# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( ABOUT THE USE OF HARD CEMENT MORTARS 4HE COUNCIL HAD NO HESITATION IN AGREEING TO PROSECUTE FOR THE UNAUTHORISED WORKS PROVIDED THAT THEIR STRATEGIC DIRECTOR LEGAL WAS SATISFIED AS TO THE EVIDENCE AND ALSO TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THE OWNER IF NO AGREEMENT WAS REACHED REGARDING REINSTATEMENT 4HE LESSEE DID AGREE TO A 0!#% 0OLICE AND #RIMINAL %VIDENCE INTERVIEW BUT THIS PROVED INCONCLUSIVE !T THE SAME TIME TWO ADDED COMPLICATIONS WERE THROWN INTO THE POT &IRST THERE WAS THE POSITION OF THE OWNER AND HIS FORMER LESSEE 3ECOND A NEW LESSEE WISHED TO USE THE BUILDING FOR WEDDINGS AND CONFERENCES )N PRINCIPLE THIS WAS AS ACCEPTABLE AS THE OFFICE USE HAD BEEN IN ) WAS NOW DEALING WITH THREE PARTIES THE FORMER LESSEE THE NEW LESSEE AND THE OWNER AND ALL THEIR PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS n ARCHITECTS BUILDING SURVEYORS SOLICITORS n WHILE MAINTAINING MY OWN #HINESE WALL TO ENSURE THAT ) GAVE NO INFORMATION TO ANY OF THEM WHICH MIGHT HAVE PROVED PREJUDICIAL TO THE PROSECUTION 4HIS WAS DIFFICULT AND FRUSTRATING AT TIMES PARTICULARLY FOR THE NEW LESSEE WHOSE BUSINESS PLANS INCLUDED THE OUTBUILDINGS 7E WERE RELUCTANT TO SEE ANY WORK CARRIED OUT WHICH MAY HAVE OBLITERATED EVIDENCE 4HERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION AS TO HOW TO PROCEED 3HOULD WE PROSECUTE FOR EIGHT OFFENCES OR ONE COVERING ALL ITEMS 3HOULD THE CASE GO TO A MAGISTRATES COURT WHERE LAY MAGISTRATES WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER A $AVID "URTON 0YE 2ECORD FINES AND COSTS FOR UNAUTHORISED WORKS TO LISTED BUILDINGS 4HE CASE OF 3OMERFORD (ALL "REWOOD 3OUTH 3TAFFORDSHIRE !NY CONSERVATION OFFICER EMBARKING ON PROSECUTING AGAINST UNAUTHORISED WORK TO LISTED BUILDINGS WILL KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE IN FOR A LONG HAUL ON A BUMPY HEAVILY PITTED ROAD 4HIS WAS CERTAINLY THE CASE IN !PRIL WHEN ) HAD A PHONE CALL ALERTING ME TO THE FACT THAT WORKS HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT AT 3OMERFORD (ALL A 'RADE )) COUNTRY HOUSE IN 3OUTH 3TAFFORDSHIRE ! REPAIRING LEASE HAD BEEN TAKEN ON THE PROPERTY 4HINGS HAD GONE WELL WITH THE LESSEE AND WE DISCUSSED HIS PROPOSALS IN SOME DEPTH (OWEVER IT WAS EVIDENT TO ME FROM MY SITE VISITS THAT THE LIST DESCRIPTION FOR THE COMPLEX AROUND THE HALL WAS INADEQUATE IN SPITE OF THE RESURVEY CARRIED OUT IN THE MID S ) REQUESTED SPOTLISTING FOR SEVERAL OF THEM AND WAS PLEASED WHEN THE STABLE RANGE AND ATTACHED COURTYARD BUILDINGS WERE LISTED IN *ULY 4HE LESSEE EMPLOYED A GOOD LOCAL ARCHITECT !FTER VERY EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS ON MATTERS OF DETAIL SUCH AS FIRE DOORS AND SKIRTINGS PLANNING PERMISSION AND LISTED BUILDING CONSENT WAS GRANTED FOR THE WORKS !T THE SAME TIME APPLICATIONS WERE ALSO MADE FOR CONVERSION OF PART OF THE STABLE BLOCK TO RESIDENTIAL USE FOR THE LESSEE S PARENTS 4HIS CONVERSION SUBSEQUENTLY WON AN AWARD IN THE COUNCIL S #ONSERVATION AND $ESIGN !WARDS ) MADE A NUMBER OF SITE VISITS TO CHECK ON THE WORK AND WAS SATISFIED WITH PROGRESS 4HERE WERE SOME ITEMS IN THE MAIN HOUSE THAT ) HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT SUCH AS FIRE DOORS BEING STAINED RATHER THAN PAINTED BUT OUR DISCUSSIONS WERE ALL CONDUCTED ON AN AMICABLE BASIS (OWEVER ON ONE OCCASION FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE LESSEE S WIFE TOLD ME IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS NEVER TO VISIT THE SITE AGAIN WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT ) TOOK HER AT HER WORD AND ONLY WENT BACK WHEN REQUESTED TO DO SO BY THE LESSEE OR SUBSEQUENTLY HIS BUILDINGS MANAGER )N -AY ) VISITED THE SITE AND DISCUSSED WITH THE LESSEE THE OUTBUILDINGS WHICH STAND AT THE REAR OF THE LISTED STABLE BLOCK ) ADVISED HIM THAT THEIR CONVERSION TO RESIDENTIAL USE SEEMED ACCEPTABLE IN PRINCIPLE BUT CAUTIONED AGAINST WHOLESALE REPOINTING ) SAID THAT REPLACEMENT OF WINDOWS MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE AS A HOLDING EXERCISE THEY HAD NO LINTELS AND BRICKWORK WAS FAILING AROUND THEM BUT SAID THAT REPAIRS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF ANY APPLICATIONS FOR CONVERSION /N A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS IN ) VISITED TO DISCUSS REPAIRS TO THE BALLROOM CEILING n A QUITE SUPERB ROOM WITH ORNATE PLASTERWORK n AND TO INSPECT THE FINISHED WORK !FTER THIS POINT ) HAD NO REASON TO GO BACKx UNTIL THE PHONE CALL IN !PRIL 7HEN ) DID RETURN ) WAS HORRIFIED AT THE EXTENT OF THE UNAUTHORISED WORKS THAT HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT )N THE 'RADE )) HOUSE FIREPLACES AND A CHIMNEY BREAST HAD BEEN REMOVED CREATING ONE ROOM WHERE THERE HAD BEEN TWO THE GLAZED CONSERVATORY ROOF HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH ROOFING FELT AND A BALANCED FLUE INSTALLED THROUGH THE PAINTED GLAZING BARS OF A TROMPE L OEIL WINDOW 4HE WORK TO THE OUTBUILDINGS WAS ALMOST BEYOND BELIEF ! FORMER CARTWAY HAD BEEN FILLED IN THE ORIGINAL WHITE PAINTED CASEMENT WINDOWS HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH STAINED DOUBLE GLAZED UNITS AND FREESTANDING GABLE WALLS HAD BEEN REDUCED IN HEIGHT CAPPED WITH PAVING SLABS "UT THESE PALED INTO INSIGNIFICANCE AGAINST THE MAJOR ITEMS 4HE BRICKWORK HAD BEEN RENDERED AND PAINTED WHITE AND THE DOVECOTE REPOINTED IN THE HARDEST MORTAR ) HAD EVER SEEN 4HE GAZEBO A DELIGHTFUL GOTHICK FOLLY HAD ALSO BEEN RENDERED )T SEEMED TO ME THAT THIS WAS SHEER WANTON VANDALISM n ESPECIALLY AFTER ) HAD ADVISED THE OWNER OF THE NEED FOR CONSENTS AND CAUTIONED 4HE RENDERED OUTBUILDINGS WITH THE CARTWAY FILLED IN AND THE DOUBLE GLAZED UNITS INSTALLED
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