Shiver me timber

More on that renovated balcony at Fitzroy House in Great Pulteney Street where 28 luxury flats are being created from five Grade 1 listed townhouses.

Bath Newseum follower Jim Canham noticed that the main balcony under the central pediment had been restored ‘ with a nasty timber plank floor instead of stone.”

Longacre – the developers – have already told us they were aware of the difference in flooring between the two balconies when they approached Historic England for listed building consent.

They were told the original floor of the larger balcony had been wooden and – under its protected status – should be wooden again.

Now Bath Newseum has heard from Sacha Hunter who is the Conservation Officer for the city’s heritage ‘policemen’ – Bath Preservation Trust.

She told me:

” I have been in touch with the architect of the above development.  The original applications did not include the balcony.

The previous owners – a housing association- covered the existing timber boards on that balcony with felt to try and extend the lifespan of them.  The applicants have therefore replaced the existing rotten timber boards with new timber boards made from oak.

The visual difference is that they have not reinstated the felt but left the oak to fade and weather naturally.  The felt would have given the previous balcony a dark appearance that may have been mistaken for concrete/stone.

In the interim, the replacement timbers look visually quite stark but they were definitely timber when the current applicants bought the property. In our view, this is a like for like repair.”