Painting external woodwork a different shade

[divebubble]

Hi guys, long time no speak but keeping busy repairing our Mill House.

We are just about to paint our external woodwork the same shade of dark green as the CO advised us that any deviation from the original colour will require LBC. We posed a question on shade selection of the same colour and was informed that we are allowed to go 1 shade different from the original colour (Farrow and Ball Minster green for reference but the paint sure isn't F&B!) but thats it before LBC kicks in :-( we wanted to change it to a sage green called Tuscany Green from the Crown Heritage Range.

Do others have experience of what CO's in thier area are informing owners with to regards to SHADING; I get the LBC requirements if you want to change to a different colour, ie green to red!

Just want to see if there is uniformity in CO's advice.

Cheers,

Divebubble

 

[LadyArowana]

Just want to see if there is uniformity in CO's advice.

Cheers,

Divebubble

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, I think you're treading on dangerous ground here. I've heard of cases where people are asked to return the colour to the earlier one, and there's usually good reason for this. And as Biff has pointed out recently in another thread, dark green is "invisible green", making your glazing bars look very narrow and dainty.

Have a look at these early 19th C illustrations of buildings, with many windows and embellishments in invisible green, just lovely.
http://www.artchive.com/web_gallery/J/John-Buonarotti-Papworth/John-Buonarotti-Papworth-reproductions-1.html

I agree the modern fashionable greens are very nice too but I'd keep your CO sweet and understand he cares about your building more than fashion, and if you'd like to soften the effect of the dark green you can do it with planting.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Why are you reluctant to apply for LBC?

 

[Penners]

I would just drop an email to your CO and ask how he/she feels about your alternative colour. Attach a colour reference of some sort to your email.

 

[divebubble]

Have spoken and emailed CO hence me now posing the question. Around here in the conservation area we have colours ranging from pale cream to red to dark green to light green, a few PVC windows and some modern wooden sash windows so anything goes!

Not reluctant to do LBC just wish we didn't have conflicting info from the CO and trades people as we now have scaffolding up in readiness for painting wood. I find it hard to accept that CO's are asking us to live in a museum when across the road we have modern town houses with PVC windows! Houses have to evolve in line with modern day livng whilst retaining the structure and character of the building. I hardly consider changing the external wood from dark to medium green such an offence and not worthy of LBC when all around us are houses with differing shades of all colours, it seems barmy to me that LBC has to be sought, which is free to us, but costs the council a few hundred pounds I'm sure in resources.

As for fashionable colours......surely dark 'invisible' green was in fashion in Geogian times....so why can't I change to a more pleasing colour which is in keeping with other houses surrounding ours. After all nothing new is being reinvented here, what goes around comes around darhlinggggs!

On a side note £150 for planning permission to put up a shed in our back garden.....you have got to be kidding me!!!

Ain't life an adventure

Divebubble

 

[skier-hughes]

Have you used up all your permissable development rights then?
I've been told I have to apply for PP for rebuilding my wood shack, because it is in my front garden, plus for change of use of a room - flat roof on an extension to a balcony - it may overlook our neighbours 1/4 mile away!! But not for my shed, greenhouse and log cabin all in the rather larger and more open back garden!
I'm going for a garage block next I think, but was going to incorporate another balcony from the lounge to the orchard, so not sure if I'll get away with it Now maybe if I call it a bridge??????

 

[Penners]

I find it hard to accept that CO's are asking us to live in a museum when across the road we have modern town houses with PVC windows!

What the CO is actually doing is requiring you to conserve some architectural heritage. Were you not told that the house is listed when you bought it? If you were, then presumably you made the purchase in the full knowledge that there would be constraints on what you could and could not do to/with it.

The modern town houses across the road are just that - modern. They've been built to today's construction standards. You may or may not like them, but that's a different issue.

 

[LadyArowana]

I think what frustrates so many people, probably including the OP, is that there is lack of consistency between areas and indeed even between different CO's on many things. Before we bought I spent hours and hours researching LBC applications via the planning portal for our council, and it was abundantly clear that some of the officers were much stricter than others.

 

[JoceAndChris]

But what frustrates me is that people expect uniformity in such matters - why on earth should there be? Every historic building us different, and every conservation area. Maybe this house is a real landmark. Maybe there are drawings of it in books with dark green windows. It's a mill house, so clearly of some significance.

 

[Penners]

I'm with Joce.

This is a topic oft discussed on this forum. Listed buildings are, by their very nature, unique. All of them. Therefore it's impossible to have a standardised set of rules that COs are obliged to apply to every LBC application. In each case the CO is relied upon to make a unique decision based on his/her own assessment of the acceptability of the proposed works, having regard to the special character and integrity of that particular building.

And let's remember that this is his/her primary duty - to the building, not to the owner. You could perhaps apply the medical ethic to the situation: "first do no harm".

If you buy a listed building without this principle firmly in your mind, then you risk problems.

 

[Keithj]

What they said!

Our CO has been very reasonable: where what we want to do either enhances the property (quite a bit did) or doesn't in any way detract, he's agreed with no palaver. On a couple of occasions he made helpful suggestions that improved our plans. We went in understanding that "listed" means "special, and restricted".

Ask him! Ours answers the telephone and will talk civilly with us.

 

[ChrisD]

Slow down a bit folks! As far as I can see, the CO hasn't given any ruling on whether the proposed works are acceptable or not. All that has been stated is that if a change from the original is requested then LBC is required. This is entirely consistent with my own experience - it doesn't matter what the the proposed works are, if like-for-like no LBC required. If there are any changes from the current (even if current is not 'original') then you need LBC. Just because there is a requirement for LBC does not mean that the changes would be refused. The other buildings in the vicinity that have different colours probably have LBC (!).
With a listed building you need to embrace the bureaucracy and play the game - its fun really! As an aside, I enquired whether I needed LBC for some recent works and was informed, 'just write to us explaining your proposed works, with an OS extract showing the location of your property, sketches, material specifications and photographs, then we will inform you whether you require LBC or not' ! Excellent - two applications for the price of one! Great value we get from our LA.

My advice - submit an application for LBC for the colour you want to paint your house. There would need to be a damn good reason for refusal.

Chris.