Planners approve painting at historic cottage

PLANNING bosses at Warrington have granted retrospective permission for brickwork painting on a historic farm cottage after hearing the work was carried out by a previous owner.
Officers had recommended the application be refused – together with another retrospective application for six replacement windows for the Grade 2 listed cottage in Vale Owen Road, Orford.
Earlier this year, members of the borough’s planning committee had refused permission for both application and appeals against those decisions are now pending.
But as a result of the schemes being approved at the second time of asking, the appeals may now be withdrawn.
The cottage is one of three early 19th century buildings associated with Orford Green Farmhouse – also a Grade 2 listed building.
The earlier applications were refused on the grounds that the replacement windows and exterior painting of the brickwork had an adverse impact on the special significance of the building.
Officers argued that no additional information had been provided to that already considered as part of the previous application, which had been refused. There was an obvious need to deliver consistency in decision-making. They said it was not relevant who had carried out the unauthorised works- the present owner or the previous one.
But councillors decided the scheme should be approved.