Opening up filled in window lights

[GhostyDog]

Hi,

Anybody have first hand experience with getting LBC for opening up window lights that have been filled in?

We have a light of windows in a room we cannot access (yet) the mullions and lintels still exist but have been walled up, I presume to do with window tax way back when.

Other houses in the same building have windows in lights on the same level so not sure if they got permission or they were never filled in with stone.

When we apply for consent to knock through the adjoining wall (which originally had an opening but has been bricked up) to make ingress to the room I'd like to also apply for the lights to be reopened.

Cheers

GD

 

[GhostyDog]

Bump, nobody done this and involved CO then?

 

[middi]

I have managed to reinstate original mullioned framed window openings ( with CO permission ) on timber frame buildings. The existing windows had to be removed ( as they were in different positions) and house frame repaired . It was not an easy decision for the CO to make, but to ensure the future structural integrity of the building the windows had to be removed and the bad workmanship of the evolving history had to go out of the window ( excuse the pun )

It would be a CO decision if the blocked windows in your situation merit to be " preserved" as part of the house/culture history or otherwise

Middi

 

[castiron]

Just be sure that these windows have really been blocked up and were once windows into the room.

My wife and I once restored this fabulous pair of georgian townhouses http://pinterest.com/pin/171207223306806887/
If you look above the centre door (1 of three) you will notice two windows, one on the first floor and one on the second.
Both of these windows are false - they have been put in to make the property look more grander. There is brickwork behind the glass panes on these two windows.
If the windows were knocked out they would come up against the dividing wall of the two properties which would be impossible.

It is odd to think that the windows were added even though they may have had to pay more tax (window tax ended 1850ish) but then again georgians were keen on symetry and not every architect would have been concerend with the tax costs

 

[GhostyDog]

thanks for the responses, cast iron, beautiful fenestration on that house

 

[JoceAndChris]

Something I'd like to do, though in my case it might well be that there were never windows there. In my opinion there ought to be. Haven't had the funds, but when we do and the render's off and it will be clear what was there before then we'll have to make a decision. The CO who visited seemed to think that her answer would depend on what was found under the render. I guess it depends on your CO and what else might be compromised, if anything.

Good luck with yours. Out of interest, why is the room inaccessible?

 

[GhostyDog]

Good luck with yours. Out of interest, why is the room inaccessible?

That's lovely, I love vaulted brickwork.

My house is part of a Hall, when the hall was renovated it was split into separate units and each was renovated to sell and spend the proceeds doing the next one up, the developer (I have heard) ran out of money on my house, so I have a sizeable top floor room open to the eves with a large roof truss that I cannot access because they bricked the doorway up then sold the house.

 

[Flyfisher]

Bump, nobody done this and involved CO then?

To be honest, although other people's experience with such things are always interesting, listed buildings are usually so unique that it's the responsible CO who is the only really authoritative person to talk with about such things. That's not to say you shouldn't seek other opinions, of course, but I wouldn't suggest approaching a CO on the basis that you want to do something that someone else has gained consent for so it must be OK. In my limited experience it's good to talk to the CO with your general ideas, reasons and plans - you may find the CO has other suggestions that may be even better than your own ideas . . . that has certainly happened to me.

Most of the original windows in the timber-framed part of our house are filled in. I believe this was done when large (and inappropriate!) Georgian sash windows were installed a few hundred years ago. A 1908 photo shows the original windows were completely rendered over but some 1930s photos show that the original window frames were left exposed after re-rendering work, even though the windows themselves remained filled in. Frankly, the exposed original window frames might be of interest but they certainly detract from the overall impact of the original Georgian 'makeover' and, in our case, opening up the original windows to insert glass would probably make things even worse.

So, it all depends very much on the specific house and its history.

 

[Feltwell]

This rather grand house in Shrewsbury always amuses me with it's windows. I'm easily amused.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=shr...hywK5cFiyqL-XuUnM1wIYA&cbp=12,57.68,,0,-10.11