and the small compartment-like rooms trap in heat
throughout the day. Being directly on the noisy Pont Street thorough way means leaving windows open
is not practical. The installation of climate controlled air inverter exchange unit will ensure that the space
is heated efficiently from a sustainable resource (heat inverting and low carbon), reducing the
dependency on gas powered boiler, as well as allowing summer time cooling from the same method.
The installation of modern replacement secondary double-glazing will reduce temperature convection
through the traditional windows and retain much more of the ambient temperature created internally.
All service pipes and cabling will run through roof void space to the newly built dividing wall between the
kitchen and bathroom, which enables the works to avoid all existing lath and plaster walls. Pipes will
then run under the floor to each room, which will be accessed when the current flooring is lifted and
removed. Existing service runs through the roof will be used to connect the inverter unit to the concealed
output units internally.
Lastly, re-wiring the electrical cabling will bring the property in-line with current British standards and
ensure there is no risk electrical fire through poor, old or faulty cables that are believed to remain from
the 1960’s conversion.
Kitchen and Bathrooms – A modern refurbishment of the utilities rooms will take place as part of the
building works, replacing out dated suites with modern standards. All works undertaken will comply with
building regulations and all historic features as outlined above will be undertaken. Traditional skills will
be employed where necessary, including lath and plaster repairs to walls and ceilings.
Bedrooms – The three bedrooms will be re-decorated. Air climate units will be installed; with concealed
ceiling units introduced to especially design cabinetry to ensure the original ceilings are not altered or
damaged by this modern technology.
Sitting Room – As above with the bedrooms, the introduction of the climate controlled unit will be
sympathetically designed into book shelving units independent of the ceilings to ensure that no
penetration of the original lath and plaster occurs.
5.0 Summary
Much historical detail was lost or replaced with quasi-Victoriana fashions of the 80’s/90’s. This detail is
neither original nor enhancing and should be replaced to return some integrity to the purpose of the
listing advice from 1969. The proposed works will sympathetically enhance and improve the quality of
the space, while modernize the building in accordance with high standards available today as well as
return some important lost details. In order for Hans Town to remain a prestigious area that it has the
reputation for today, the high quality of residential spaces must stay at pace with the recent additions
to the area, such as the Kingwood development. These proposed works bring this dated and this
potentially unsafe apartment in line with modern expectations, whilst using traditional skills and an
attention to detail on design aspects that incorporate lost features. Furthermore, the works do not
impact the external façade or the aesthetic eye line of the street level or public viewing spaces.
6.0 Historic Reference
Image over shows the original layout of a Victorian Townhouse in Belgravia, arguably very similar to
the design and purpose of Hans Place, certainly similar in year of construction. This demonstrates the
use of the top floor as servants quarters and how the space would have been divided originally,
however it also importantly reminds us that this original usage is no longer part of modern living or
social conditions today and emphasizes the need to utilise our living spaces with a different context
and meaning, in order that those historic spaces have a 21st century purpose, not a 19th century ideal.
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Flat 6, 24 Hans Place SW1X 0JY
Heritage Statement
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