Changes to listed Bracknell homes in latest planning apps

Perhaps the biggest plan is to knock down one of the cottages in the Warfield House estate and replace it with a new four-bedroom home.

Elsewhere, in Hare Hatch, there is a plan to replace a small private zoo which used to house rare birds and lemurs with a  four-bedroom home as well.

Meanwhile, two historic houses, Wiltshire Cottage in Binfield and Oxford Cottage in Winkfield, are under going repair and restoration projects.

READ MORE: Two huge plans that could change Bracknell forever submitted

All of these plans are for homes, or are nearby homes, that are Grade II listed.  These are buildings which are acknowledged as having historical significance, which means development nearby is under tighter control.

To get more details for plans within Bracknell Forest, enter the planning reference in brackets into the search bar of the borough’s planning portal here: https://planapp.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/online-applications/.

To see plans in Wokingham, head to the borough council planning portal: https://planning.wokingham.gov.uk/FastWebPL/welcome.asp

Replacement of cottage with new home at Warfield House estate (21/00258/LB) 

The Old Farm Cottage, which the owners want to demolish. Credit: IWA Interiors With Art

Here, the applicants want to demolish and replace a cottage on the Warfield House estate, with a four bedroom home.

The cottage in question is called Old Farm. One of five cottages on site, three of the cottages and the main house have all undergone restoration works, and the build of a new house would see the end of these works.

It involves demolishing Old Farm, which has two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room with a one-and-a-half storey four bedroom house.

The plan for the replacement of Old Farm at Warfield House. Credit: IWA Interiors With Art

All of the bedrooms would be ensuite, and there would also be a first floor playroom for the occupant’s children.

The applicants have had to submit a heritage statement because Warfield House is Grade II listed. Although the Old Farm itself is not listed, it is treated as a ‘curtilage listed building’. In planning law, all buildings and other structures that pre-date July 1948 and are within the ‘curtilage’ -or the grounds of- a listed building are to be treated as part of the listed building.

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Demolition of farm buildings to build six homes in Warfield (21/00657/FUL)

An existing barn at Windmill Farm, Warfield. Credit: jpa

This plan would see the demolition of three large agricultural barns replaced with six homes at Windmill Farm in Malt Hill, Warfield.

Of these, three would be three-bedroomed terrace houses, and three would be four-bedroom houses.

The homes will require a new access road onto Malt Hill so that they can be accessed by car. You can see the layout for the six new homes in the gallery above.

Repair project for cottage that dates back to 15th century in Winkfield (21/00710/LB)

Oxford Cottage Farm in Winkfield. Credit: Aedificum Conservation Ltd

The owners of Oxford Cottage in Winkfield are conducting a repair project as there is cracking and subsidence to the home.

The repairs involve replacing bricks, plastering over cracks and redecoration.

Oxford Cottage is a late 15th century home and is Grade II listed, which has meant the owners have had to conduct a heritage assessment.

Plan to replace bird houses with a home in Hare Hatch (Wokingham app 212446)

The existing bird houses which would be demolished to make way for the four bed home. Credit: Architectural History & Conservation

Plans have been submitted to demolish pheasant hutches and bird houses with a new four bedroom home at The Bird Gardens in Hare Hatch.

The bird houses used to form The Bird Gardens zoo which closed down in September 2018. A collection of rare birds and lemurs were housed at the zoo, and rare pheasants were bred there.

It is understood the buildings form part of the grounds of The Old House in Hare Hatch a late 18th century Grade II listed building in the parish of Wargrave.

Now the applicants want to demolish the existing animal enclosures, bird houses and an office building to make way for a four bedroom house.

Proposed Georgian house in Hare Hatch. Credit: Shaun Tanner Architecture and Planning

The new house would be two floors tall and all the bedrooms would be ensuite.

Because The Old House and the neighbouring Hill House are both grade II listed, the applicants have to demonstrate any new building does not compromise the character of these houses.

According to a heritage statement provided with the application, the proposed house would be built in a Georgian style to be similar to The Old House and Hill House (you can see what both homes look like in the gallery above).

Restoration project at listed cottage in Binfield (Wokingham app 212490)

Wiltshire Cottage in Monks Alley, Binfield. Credit Janus Conservation

Here, the owners of the Grade II listed Wiltshire Cottage want to make a series of improvements to restore the building and address a number of issues that the owners are experiencing.

The applicants say they want to bring the historic building “back to life” and that they have ‘invested their life savings’ into the cottage.

The restoration work they’ve applied for involves upgrading the electrics, heating, repair the roof and doors, and converting the existing garage into a kitchen and dining area.

The project follows an application submitted earlier this summer to build a home office in the grounds of the cottage (application 211941).

Although the home is in Binfield, it actually falls within the parish of St Nicholas, Hurst, meaning the owners have had to apply to Wokingham Borough Council for planning consent.