15 SE/07/1050 - Planning Application - Change of use from conference centre to single private dwelling house as supported by statement on proposed uses and letter concerning commercial viability received 7 December 2007, Hengrave Hall, Hengrave, Bury St Edmunds for David Harris (date registered 5th July 2007) Recommendation: Approve. Development Control Case Officer: Stephen Burgess: Tel: (01284) 757345 THE SITE: This application relates to Hengrave Hall, a grade Ilisted building which dates from the mid 16~~century, originally occupied by Sir Thomas Kitson, a merchant. A north-east wing was added in the lgth century, and this was further extended in the 1950's. It is within the Hengrave conservation area but outside of the Housing Settlement Boundary. The Hall is the principal building within a larger estate which comprises several other ancillary buildings, some occupied as dwellings, and an expanse of parkland. Vehicular access to the estate is gained via two accesses from the AllOl, the principal gated access and a secondary access. The estate was occupied as a private residence until 1952 when it became a boarding school and convent. In 1974 planning consent was obtained to change the use to Conference Centre which continued as its use until 2006 when purchased by the current owner. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: N/73/2459 Planning application - Change of use to a conference centre and minor \ alterations to provide additional toilet facilities permission granted February 1974 Pi E/74/1866/P - Planning application - conversion of classroom and residential block to form two houses and a residential youth annexe to new conference centre - permission granted lStAugust 1974 E/74/1407/P - Planning application - internal alterations - approved July 1974 E/78/3107/P - Planning application - internal alterations of cloakroom area to living accommodation for community use - approved December 1978 E/91/2760/LB - Listed Building application - insertion of new window and internal alterations - approved December 1991 E/91/2986/LB - Listed Building application - alterations and repairs including installation and enlargement of windows - approved February 1992 3 THE PROPOSAL: Planning permission is sought for the change of use of the main Hall w from conference centre to private dwelling. Listed building consent is not required as the application is only for the change of use. The application excludes the northeast wing which is subject of separate applications for planning permission and listed building consent (SE/07/1053 & SE/07/1233). The property was previously owned and occupied by a religious order of nuns who operated it as a conference centre and religious retreat. The Hall dates from the 16~~ century and was occupied as a private dwelling until the 1950's. In 1952 it became a boarding school and convent. In 1974 planning permission was granted for change of use to a conference centre and an ecumenical retreat run by the Sisters of the Assumption. The application is one of a number of applications which have been submitted relating to the Hall and ancillary buildings within in the estate which are considered elsewhere on this agenda. These applications are supported by a statement on proposed uses and letter concerning commercial viability for the estate as a whole and these documents are attached as appendices A and B to this report. CONSULTATIONS: Highwav Authoritv : No objection Environmental Health Services : No objections Countv Archaeolo~icalService: No requirements Conservation Officer: no objection to the reversion of this property back to a single dwelling - its original use. listed building consent may be required for any alterations to the property to facilitate this change of use. Policy and Specialist Services : Being sited outside the housing settlement boundary for Hengrave the proposal falls to be considered as the re-use of a building in the countryside for which Policy RU4 is applicable. Having regard to the scale of the existing building and its status as a Grade Ilisted building Policy HC7 is also applicable. Although the application is for a change of use from conference centre, the Hall has maintained a residential element throughout its recent history. However the change to a single residential property does represent a significant change. Policy RU4 requires alternative uses to be considered, however these uses are likely to require significant alterations to the building which could have a detrimental impact on the historic fabric and character of the building conflicting with the aims of Policy HC7. The proposed use as a single residential unit is least likely to have an impact on the historic fabric and character, effectively being a continuation of the original use and in such a context would warrant consideration ahead of the otherwise preferred uses in Policy RU4. No objection is raised on policy grounds. Endish Heritaqe : The following, summarised, observations have been received : The Hall is an early-mid sixteenth century mansion, the outstanding national significance of which is recognised in its inclusion on the statutory list at Grade I. English Heritage has attended a number of meetings with officers from your authority and the new owner to discuss the future of the site. The application is for the conversion of the Hall from use as a conference centre to a single private dwelling house. It is one of five separate planning applications we have been notified of for development at Hengrave Hall. PPG 15, Planning &the Historic Environment provides clear guidance in relation to the use of historic buildings in paragraphs 3.8-3.10. It states that: 'In principal the aim should be to identify the optimum viable use that is compatible with the fabric, interior and setting of the listed building." - "The best use will very often be the use for which the building was originally designed, and the continuation or reinstatement of that use should certainly be the first option when the future of a building is considered." In line with the guidance the best use for Hengrave is likely to be use as a single residential dwelling, the use for which the building was originally designed English Heritage therefore have no objection to the proposed change of use. However, concern that the proposal is not for the single residential use of the Hall as an entity, but relates only to the principal block and rear extension. It is proposed that the north east wing is converted to four independent flats. The north east wing was constructed in two phases; originating from the late nineteenth century, it was later extended in the 1950s. Although not part of the original Hall, the late Victorian extension was one of a phase of alterations carried out to the Hall at this date and is part of the evolution of the building. concern that the formation of separate residential dwellings within the wing would compromise the future use of the Hall as a single residential dwelling. Although the applicant has stated that it is his intention to reside in the Hall, the presence of four independent dwellings attached to the main Hall is likely to deter other potential purchasers of the Hall as a single dwelling. There is a \ market for large-scale country houses such as Hengrave as single residential - dwellings however potential owners often expect a degree of privacy. This would be lost with independent residential use in the wing. consider the separation of these dwellings would compromise the future viability of the Hall as a single residential building. A number of the properties on the Estate have already been sold as independent dwellings. As discussed above this is likely to deter potential purchasers of the Hall as a single residential dwelling, however there is a degree of physical separation from the Hall and the other dwellings which lie to the north which may be sufficient to provide a certain level of privacy. In contrast to this the wing is attached to the Hall and residents of the flats would live in direct proximity to the owner of the Hall. The creation of additional independent dwellings on'the Estate would introduce more cars to the site, further undermining the character of the environment. Finally, while the number of independent properties on the Estate remains small, there is always the potential for these to be bought back by the owner of the Hall to return the Hall and Estate to a single entity. The \ greater the number of these independent dwellings, the less realistic an option PI. this becomes. The modern additions to the Hall, the 1950s element of the north east wing and the rear extension, are not sympathetic additions. Ideally these should be demolished, or their disadvantages offset by their use to support the occupation of the Hall. The retention of these additions with the Hall would provide an owner with the option of either demolition or using them to support the occupation of the Hall. As these are of no particular merit there would be flexibility to adapt these internally which would not be the case with the Hall itself. The formation of independent dwellings in the wing would rule out these options. It would also be best practice to consider these applications for planning permission in conjunction with listed building consent applications for the alterations required to support the proposed use. This would enable the full impact of the proposed conversion to be considered. The applicant has stated verbally that the marketing campaign of c.2005/06 demonstrated there is no market for Hengrave as a single residential dwelling, with either the wing or the ancillary buildings. However, as we advised in the pre application discussions, any proposal for a use other than single residential use should be supported by marketing evidence to demonstrate that, in line with PPG 15, this use has been fully considered as the 'Wrst option." supportive of the proposal for single residential use but consider the first option should be for the single residential use of the Hall and wing.