Hi all. Is anyone aware of any instance in which external wall insulation has been permitted on the front of a house (preferably terrace, ideally end of terrace) in a conservation area? My local planners are requesting “precedent images”, though I suspect they already know the answer…
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I very obtusely face a conservation area and the planners think that changing the appearance of my 1930s house will adversely impact the 1700s conservation area. Given that attitude I don’t know why they have a tarmac road or haven’t demolished my house and replanted an orchard.
Anyway, I took many photos of local houses, mostly in the same style, that had either been rendered or insulated, with render. It was to no avail. It would be a very expensive option but I am wondering whether I could render the house (using neighbours as a precedent and then add EWI, demonstrating that there is no change of appearance.
My current stance is to get on with other tasks and add EWI when regulations change.
When we applied photos of jobs like ours the planners said they didn’t accept ‘precedence’ as part of justification.
I was asked for precedence post application. Clearly there isn’t much consistency.
Great question. I look forward to the responses.
I’d also like to know if some hybrid compromise is possible. Such as having EWI on the gable end and rear of the building, with some form of transition detail to the original facade (IWI), such as faux quoins in masonry buildings.
Revisiting this topic:
It was suggested to me by the planning officer that I only insulate the end and rear of my house, leaving the front “as is”. The front faces north (ish), so that wasn’t a very practical solution. There are properties with a combination of EWI and IWI but the “joins” or lack of them are a source of thermal bridging. Generally a 1 metre overlap is required to minimise this. That can cause aesthetic problems in the house and properly terminating the EWI outside can also give problems, not least with weatherproofing the end. Not insurmountable, I’m sure, but a right pain somewhere or other (including the wallet).
While waiting for the planning climate to improve (probably requiring the meteorological climate to deteriorate) I am moving on to other tasks.
I have decided that my own knowledge and experience are not adequate to see me through to EnerPHit equivalent so have now contacted a Passivhaus designer. It will be interesting to see how that changes things. Full PHPP survey in early September. I may well start a new topic to report on progress.