Additional Comments & Condition

The Principal Conservation Officer has submitted additional comments on 10/03/2015 to those outlined on the committee report.

            “Listed Building Consent is also required for these works.

The ragstone wall in which the existing gate sits is difficult to date and is not all of the same build. It is likely that the original structure is of late 18^th or early 19^th Century date; however, it has been much altered in the late 20^th Century. Plans submitted in 1955 in relation to the creation of the a            djacent public car park show the wall to have two pedestrian-sized openings either side of a central section of wall. The extreme northern end of the section of wall now proposed for removal is formed of squared blocks of ragstone as opposed to the random rubble of the rest of the wall to the south and appears to represent the last remaining section of the central part of the wall as it existed in 1955; the rest of the wall now proposed for removal appears to be infill of one of the pedestrian gates which were there in 1955.

Plans submitted in 1959 for the use of the building by the sea cadets show the kerb line curving in as it currently remains but do not show the arrangement of openings in the wall. The southern half of the existing double gate appears to occupy area which was wall in 1955. There is no record of planning permission ever having been sought for these various alterations to the wall but I consider it likely that the existing arrangement dates from circa 1959-60 when the sea cadets moved in

Given the alterations which have taken place to this wall since 1955 and the minimal amount of historic fabric which would need to be removed to facilitate the wider gate I do not consider that the proposals will cause any harm to significance. The design of the wider gate matches the existing and I consider it to be acceptable.

I RAISE NO OBJECTION to this application on heritage grounds subject to a condition requiring the salvage and re-use of the existing squared ragstone blocks to form the new termination of the wall.”

In light of the additional comments provided by the Conservation Officer an additional condition is recommended regarding the re-use of the existing ragstone blocks;

Condition 4     

The existing squared ragstone blocks on the section of wall to be demolished shall be salvaged and re-used to form the new termination of the wall.

Reason: To ensure the appearance and the character of the listed building and conservation

The recommendation remains unchanged