Replacement doors and windows, Church Side, Epsom

The site of the proposed development is 103 Church Side, Epsom, Surrey KT185SY. It is ideally located, being twenty minutes’ walk from local amenities, businesses and offices in Epsom. There is also easy access to some of the best local schools, colleges and parks in the area. Direct and convenient rail services to London mean that commuters boarding trains at Epsom Station can be at Waterloo or Victoria within half an hour. The A3 can be joined at Esher Common or Tolworth while the M25 heading clockwise or anti-clockwise can be joined at the Leatherhead Junction. Local residents also have the benefit of a number of convenient local bus services. The application site lies inin Stamford Green Conservation Area to the west of Epsom town centre and on the very edge of Epsom Common. The picturesque green, with its pond and listed historic inn, forms the centrepiece of the area which is also notable for its collection of late 19th century cottages. Many of these were built to house the workers in the hospitals which were built in the locality at this time and they form small groups, along with more modern buildings, which sit within the wooded landscape of the Common. The rolling topography and the survival of other green open spaces gives the conservation area a pleasant character. The site is also situated within the Green Belt. 103 Church Side is one in a group of four pairs of cottages in Church Side (comprising nos. 93-105), dating from 1906 and 1907. The cottage is a two-storey semi-detached dwelling with a hipped roof, facing west towards Epsom Common and typical of its period and the general style of other properties in the area. The dwelling is set at an angle to the road whilst being set back from it by a small front garden and is characterised by a two-storey front projection with a mono-pitched roof. It has a twostorey rear projection and a single storey rear extension.  In addition to the Locally Listed buildings, a number of unlisted buildings, including 103 Church Side, have been identified on the Townscape Appraisal map as being buildings of townscape merit, or ‘Positive’. Buildings identified as having “townscape merit” vary, but commonly they are good examples of relatively unaltered historic buildings where their style, detailing and building materials provides the streetscape with interest and variety. Most importantly, they make a positive contribution to the special interest of the conservation area. Where a building has been heavily altered, and restoration would be impractical, they are excluded.

The Stamford Green Conservation Area was designated in 1982 by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. Conservation areas are designated under the provisions of Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. A conservation area is defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”.  An Article 4(2) Direction for the Stamford Green Conservation Area came into force on 3rd February 2000 removing permitted development rights for family dwellings and requiring applications for planning permission for a range of alterations and minor extensions which would normally be uncontrolled. In particular these include replacing windows or doors on the front elevation. Replacement of existing windows and doors which front a highway, private road or open space require planning consent. Original windows and doors should be renovated and retained where at all possible. New windows and doors should be of traditional construction, design and materials, similar to that originally used and sympathetic to the building as a whole. The use of uPVC and aluminium is generally out of character and therefore inappropriate.

Policy DM8 of the Development Management Policies Document (2015) states that the Council will “resist the loss of our Heritage Assets and every opportunity to conserve and enhance them should be taken by the new development”.  The existing front door on the side of the property has been identified as being historically inappropriate and it is proposed that it should be replaced with a timber door, painted in a muted colour appropriate to the Conservation Area context and this alteration has been welcomed by the Council in it’s Pre- Application Report ref: 17/01813/PREAPP (dated 24th May 2018). It is proposed that the door will be a Nottingham 4 door, painted duck egg blue with black cottage handle, doctor knocker in black with black traditional letterbox and Elegance glass vision panel.  The replacement of the existing quarry tiles with stone to the external steps will result in further aesthetic enhancement.  While not being cited specifically, it is noted In Section 6.1 (Negative Features and Issues) of the document “Stamford Green Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Proposals October 2007” that a number of unlisted buildings in Church Side have had the original windows replaced with aluminium and/ or uPVC types. It is proposed to replace all windows with a good quality heritage style timber type and the Council has indicated in it’s Pre-Application Report that this move will be supported. The details and specification of the windows (including detailed drawings) are included in Marathon Window Company Ltd’s statement, attached as an appendix to this Design and Access Statement.  It is further proposed to remove the concrete lintels above the study and living room windows on the side of the cottage and replace with Catnic lintels with soldier courses in reclaimed red brick to match those above other windows and doors.  In addition, unoriginal windowcills are also to be replaced with new timber cills, painted white.

We believe that the works being proposed will enhance the aesthetic of 103 Church Side and thus make a positive contribution to the special qualities of the designated area as a whole and therefore will be acceptable in terms of Policy DM8.  Policy DM9 states that “Planning permission will be granted for proposals which make a positive contribution to the borough’s visual character and appearance. We believe that the above proposals demonstrate 1) compatibility with local character and the relationship to the existing townscape and wider landscape, 2) respect for the surrounding historic and natural environment, 3) the setting of the proposal site and it’s connection to it’s surroundings and 4) the inclusion of locally distinctive features and use of appropriate materials.  Policy DM10 states that all "development proposals will be required to incorporate principles of good design. The most essential elements identified as contributing to the character and local distinctiveness of a street or area which should be respected, maintained or enhanced".  It also requires development to have regard for the amenities of occupants and neighbours in terms of privacy, outlook, sunlight/daylight, noise and disturbance. We believe that the proposals represent sensible, sympathetic and much needed alterations to the property and due to their location, design and setting it is unlikely that the proposals will have any impact on residential amenity.

Marathon Window Company Ltd Statement

All of our timber windows are available in Softwood, Hardwood, Accoya and Oak. We use engineered timber as standard across our range of Stormproof and Flush Casement windows for added strength and stability.

Our wooden sliding sash windows are available with modern spring balances as well as traditional weights and pulleys. Our heritage range of feature windows offers standard and bespoke mouldings and embellishments to add or maintain character of a period property.
All of our wooden windows are CNC machined for ultimate accuracy. All are available in a range of our standard paint colours and wood stains and we can colour match to any RAL colour.  Our standard glass specification is Low Emissive Soft Coat, with warm edge spacer bar and argon filled cavity. As standard all of our timber windows come with the secret nailing system where the pins are hidden beneath a glazing gasket to enable quick installation and clean finish without any visable pins. We offer other methods of glazing where it may be more appropriate.  Our window hardware is chosen from select trade suppliers and picked for its design and quality . We offer a range of standard hardware options but are happy to source other hardware if required.  Our traditional Timber Sliding Sash Window is available in a range of glazing options to suit local requirements, with the option of spring balances or traditional weights and pulleys.  Made on our state of the art CNC machine to ensure the sashes are perfectly square and accurately sized – a must for smooth operating Sliding Sash Windows.  As with all of our Casement Windows our Timber Sliding Sash Windows are made from FSC approved, sustainably sourced Hardwood Red Grandis or Redwood Softwood as standard. All opening sashes are made from engineered wood as standard with solid timber used for the frames. Due to the cill being in an exposed position from the weather, a popular choice for our Sliding Sash Window is Softwood with a Hardwood cill, giving a cost saving over a purely hardwood product. Other materials such as Accoya are available on request Glass as standard is low emissive soft coat, with warm edge spacer bar and argon filled cavity. All our timber windows can be supplied, glazed or unglazed to suit your requirements. Other glass specifications are available to meet specific needs, contact one of our team for more information.  Wood is the greenest choice of window material. Studies show its superiority across a range of environmental impacts. Most significantly, for every wooden window you fit instead of a PVC-U window, you save around 160kgs of carbon dioxide.