Plans approved for glass walkway extension at Grade II listed cottage in pretty village near Leamington

A plan to extend a Grade II listed cottage in Warmington to bring it up to modern day standards has been approved in spite of objections from the district council's planning officer.

The two-storey rear extension to the Cottage on the Green will incorporate a glass walkway and timber cladding and add an extra bedroom and a kitchen/diner.

The chairman of Warmington and Arlescote Parish, Cllr Mark Burstal, said these were much needed improvements. He told this week’s Stratford District Council’s planning committee meeting: “This is a pretty little old cottage with the emphasis on little - it is very small and creates a problem for modern day families who need more space as it is no longer acceptable to sleep three or four in a room.

“It has no particular architectural merit or feature that needs protecting and no record of historical significance.”

He added that the properties on either side of the cottage had had significant rear extensions.

But planning officer Emily Napier said some of the features of the proposed extension would be ‘incongruous within the historic setting’ with the property being one of a pair of listed ironstone cottages.

She added: “By virtue of the proposed extension’s scale, design and location it is considered that the proposals will not preserve the building’s special architectural and historic interest.”

Members of the planning committee were split with chairman Cllr Peter Richards (Con, Snitterfield) explaining: “I am concerned about the impact on the listed building. I think it is quite a substantial extension. A lot of the benefits put forward are not public benefits, they are occupier benefits. There is significant harm which is not outweighed by any benefit.”

But there was plenty of support with Cllr David Curtis (Lib Dem, Shottery) suggesting that the extension would make the property fit for the 21st Century and Cllr Bill Fleming (Con, Bidford West and Salford) adding that such alterations were essential for modern day living.

Cllr Matt Jennings (Con, Henley) said: “I like the design of this and I think it blends when you have listed buildings and glass walkways - I’ve seen it on castles on Grand Designs. It mixes old and new. In my view it is not overbearing.

The planning application was approved after councillors decided that the extension would cause insufficient harm to the historic setting.