Tim Stephenson was “very concerned” about the effect of black mould on his family at their house in Corsham, Wilts (Image: SWNS)
A man must tear down £32,000 worth cladding he put on his home to treat mould – after a council ruled it looks “highly unsympathetic”.
Tim Stephenson was “very concerned” about the effect of black mould on his family at their house in Corsham, Wilts.
He had previously been granted planning permission in 2009 for works including an extension and the replacement of the exterior render of the house.
Although he finished the extension at the time the rendering of the original home was delayed.
Approximately ten years later, the work was able to be completed.
For energy efficiency and to combat existing damp issues in the home, the front of the building was fitted with insulation prior to being rendered.
According to Wiltshire Council, the “additional layer means that the walls project further than the eaves of the roof and the coping stones on the verges”.
Tim says Wiltshire Council has only given him six months to remove the rendered environmentally-friendly cladding from his home.
He says the council has refused to engage after he was issued with an enforcement notice in February 2023 regarding the alterations made to his property.
Mr Stephenson says he has told the council that he is willing to change the colouring and aesthetic of the cladding but that his offer has been ignored.
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He described the situation as “very stressful” (Image: SWNS)
He described the situation as “very stressful” and explained that there were weeks where he was “barely sleeping.”
He said: “You don’t wish to be on the wrong side of the law.”
”We had no intention of upsetting our neighbours, the local community, or indeed anybody.””
The council ruled that: “As a result of the vivid colouring, proportion and detailing, the dwelling stands out in the street scene and significantly harms the heritage assets and their setting by detracting from the dominant vernacular form.”
Mr Stephenson applied for retrospective planning permission but this was refused because the cladding was considered to be “highly unsympathetic” and harmful to the Corsham Conservation Area.
He decided to appeal both the refusal and the council’s enforcement notice, but on February 7, the Planning Inspectorate dismissed the appeals and ruled that the cladding should be removed within six months.
Mr Stephenson has started a petition that seeks support from other residents in Wiltshire.
He noted that the insulation had solved a mould issue that his family had dealt with for over 20 years.
He said: “We’ve done all of the things that you do, the anti-mould treatment, frequently applied the mould-proof paint.”
He added that he was concerned by the impact that the mould returning would have on his children (Image: SWNS)
“We’d consistently failed to do anything more than keep it under control in the whole time that we’d lived here.”
He added that he was concerned by the impact that the mould returning would have on his children.
He said: “My desire would be to say, well, look, we’ve got streets of houses like this that are all cold and damp and that are all emitting tons of carbon and they’re not suitable for heat pumps as a result of their original construction.”
“How are we collectively as a society going to solve this problem?”
“My ideal outcome would be that we could sit down with the council and work out something that could be an exemplar for a design which they’re happy with and which could, at the same time, point the way towards a decarbonised future.””
Tim added he hopes to bridge the gap between heritage and sustainability and work together with the council to come to a solution.
He added: “To me as a lay person it is impossible to make a comparison of what seems like apples and oranges (heritage and sustainability).”
“I imagine most of us will tend to favour one over the other. However, what I find interesting is that the Inspector lists ways in which she identifies harm to the heritage, for example the colour of the quoins on my house’s corners that are an unsympathetic colour.”
“This is exactly the kind of mistake I am quite ready to hold my hands up to and work with the Council to deliver both benefits of heritage and sustainability.”
“The professional advice I have received tells me that it would be very common for such changes to be discussed and stipulated within the planning process.”
”However this has not been my experience. Wiltshire simply chose to reject the retrospective application.
”On one occasion one planner did send a preliminary email suggesting that the colour was an issue, would we change it?
“We responded with a willingness to consider either the ‘white sand’ approved in 2009 or the previous cement grey. Or anything else frankly. What would be acceptable?”
“The request was swiftly overruled and withdrawn, presumably with a slap on the wrist of the planner involved.”
”Without such discussion it has seemed pointless to submit a further application, which is why I was advised to go instead to appeal.
“This is the point I would wish get across: Let’s work together to achieve both benefits.”
Councillor Nick Botterill, cabinet member for development management, said: “The issues raised by the owner of the property were all matters considered during the formal appeals process by the Planning Inspectorate who dismissed the appeals and ruled that the property should be restored to its former condition within six months.”
You can support Tim’s petition here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRA7L6PI6gFvzITY5ITLipX9PVfdaZN-rHjzQ1K_pPu1HY_A/viewform
