PLANS to carry out alterations and extensions at a home in Helensburgh have run into significant opposition from neighbours.
Proposals for work at Redholm, on West Lennox Drive, have sparked 21 objections since they were lodged with Argyll and Bute Council by the property's owner, Gail Crawford.
The property, built in 1901 and located a stone's throw away from the town's historic Hill House, is listed on the website of estate agents Savills, which states that it was sold this month - though the first documents on the application were lodged with the local authority in March.
The objections mostly raise concern about the design of the proposed extension and its suitability - or otherwise - for the Hill House Conservation Area, where Redholm and neighbouring properties are located.
One objector states: "The design is hugely unsympathetic both to its parent building and indeed any of those eclectic and varies neighbouring builds of mixed architectural styles and periods."
Another said: "The submission to the planning authority has an industrial and commercial appearance completely out of character with the original design of this outstanding property."
And a third stated: "We think this design undermines the whole concept of the Hill House Conservation Area. If permitted, we feel that this would also be used as a precedent by others in the future to seek to make inappropriate alterations to other buildings."
Concerns have also been raised by objectors over the potential for pressure on the existing drainage system in the area and the possible impact of building work on trees at nearby properties.
The council’s planning officers are expected to decide on the application by late July, with comments remaining able to be submitted by the public.
A design and access statement by planning agents Gfivethree states: “The proposal is a full internal refurbishment and large contemporary extension to the rear of an unlisted Victorian villa which sits in the Hill House Conservation Area.
“The existing property consists of a series of grand rooms with significant decorative features, arranged in a formal manner reflective of the time in which it was built.
“In addition to a full renovation of the existing building to suit a growing family, the client’s brief required a new open-plan, light-filled kitchen and dining space suited to modern living, with a connection to the garden.
“The main design changes are proposed for the ground floor. We propose the removal of the existing extension to the north-west corner of the property, allowing us to radically transform the internal space, opening up the corner of the site to create a large central heart to the new home.
“This new generous open-plan layout will aim to rationalise how one moves and circulates throughout the house, which currently is disadvantaged by the disconnected cellular spaces of the traditional layout.
“Albeit striking, the scheme seeks to deliver a balanced contemporary interpretation of a house extension to a traditional Scottish architecture that reflects and respects the original guise of the building by modernising, yet not overpowering it.
“To create such a building of this flexibility, a high level of nuanced design in terms of materiality and massing articulation had to be considered.”
A separate window and door survey, also produced by the planning agent, said: “The building has laid vacant for a number of years and this has resulted in a number of the existing windows becoming heavily weathered and in poor condition. Lack of ongoing maintenance of the windows has also contributed to their deterioration.
“As a result of the lack of maintenance, heavy weathering, and overall poor condition of the windows it is proposed that all windows within the property are to be removed and replaced with new timber double glazed sash and case windows within the existing openings. There are a total of 35 existing windows proposed to be replaced.
“There are also three stained glass windows which are included within the survey. In addition to the window survey, a number of doors are proposed to be replaced due to being in a poor condition.”
To view the documents, visit the council’s website at argyll-bute.gov.uk and enter the reference code 23/00652/PP.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here