Agenda item

Public Participation

John Foster spoke in support to the application.

Mrs Salter spoke in support to the application.

Rev. David Linekar spoke in support to the application.

Cllr Jo Broom (Mayor of Salisbury) spoke in support to the application.

The Planning Officer presented her report to the Committee which recommended that permission be refused with reasons stated in the report.

In particular the Planning Officer emphasised the following: St Thomas’ church is a highly significant Grade I listed church within the context of the City’s ecclesiastical heritage and an important testament to the formation of New Sarum as the Parish Church for the new settlement. The list description explains that it was probably founded in 1220, enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries and rebuilt and extended in the 15th century.

English Heritage had advised that of significance externally are the bell tower and the west elevation and their prominence when viewed from Silver Street/St Thomas’ Square.  Internally, the church was especially renowned for the 15th century Doom painting and other important wall paintings within its impressive interior. 

The proposal was to install new glazed outer doors to the western entrance of the church.  The design and access statement outlines other internal alterations (including a replacement internal lobby and re-ordering of the nave and aisles) which would be subject to Faculty approval under the Ecclesiastical Exemption so are not under consideration in this application.

Sections 16, 66 and 72 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 place a duty on the local planning authority to have special regard to the desirability of preserving the listed buildings and their settings and conservation areas.

The NPPF outlines government policy, including its policy in respect of the historic environment and explained that when considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation. The more important the asset, the greater the weight should be.

Significance can be harmed or lost through alteration or destruction of the heritage asset or development within its setting. As heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should require clear and convincing justification.  Substantial harm to or loss of designated heritage assets of the highest significance, including grade I listed buildings should be wholly exceptional.

The NPPF explains that where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm to or total loss of significance of a designated heritage asset, local planning authorities should refuse consent, unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm or loss is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss and where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal. (officer’s emphasis)

English Heritage guidance on church alterations states existing doors often contribute to the special interest of a church by virtue of their age, design or traditional role  A strong characteristic of parish churches and a long established character of St Thomas’ is entering into a very large space though a comparatively modest door to behold the ‘wonder’ of the interior.

Although the proposals retain the timber doors, they would no longer be the outer doors to the church. 

Members’ attention was drawn to the late correspondence which includes an additional representation letter (from a local resident – Mr Richard Isaac of 21 Old Street, Salisbury) including photographs of glazed entrances to Salisbury Methodist Church on St Edmund’s Church Street and the United Reform Church on Fisherton Street.  Both these buildings are grade II listed.

As the national legislation explains, substantial harm to grade I listed buildings should be wholly exceptional, and whilst in this case the proposal is considered to amount to less than substantial harm due to the size of the doors in comparison to the rest of the church and the reversibility of the proposals; English Heritage advise that demoting of the main timber doors to an internal door will undermine their status, alter the visual character of the church and will have an adverse impact on the evidential significance (which is defined by English Heritage as the potential of a place to yield evidence about past human activity) and aesthetic significance (defined as the ways in which people draw sensory and intellectual stimulation from a place) of the Grade I listed church by creating a modern and discordant impact on the traditional structure.

It was pointed out that the applicants have explained that the purpose/public benefit resulting from the glazed doors is to control draughts and to make the building more welcoming and enable passers-by to see into the building’s interior both when the building is open for business and when closed.  However, the officer’s view was that it was not considered that this would be sufficient recompense for the damage to the character of the space (external and internal) that would be caused if the glazed doors were installed and this is not a persuasive justification that would outweigh the harm caused by the proposals.

An alternative option had also been suggested to the applicants to retain the timber doors in their existing position and set glazed doors back from these within the church/lobby, but this had been discounted.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Questions were asked in regards to the opening and closing of the proposed glazed outer doors, as well as their proposed location.

An item of late correspondence was circulated at the meeting.

The Local Member, Cllr Helena McKeown, spoke in support to the application. Cllr McKeown supported the design and believed it would encourage visitors to the church. Cllr McKeown saw this as an opportunity to invest in the area’s future.

Members debated the merits of the design and how it could enhance the church. The importance of medieval history at the site and the need to display this history was discussed. Members raised the potential for increasing tourist visitors to the site. The ability to remove the glass doors was discussed should that be required in the future. The input of English Heritage was discussed and the potential for changing the nature of the building was raised. It was stated that proposed changes were reversible. The need to preserve the existing building was raised. It was emphasised that this was a grade 1 listed building and that there was a potential for ‘harmful impact’ on the site.

Resolved:

To grant planning permission subject to the following conditions:

1          The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2         

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

Drawing Reference: 858/x/25 Proposed Street Elevation, dated Aug 2014, received by this office 04/12/2014

Drawing Reference: 858/x/19 Site Location Plan, dated Aug 2014, received by this office 04/02/2014

Drawing Reference: 858/x/20 Block Plan, dated Aug 2014, received by this office04/12/2014

Reason:  For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

Cllr Ian McLennan wished his dissent for the decision to be recorded. 

Cllr Peter Edge wished his abstention to be recorded.