Trust ‘wants more details’ on historic house plans

8:00am Saturday 12th May 2012 in News

A trust campaigning to protect the work of celebrated architect Sir Edwin Lutyens has objected to a new planning application to return Ilkley mansion Heathcote to residential use.

The Lutyens Trust is opposing plans to change the use of the Grade II*-listed property on Kings Road to a single house, claiming it is not “suitably detailed” for consideration. Heathcote housed
the offices of Ilkley-based company NG Bailey for more than 50 years, and there has been support locally for returning it to its original use.

A previous planning application to split it into two houses was withdrawn earlier this year, amid concern from heritage organisations.

But finer details of the new plans are causing concern for The Lutyens Trust.

The Trust said: “The application is ambiguous as the applicant’s intention in the use of the original rooms in the house.”

Its architectural adviser, Anthony Richardson, pointed out rooms marked as offices on one diagram, also saying there was no detail of the proposed alteration to rooms to be carried out to revert
the use to a single dwelling.

“We do not consider this application to be suitably detailed to be appropriate for consideration for consent to alter a significant heritage asset,” he said.

A Bradford Council conservation officer questioned the legality of the application, asking for more information on registered ownership of all parts of the site, and management of the overall site.

Ilkley Civic Society’s Helen Kidman said the society supported the plans to return the house to a single residential use, but also raised questions about rooms shown as offices in diagrams
accompanying the plans.

The application is expected to be determined by Bradford Council.