Sarah Corlett Site Inspection Note

File Note I visited the site today at the request of Lincoln Forrest from Cameron Hall and was accompanied by Phil Beck, Building Control Officer with the Department, Mr Nigel Wood, the site owner, Mr Colin Mills, the site manager and Lincoln himself. We walked around and inside the site and I was able to see how the permissions which have been granted to date have been implemented. The works to retain and refurbish the existing fabric have been done very well and the new walling and the old tie in very well. There are still excavation works to be undertaken to the east of the courtyard, moving the earth bank away from the under-pinned original wall and works to the western part of the southern run of the courtyard, where the large buttresses are, are still to be undertaken. The new garaging is built. The latest plans show the retention of the rectangular block to the west of the buttresses. However on inspection the western end of the building is constructed from a variety of materials, few of which appear to be providing much structural stability and in fact some of the stones in the walling have split. On closer inspection there is a lot of dust and soil in the wall. Phil Beck was not at all happy at the prospect of refurbishing this part of the building and he and the site manager expressed concern at the potential for injury to workmen whilst trying to undertake this. The remainder of the front of this elevation is propped up for the refurbishment works which have been permitted and which the applicant intends to do. This part of the building is also of very poor appearance with modern bricks around the front opening as well as the poor quality stonework mentioned above. I recommended that I would have no problem with the reconstruction of this part of the building provided that it is re-built in accordance with the permitted plans. Lincoln Forrest indicated that the client's engineers would survey the building and photograph it for their records and for the reconstruction. In order to expedite the works and not jeopardise the stability of that part of the building which is propped and to be retained, I recommended that works commence as soon as possible in full consultation with Phil Beck on the Building Regulations. Prolonged discussion about this may result in more of the building which is to be retained being threatened and as the part of the building in question is of dubious stability itself, its continued deterioration may jeopardise the remainder of the building. See attached photographs and plan and Phil Beck's site notes. Sarah Corlett, 25th April, 2007 GROUND FLOOR {{image:425709}} {{table:293097}} 2. The meeting was principally organised to review proposals for the 'part' demolition and retention of an existing barn building at Ballavale, Santon. This was following the receipt from Curtins Consulting of design proposals for underpinning to the existing walls that were to be retained. 3. Photographs were taken at the time of the site inspection and copies kept in the project file (05/07577/DOM). 4. The condition of the existing stone wall to be retained, on the far westerly elevation, was in a very poor state with significant cracking and movement evident. Further, the existing stone and mortar facade is loose and unstable particularly in the two extreme external corners. The situation is compounded by the fact that there appears to be no evidence of any existing supporting foundations (hence the underpinning proposals from Curtins Consulting). 5. I expressed concern at the overall stability of the existing structure particularly in light of the proposals to then undermine the same for an underpinning foundation. I assessed that the chance of structural failure, if the underpinning was allowed to continue, would be a high risk undertaking. Regardless, such is the poor condition of the existing stone, extensive re-pointing and stabilizing would otherwise be required. 6. My recommendation would be to dismantle the existing affected walls and reinstate the same on well prepared foundations. The final decision would need to be sought from Planning. {{table:293098}}