Appeal: 65 St. Saviour's Road, retained on Historic Buildings Register.

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A decision made (07/07/2006) regarding Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Historical and Archaeological Importance: Appeal against registration - 65 St. Saviour's Road, St. Helier.

Subject:	Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Historical and Archaeological Importance: Appeal against registration – 65 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0071	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written/oral	Person Giving Report (if oral):		Historic Buildings Officer
Telephone or e-mail meeting		Report File ref:		3/04/02/01/Ministerial Reports
Written Report Title:	Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey - assessment of appeal against the registration of 65 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier	Written report – Author:		Curator of Historic Buildings
Decision(s): 65 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier shall be retained on the Historic Buildings Register as a Building of Local Interest.
Reason(s) for decision: In accordance with the strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ of the Island Plan 2002, and Policy HB1 of the Interim Policies for the Conservation of Historic Buildings 65 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier satisfies the published criteria for registration as a Building of Local Interest.
Action required:  Issue decision letter to the appellant  Notify Development Control – Urban Section
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision: 7 July 2006

Appeal: 65 St. Saviour's Road, retained on Historic Buildings Register.

		Item No:
		Date:

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey - Assessment of appeal against the registration of

65 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is for the Minister to consider an appeal against the registration of 65 St Saviour’s Road as a Building of Local Interest, having regard to the States strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ and a key objective of the Island Plan 2002 to protect and promote Jersey’s built, cultural and archaeological heritage.

Background

This report has been prepared by the Jersey Heritage Trust as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to make assessments and to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the registration of buildings and sites. It incorporates the views of the Jersey Heritage Advisory Panel (JHAP) - a group established to provide independent, expert advice on matters relating to the protection of buildings and sites of cultural interest.

65 St Saviour’s Road was included in the 1992 Historic Buildings Register and was confirmed as a BLI by the Jersey Building Heritage Sub-Committee in November 2001.

In March 2006, an appeal against this registration was lodged by Mr P Harding of BDK Architects.

Discussion

An evaluation of the significance of the house was carried out by the Curator of Historic Buildings in March 2006. It was noted that 65 St Saviour’s Road was built in the late Georgian period circa 1830 - part of the expansion of town into the surrounding countryside during the early 19th century (the 5-bays indicative of the space available to the builders at that time) with the house appearing on the Le Gros Map published in 1834.

The house displays considered architectural expression in composition, form and detail, particularly to the street elevation, including emphasised quoins with alternate rusticated decoration, voussoirs to windows with rusticated keystones and decorative brackets under projecting window sills, a central French window to the first floor which opens onto a small cast iron balcony, and an arched doorway with moulded hood and glazed fanlight. The historic form of the rear elevation is still readable, with a pair of granite wings and pantile roof, although there have been several modern alterations to openings.

It was also observed that the addition of a large box dormer to the attic and the loss of original frontage railings have harmed the character of the house, but not so seriously as to nullify the positive contribution it makes to the distinctive character and appearance of St Saviour’s Road. Taking these factors into consideration, and being mindful of the age of the building, it was concluded that the house merits inclusion on the Register as a Building of Local Interest.

This recommendation was presented for discussion by JHAP at a site visit on 13 March 2006. Mr P Harding declared an interest and withdrew from subsequent discussions. Members acknowledged the historic interest of the house as a circa 1830 building but there were differing opinions about the architectural interest and the impact of the alterations. The Panel came to a split decision 4:3 in favour of retaining the house on the Register.

Recommendation

65 St Saviour’s Road should be retained on the Historic Buildings Register as a Building of Local Interest.

Reason(s) for Decision

65 St Saviour’s Road satisfies the published criteria for registration.

The registration of 65 St Saviour’s Road is in accordance with Interim Policy HB1 which states ‘Historic buildings which contribute positively to the distinctive character or appearance of Jersey’s built-up areas or countryside, particularly where they are of ‘group value’, will be identified and included in the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey.’

The registration of 65 St Saviour’s Road is in accordance with Interim Policy guidance 5.6 that states, “Age is clearly a significant consideration, particularly in relation to historic interest. The older a building is, the fewer examples of its kind are likely to survive, and thus the more likely it is to have historic importance. In Jersey, any building which survives in recognisable form from before the middle of the 19th century will normally be of registerable quality for its historic interest, as well as, normally, meeting at least one of the other principal criteria”.

Action Required

 Issue a decision letter to the appellant

 Notify Development Control - Urban Section of the decision

Written by:	Roger Hills Curator of Historic Buildings - Jersey Heritage Trust

Approved by:	Fiona Smith – Historic Buildings Officer

Endorsed by:	Kevin Pilley: Assistant Director

Attachments:

 Location plan & extract from Le Gros map 1834

 Historic building survey form

 Photographs

 Appeal letter from agent dated 10 March 2006 (exempt 3.2.1(b))

23 March 2006