Planning Considerations for the Conservation of Thatch
Change of Thatching Style
Planning laws which effectively prevent the wholesale destruction or vandalism of listed thatched buildings are designed to prevent the replacement of existing thatch by other roof coverings such as tiles or slates. In 2010 new planning legislation and guidance PPS5 (planning policy statement) for local authority conservation officers was adopted “Planning for the Historic Environment”, and the Historic Environment Planning guide, paragraph 5 page 45 defines the government policy for thatch. This legislation ensures a level of commitment through legislation to the survival of the thatched roof, which should assure its future; the challenge for all those involved is to provide guidance, which realistically balances conservation principles, historical accuracy and the demands of modern usage of old, buildings.
The Practice Guide is a joint publication by the Department of Communities and Local Government and English Heritage, although the PPS itself has primacy in plan making and individual planning decisions, the Practice Guide carries governmental weight and is a material consideration in planning terms. To ensure a sustainable future for thatch changes that have taken place throughout its long history should always be taken into account in the selection and style of thatching materials. It is important for the maintenance of heritage that the “like for like” policy for roof coat replacement is applied sensitively and recognises the changes in agricultural practice, climate, economics and the demography of ownership of thatch that have occurred in the past half century.
From the latter part of the twentieth century until the present thatching has become more regulated than at any time in its history. Interpretation and application of local policies varies greatly between councils and for the owner the planning process can appear intimidating, complex and at times draconian. Committed owners carry the financial burden for the survival of historic thatch; any consideration in the application of legislation must support these custodians of the thatched heritage to ensure that their vision and resources can provide a long-term future for individual buildings. To this end any legislation and guidance must be flexible, and economically viable; it should recognise changing circumstances and encourage and support a craft which deserves recognition and congratulations for its achievements now and in the past.
Thatch probably requires remedial attention more frequently than many other types of structural maintenance carried out on other parts of buildings of historic importance. It is why thatchers require detailed knowledge of building construction processes of many past periods; this includes understanding the characteristics of structures, and the nature of properties with natural building materials. English Heritage acknowledges that “there are no definitive rules for thatching and a skilled craftsman will choose the method most suitable for any particular set of conditions and requirements. No two roofs are the same and from time to time the thatcher will need to be flexible in his approach to the job, perhaps occasionally combining one method with another to achieve the best results”.
A local authority will use listed building consent to make decisions that balance the site's historic significance against other issues such as its function, condition or viability. The purpose of listing is not to freeze a building in time, it is simply a means where listed building consent must be applied for to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest.
Summary of the Society’s Thatching Code of Practice
The National Society of Master Thatchers (NSMT) endeavours to work in conjunction with local authorities to provide thatch and thatching guidance, which realistically balances conservation, historical accuracy and the demands of modern usage of old buildings, which includes a duty of care to provide a high level of craftsmanship and a sympathetic and flexible approach to conservation principles relevant to every individual property. The purpose of the Code of Practice is to cover the issues that affect the practical and economic survival of thatch as a roofing material and to guide all those involved in the application of policies and practices to ensure that decisions are relevant, workable, sustainable and economically viable.
DUE DILIGENCE FOR OWNERS, CONSERVATION OFFICERS AND THATCHERS
Owners
- Prepare for any thatching work well in advance.
- Choose a thatcher with a local track record, ask to see other recent thatch work in the area, talk to other property owners. In thatching, like all other aspects of life “you get what you pay for”; owners are advised to get more than one tender for a proposed piece of work, and to understand what exactly is covered by each quotation. The cheapest may not always be the best, for example, responsible thatchers can be undercut by including the cost of scaffolding in the price. The use of scaffolding for all but minor repairs is a normal legal requirement, in the event of an accident; the thatcher and the owner could be putting themselves at risk from prosecution.
- Prepare a checklist of local authority planning requirements: compliance with Part L building regulations and listed building consent requirements. Proceeding without listed building consent, is likely to result in costly enforcement procedures.
- Prepare any planning applications.
- With your thatcher, discuss choice of materials, carry out and document risk assessments for health and safety and fire prevention using pro forma templates. Make sure relevant bodies sign these.
- Make contingency plans with the thatcher and conservation officer for any defects in timberwork that may come to light once re-thatching has commenced.
- Consider keeping a property logbook as a record of the evolution of the property. Be prepared to make and maintain records and material from underlying thatch layers and roof timbers and structures.
Local authority conservation departments
- Conservation needs a light, positive, responsive legislative system that assists thatch maintenance in a sensible sustainable way. Decisions should reflect continuing change in the environment, economic conditions, agricultural trends and society in general and should embrace those changes flexibly to enable thatchers to use their skill and discretion to choose the best available materials and fixings for each individual property.
- In the decision making process reference should be made to any recent Planning Inspectorate adjudication in interpretation of local policies.
- Consider the risk of a thatch fire both under existing conditions and as a consequence of any proposed changes to the building. For instance, deep thatch coupled with a wood burning stove is very dangerous. 50 or more thatched roofs are destroyed each year by this combination of risks. The damage to heritage is much greater than a change of style, which is temporary. When a roof burns, it is lost forever.
- Any local planning requirements concerning style and materials should be based on verifiable facts. The investigation of alternative thatching materials should be considered and where these can be shown to positively impact on the preservation of thatched buildings their use should be actively encouraged.
- In considering planning applications for change of materials in listed buildings it is vital that conservation officers understand the seriousness of the situation and are flexible and realistic in their requirements.
- Thatchers, backed by the NSMT, should be recognised as local experts qualified to provide advice to local planning departments.
- Local authority planning departments should be prepared to take responsibility for any decisions that are imposed against the advice of an experienced craftsmen.
Thatchers
- With the client, discuss availability and choice of materials timescales for commencement and completion of the project.
- With the client, meet with the local conservation officer, be prepared to assist with any planning documents, ensure these have been submitted and agreed before any work is started.
- With the client, carry out and document risk assessments for health and safety and fire prevention using pro forma templates. Make sure these are agreed and signed.
- Include any recommendations for fire prevention measures in the written estimate. Where appropriate indicate to the client, in writing, the advisability of seeking specialist advice on choice of appliances and chimney linings for active flues.
- Prepare and submit an estimate of the work agreed including a clear description of choice of materials and summary of each stage of the process. Terms and stage payments should be agreed and signed off at this stage.
- Thatchers own records of the source of all raw materials and a comparative quality assessment should be submitted to the owner as part of the property records and should also be filed as a demonstration of due diligence in case of subsequent complaints.
- Thatchers should consider signing a disclaimer for any imposed work that in their opinion is not in the best long-term interests of the property.
Advice to owners - preparing a planning application
Even when early discussions with conservation officers take place before a formal planning application is made; it is recommended that some thought has already been given to statements that will be part of any future formal proposal. The more compelling and well presented the argument the more successful it is likely to be. In making a decision on appearance and its relationship to conservation principles, English Heritage states “Thatching is a living craft and its history is obviously still being written, and regularly destroyed, by thatchers who continue to adapt their methods and materials to the economic and material realities of the modem age. In this sense, the underlying tradition of thatching has remained unchanged and its freedom to innovate will undoubtedly be essential to its survival in the future”. For the survival of thatching it is essential that the latter part of the sentence is observed and implemented.
Current PPS5 requires applicants for listed building consent to be able to justify their proposals. They will need to show why works, which might affect the character of a listed building, are desirable or necessary. Owners need to provide the local planning authority with full information, to enable them to assess the likely impact of a proposal particularly on the special architectural or historic interest of a building and on its setting.
In addition to the requirements of PPS5, application for thatch should address:
Whether the building is listed? What the impact will be of the proposed changes on the character, appearance and future sustainability of the property. Many entries for historic/listed buildings were compiled in the mid 1970s, more often than not these make no reference to or distinction between the differing types or styles of thatching materials in use at the time. Properties are very often just described as “thatched”, this clearly indicates that there was never any intention by the authority to distinguish so precisely between the different thatching materials and styles, but the intention was to ensure that where thatched roofs existed their coverings were not changed to slate or tiles.
History of early degradation and short life span of previous thatches. If a change of materials is being proposed because the roof is not performing well it is important to be able to demonstrate that the property consistently requires re-thatching at intervals shorter than the published longevity predictions for the type of material and that the use of a different material or style would be in keeping with other thatched properties in the area.
Local authority policy documents on thatch. Some local District Councils have their own thatching policy documents or individual versions of local plans. These will be published on their websites, and must be referenced and quote in the application. Consideration should be given to challenging any unreferenced assertions in these documents. The policy for any advice from the NSMT is that information provided for planning must be historically sound and evidence based.
Impact on the immediate local area, the style and character of other thatched houses in the vicinity. Provide a local review and include photographs with the application.
Marjorie Sanders, MPhil, Churchill Fellow
Secretary to the National Society of Master Thatchers
13 Parkers Hill
Tetsworth
Thame
Oxon
OX9 7AQ
Email: marjoriesanders@btinternet.com