A couple has had their plans to remove a chimney stopped by their local council after it was found to be "detrimental" to the local area.
Charlotte Dickerson and her partner Rory McGrath removed a chimney in their house in Martham after an engineer stated the chimney could fall down and caused a significant hazard to them and their family.
However, Great Yarmouth Borough Council turned down the couple's retrospectiveplanning permissionrequest after claiming it created an "unbalanced look" and was of "heritage importance" to the area.
What did the plans include?
The application was for the removal of one of the original chimney stacks on the building, specifically the four-pot rectangular chimney located at the southern end of the roof's eastern slope.
Originally, there were two rectangular chimney stacks on the building – one with three pots to the north and one with four pots to the south, both of the same size.
The chimney is temporarily covered and the plans state this will be permanently covered with roofing materials matching the rest of the roof.
The temporary or re-roofed area is not visible from the street with the plan being to repair the roof and cover the hole with slates.
Removal requested due to safety concerns
The homeowners stated the reason for the removal of thechimneyswas due to safety concerns.
The retrospective application included photos of two voids that existed on one cover of the chimney stack between the roof flashing (a thin, waterproof material) and the base of the chimney stack along with an indication of the deteriorated state of cement applied over and between the brickwork.
A letter from an engineer was also provided to offer support for the need to start repairs for the roof. The letter identified risk from strong winds and confirmed urgent repairs were necessary.
Ms Dickerson said: "When the damage was discovered we discussed it with the council who said it should be repaired if possible.
"We paid for a surveyor to look at it who said that due to the scale and location of the damage on the stack, it could not be successfully repaired and should be taken down."
Why was planning permission needed?
The council said the removal of the chimneys required planning permission as perSection 72 (1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
This states for building or alterations within aconservation area"special attention must be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area".
The house was said to be prominent within the conservation area (Martham conservation area) as it is a "historic building of architectural interest".
两个烟囱在屋顶上,一个向northern side and one on the southern side on the eastern aspect of the roof, were said to "create a balanced look to the house" and were "in keeping with the age of the property".
The chimneys were also said to have "created a point of interest in the roofscape of the immediate area" and indicated a building of some "greater status" as it was said to indicate the original owners were of relative wealth and influence, possibly further demonstrated by its subsequent extensions and the size plot it is set on.
Council rejected due to "weakening the heritage importance" of the property
Planning permission was refusedby the council as they stated: "The removal of the southern chimney stack has created an unbalanced look to the property which is detrimental to the overall proportion of the building and the value of the dwelling in the conservation area."
They also stated removal would be "weakening the heritage importance and value that individual buildings can have as a link between modern and original forms of development in an area of historic interest."
They concluded: "Based on the above assessment the Conservation section cannot support the proposed development and recommends that the chimney stack is reinstated in a like-for-like manner."
Ms Dickerson responded: "We do accept the council’s decision, as we knew the requirements of living in a conservation area when we bought the house.
"However, it does feel a bit over the top when the chimney is barely visible and we are surrounded by new builds."
