Planners oppose scheme to save listed building

Rural Concepts Group, which specialises in rural regeneration and heritage projects, wants to redevelop the former Stable Block and Coach House at Marske Hall, near Richmond.

Their scheme is estimated to cost in the region of £1.75m, according to a report compiled by Michelle Clowes of planning authority, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

It says the block has been “identified as a Building at Risk and is currently in a state of decline, particularly suffering from recent spates of vandalism. The building was previously owned by the Marske Village Hall Association and a section of the first floor was used for community meetings.”

Ms Clowes notes that: “It is a clear heritage objective to keep listed buildings in use in order to conserve them for the benefit of future generations. However, that use must be appropriate and should not lead to a loss in the significance of the asset.”

She adds that the senior listed buildings officer, Sue Wrathmell, objects to the proposed scheme although “the principle of conversion to a new use is not in disupte, on the contrary, the attempt to secure the future of the building through its reuse is very much welcomed by the authority.”

The problem is however that the work that would be needed to transform the building would harm the “significance” of the historic Georgian structure.

It is further claimed that the applicant’s heritage statement “fails to give significance to the Victorian alterations to the building and the proposal includes the removal or replacement of many Victorian features... the introduction of mock-Georgian glazed screens to courtyard doorways, loss of Diocletian window forms and the insertion of seven new windows openings are considered to be harmful to the historic and architectural significance of the building.”

As to generating benefit for the public the evidence is said to be unclear with Ms Clowes warning there is no information about “whether the units would be sold off to private individuals or whether a management company is to be established to retain overall control and supervision.”

She says that without that information it is hard to tell what the future prospects would be. “The scheme proposed does not create any new job opportunities to support local employment. It is accepted that occupants of holiday lets may contribute to the local economy through visitor spending, however, no supporting assessments as to what this means in real terms has been provided.”

In conclusion, Ms Clowes says that despite the efforts of officers over many years in tandem with potential developers and various organisations to find an appropriate, viable use for the building officers have “serious concerns over the proposal as it stands.”

And when it comes to the separate proposal for listed building consent the recommendation is again to refuse consent. Ms Clowes says the former Stable Block and Coach House is a “good example of polite Georgian architecture” and has an enviable 300-year history.

But the proposed works would “result in the loss of historic and architectural features.”

No-one from Rural Concepts Group was available for comment. The application will be debated tomorrow.

Neighbouring Marske Hall has been subdivided into a number of apartments and only one of the flats is occupied. It is on the market for £2.5m.