Agenda item

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/19/1049/LBC, listed building consent be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report and with delegated authority being granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of the conditions.

The Chairman explained that this application was on this agenda as it had not been determined due to the very late conclusion of the 22 February 2022 meeting after application 3/19/1051/FUL had been determined.

The Senior Project Officer explained that an application for listed building consent would not normally be determined by Members. She said that the application had been submitted for completeness as it was a consequence of the eastern stort crossing proposal considered by Members at the previous meeting.

Members were advised that the bridge was quite small and was in some disrepair. The Senior Project Officer said that the bridge was known as Fiddlers Brook Footbridge and was Grade 2 listed and was designated in 1984. She said that the listed description referred to the white post and three rail balustrades as being key features of the bridge.

The Senior Project Officer detailed the location of the footbridge and set out the history of the bridge and the relevant planning history.

The Senior Project Officer said that as the proposed road bridge related to the eastern stort crossing affects the Fiddlers Brook and affects the setting of the listed footbridge, consideration was given to opportunities to relocate or to improve the structure.

Members were advised that the reduction in width of the eastern stort crossing enabled the retention of this bridge in situ and the option to improve the structure was instead taken. The Senior Project Officer set out the enhancements that were proposed by the listed building application and said that a management plan would be prepared to ensure the long term conservation of the bridge.

The Senior Project Officer said that the footpath that currently runs parallel to Eastwick Road would be realigned to route beneath the new road bridge back towards the footway network of Terlings Park thereby retaining the use of the bridge.

The Senior Project Officer summarised by stating that the listed building consent application was for works to improve the structural integrity and visual appearance of the bridge through brickwork repointing and replacement of the balustrade to a design that reflects the original listing description.

Councillor Ruffles asked if Officers could elaborate further in respect of the link between the bridge and the listed property and whether there needed to be some physical appearance link between the bridge and that property. Councillor Page said that he was pleased that the works to be carried out had been explained and asked for some clarification as what was meant by the reference in the report to the setting of the bridge being altered.

The Senior Project Officer said that, in terms of the visual and physical connection between the footbridge and the Grade two listed cottage to the north, known as Fiddlers Cottage, the listing description relating to the cottage and the bridge both referred to the relationship visually between them. Members were advised that this was what was marked as being the significance of the two assets together. She explained that the proposed works in the listed building application would not affect the setting of either listed structure in that regard.

The Senior Project Officer explained that paragraph 1.3 related to the setting in general of the bridge that was linked to the eastern stort crossing application. She said that as the road bridge was close to the footbridge to the south, the assessment was subjective as the setting was not defined in terms of a distance or a defined catchment. Members were advised that the listed building works would not change anything in respect of the setting of the bridge.

Following a further question from Councillor Ruffles, the Senior Project Officer addressed the Committee in respect of then architectural vernacular of the cottage and the bridge.

Councillor Kemp asked about the reasoning for the changes to the bridge to a two rail balustrade and asked for some clarity as to the proposed materials to be use for the new three rail balustrade. Councillor Crystall asked for some clarity as to the proposed deck surface in terms of whether this was to be brick.

The Senior Project Officer said that she was not aware of any reason for the change to the balustrade in the late 1980s or early 1990s as there was no planning history. She said that the balustrade would be metal and the surface was currently a weathered black top surface and this was to be retained in a neater and tidier state than was currently the case.

Councillor Stowe asked if the asphalt surface was to be a permeable surface as this would be beneficial to the structure underneath. Councillor Newton said that her concern was the metal definition and she asked for some information on this.

The Senior Project Officer set out the definition and proposed appearance of the rails. Councillor Andrews commented on the sustainability of this location and said that his concern regarding permeable paving was that would lead to water ingress into the structure of the bridge.

There was some general debate regarding the merits of metal and wood as a material to be used for works to the bridge. The Senior Project Officer referred to the advice of the Conservation Officer as to the appropriateness of the proposed materials and the surfacing treatment.

The Legal Services Manager said that the Conservation Officer had been consulted and was satisfied that the materials were suitable. She said that her advice to Members was to follow that advice and proceed to make a decision based upon the merits of the application with the conservation comments in mind.

Councillor Andrews proposed and Councillor Newton seconded, a motion that application 3/19/1049/LBC be granted, subject to the conditions detailed at the end of the report with delegated authority being granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of the conditions and in particular, to finalise the wording of the condition three in respect of actual materials to be used and material treatment in respect of appearance and long term maintenance considerations.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED –that (A) in respect of application 3/19/1049/LBC, listed building consent be granted subject to the conditions detailed at the end of the report; and

(B)   delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of the conditions and, in particular, the wording of the condition three be finalised in respect of actual materials to be used and material treatment in respect of appearance and long term maintenance considerations.