Monmouthshire barn extension refused over arrow slits

South Wales Argus

2 days ago

Emma Dymond had sought planning permission and listed building consent from Monmouthshire County Council to allow open access from her kitchen, in the barn that was converted to a home in either the late 1990s or early 2000s, to the proposed single storey extension.
But that was rejected by the council's planning department in January and the decision has been upheld by an independent planning inspector after Ms Dymond appealed to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales.
The inspector, identified only as JP Tudor, said they agreed covering the arrow slit vent would have an adverse effect on the significance of Ms Dymond's home, North Barn, which is an associated building of the grade II-listed Whitehouse Farmhouse at Llanvair Grange Road, Llanfair Kilgeddin.
Whitehouse Farm was listed in 1991 for its architectural and historical importance as a substantial early 17th century house while the barn, now in separate ownership, is considered to retain 'significance as an example of a substantial former agricultural threshing barn, possibly dating from the 18th century'.
The council had said a lean-to could be acceptable but the one proposed would involve the unacceptable removal of a large part of the rear external wall to create the opening from the kitchen.
This photograph shows where it was proposed to build the lean-to extension and the arrow slit vents, and window, that would have been lost.
Tudor's report stated: 'That would entail the loss of one of two arrow slit vents within that section of the wall.'
Ms Dymond had said the timber frame extension would be sympathetic to the original building and a modern window added during the original conversion would also have been removed while she said the arrow slits had been rebuilt in a non-traditional square-sided manner.
The inspector upheld the council's decisions and also noted Welsh historic buildings body Cadw had 'appeared' to object to the lean-to extension and ancillary works, as well as the proposed opening, but said those elements had been approved in a further application made in January with a smaller proposed opening to the extension.