Air Conditioning Units Approved on Listed Building in Braintree
How I secured retrospective planning permission and listed building consent from Braintree District Council for external air conditioning units on a Grade II listed shop, resolving concerns over impact on historic render and infill panels.
PLANNING APPROVALSBRAINTREEESSEX
Andrew Ransome
7/15/20262 min read
In 2022, I secured retrospective planning permission and listed building consent from Braintree District Council for two air conditioning units fixed to the rear elevation of a Grade II listed shop in Braintree town centre.
The units had already been installed before consent was obtained, adding urgency to resolving the Council's concerns about the impact on the building's historic fabric, alongside a recently approved new shopfront and CCTV installation at the same premises.
Resolving Heritage Fabric Concerns
Officers initially raised concerns that securing the units to the rear elevation could remove sections of historic render and infill panels contributing to the significance of the listed building, engaging Policies LPP52 and LPP57 of the Braintree District Local Plan.
This was a live issue because the units and their internal ducting had already been fitted, meaning any harm identified could not simply be redesigned away.
I provided further clarification on the fixing method and the type of unit installed. We also proposed a louvred casing to mitigate the impact of the air conditioning units.
With this evidence, officers accepted the fixings would not harm the building's historic character, and that the rear elevation, facing a narrow access way rather than the street, was the least visually sensitive location within the Conservation Area for this kind of plant.
Braintree District Council granted both planning permission and listed building consent, regularising the installation without requiring it to be removed.
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Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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