DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TWO-STOREY SIDE / REAR EXTENSION AND
VEICHLE ACCESS TO
WOODLAND COTTAGE, PADLEIGH HILL,
ENGLISHCOMBE, BATH, BA2 3DR
MR NEIL BARBER (30th October 2013)
Introduction
The property is located on Padleigh Hill, in the Parish of Englishcombe Bath.
and dates from 1750. The property has been owned by the family since 1927
and it is unusual in this day and age in that it has never been modernised
In fact to date it still retains an outside toilet having never had a bathroom or
running water. Water is still drawn from the well via a hand pump to a Belfast
sink (To take a bath a tin bath was filled)
The building is now in poor condition after a fire caused severe damage in
2007 and since then the property has been left uninhabited.
The property is now high on Bath and North East Somerset Council list of
properties to be returned to a habitable condition .
Following meetings with Empty Property Officer Anna Cheek the intension
Is to restore the cottage to a habitable condition whilst retaining the character
and making it more suitable for modern family living
The site
The building is situated on a sloping site and next to a bend in Padleigh Hill.
The principle elevation facing the road is a long random stone wall supporting
the remains of a clay pantile roof. The garden is long and narrow and has
been neglected for many years. Self seeded sycamores that are growing
along the southern boundary need trimming back/removing as does the large
ash situated close to the eastern gable . The surrounding properties are
partially screened by trees and steep level changes.
The existing building
The cottage was once two building which were joined together. A blockwork
and render extension which enclosed the kitchen/WC has been added later
and it is here that the fire started. Next to the WC are the remains of the wash
outbuildings. The older part of the property is made from random natural
stone with a pitched tiled roof. It originally contained a living room and dining
room on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first. The inside of the
property is now in a state of dilapidation.
The design
The proposal is to make the property a habitable space that fits comfortably in
the landscape ensuring minimal impact on the surrounding properties.
At present the rooms are small and cramped with the external width of the
building at the widest point being only 4.6 metres. With 450mm thick stone
walls either side, the internal width is just 3.3 metres. In order to make a more
habitable space it is proposed that both the width and length of the building
are increased. The proposal is to increase the external width of the building
to 5.6 metres to allow reasonable sized rooms whilst maintaining the
character and scale of the existing cottage. The length of the property is the
same as the original footprint including the outbuildings and retains the
character of the existing stone rubble wall on the roadside elevation.
With in the design great care has been taken to keep the overall size as small
as possible but an exceptional circumstance exists to increase the size over
the councils 33% greenbelt recommendation for an extension.
As essentials such as a toilet/bathroom,well water treatment
plant/pump,staircase/ceiling heights to conform to building regulations all have
to be included into the specification these alone take up over the 33% .
This proposal will provide a total floor area including ground and first floor of
133 sq metres.The east gable will be retained but raised in height(including
the chimney) and extended. The south elevation is to be part demolished and
rebuilt approximately one metre further out from the existing line of the
building. A large section of the north elevation will need to be rebuilt but
towards the eastern end the wall is in better condition and will be retained but
increased in height to accommodate habitable ceiling heights. All retained
stonework will be re-pointed . The blockwork extension will be demolished.
It is proposed to render the east elevation and part of the south elevation – a
feature that can be seen in surrounding properties whilst the remainder of the
elevations will be random natural stone walls. Features such as stone
copings and stone lintels are to be re-used where possible. Other materials
include timber lintels, timber windows and doors.The design reflects the
original outlook of the cottage; most windows are on the south elevation with
no windows on the north elevation apart from a combination window/roof light
and no windows on the first floor elevation of the west gable.
Landscape
The proposal to create a vehicular access and turning area off Padleigh Hill
has been discussed with BANES Highways Department who have visited the
site and have no objections. A drawing has been provided to illustrate that a
visibility splay requirement 2 metres back from the edge of the road then 43
metres either side is possible.
The proposed material for the vehicular access and turning circle will be clay
bound gravel. A hedge is to be planted along the boundary edge which will
conceal this area from view of the road. A paved path will lead to the house.
The remaining area of ground will be landscaped as a garden.
It is proposed to remove the Ash tree next to the east gable
.