A high end bakery chain is making a fresh attempt to keep the modern glass doors it has installed in a listed building in Lewes.
Gail’s Bakery ditched the old wooden doors on the corner of its new home on the corner of High Street and Friars Walk.
The South Downs National Park threatened enforcement action, so it applied to replace them – but that bid was turned down.
It is now appealing that refusal to the planning inspectorate, arguing the condition of the door made it too dangerous to put back.
Its appeal statement, written by Planning Potential Ltd, says: “Whilst arguably a positive contributor to the buildings overall appearance, the door did not form a part of the original structure or appearance of the building (constructed in the 18th century), is not an original feature, and indeed was only installed to facilitate the occupation of the commercial unit by a bank, who would have required a door of this nature at this time.
“Needless to say, the door in question became weathered, damaged, and unfit for continued use as part of a commercial operation, particularly for one … with heavy footfall and customer entry.
“Retention of the original door would have been unsafe and pose a security risk to both customers and the commercial operator itself.”
The Grade II listed building was built in 1770, although the corner entrance was a later addition, from 1920 when it became a chemist.
Gail’s says the wooden door itself was installed in about 1984, when the building was listed – although the council says it’s more likely it was already in place then. The door is part of the listing description.
Gail’s also argues that the bakery, as a retail business, needed to make the entrance more open than the bank had, and that glazed doors are an important part of its shopfront.
It says that the harm caused to the listed building is not substantial, and so the needs of the business should outweigh them, in line with planning policy.
Although the refusal was made by the South Downs National Park (SDNP), Lewes District Council is defending the decision.
It has not yet submitted its arguments. However, in its decision, SDNP’s planning officer Larissa Brooks said: “The dark wood solid door reiterates the sense of power, safety and security which were qualities conveyed by banks to reassure customers. This in combination with the large scale of the building, the elevation detail of ashlar and historic plaques conveys a character, and architectural and historic interest that contributes positively to the character and appearance of the wider conservation area.”
She said the previous tenant, NatWest, had kept the door permanently open and installed glass doors in front of it to create a glass lobby, as several other nearby businesses do.
She said Gail’s removed the doors before getting planning permission for other changes, despit knowing it was a listed building, and knowing the removal was unacceptable.
She added: “The applicant also states that the doors were no longer fit for use and were badly damaged. The LPA have not been given an opportunity to assess the doors as they were removed prior to the site visit.
“However, photos of the site show the doors in a fine condition and if they were suffering from wear and tear, they are certainly not beyond reasonable repair – this is therefore not a justification for their complete removal and replacement with doors of a completely different materiality and design.”
Anyone wanting to comment on the appeal can do so by clicking here until 27 February.
