Plumbing and Bathroom Work in a Letchworth Heritage Foundation Home

What is the Scheme of Management?

The Scheme of Management applies to all freehold homes on the Letchworth Garden City estate. It places obligations, known as covenants, on freehold owners, so that houses stay in keeping with the town’s original design and character. Leaseholders aren’t left out: the Foundation says leasehold homes have covenants that may also require its consent for external changes. If you rent from a housing association, you apply through the housing association, which either applies to the Foundation for you or deals with it under its own process.

The Foundation’s consent is separate from planning permission and the building regulations, which are run by North Hertfordshire District Council. Having one doesn’t give you the other, and permitted development rights don’t remove the need for the Foundation’s consent either.

Does bathroom work inside the house need consent?

The Foundation’s consent is about the outside of your home. Its list of alterations covers things like extensions, loft conversions, roof alterations, porches and replacement windows. A new suite, fresh tiling or a new shower in an existing bathroom changes none of those, so it isn’t on the list.

Inside work still has rules of its own. Electrical work in a bathroom has to meet the building regulations, which is why the electrics in our bathroom renovations are signed off with an electrical certificate. If you’re not sure whether a plan touches the outside, the Foundation offers free advice before you apply.

Bathroom fitters in Letchworth Garden City

Which plumbing and bathroom work changes the outside?

Some bathroom plans reach the outside of the house without it being obvious at first. These are the ones worth checking with the Foundation before any work starts.

Does a new soil or waste pipe need Heritage Foundation consent?

Moving a toilet or adding an en suite can mean a new soil pipe, vent pipe or waste pipe on the outside of the house. The Foundation says all external alterations need an application, so check with them before a new pipe goes on an outside wall. Its Design Principles then guide where and how the pipe should go, and the rules differ slightly between the two Character Areas.

What does the Heritage Character Area guidance say about pipes?

In the town’s oldest homes, gutters, soil and vent pipes and downpipes in a colour that contrasts with the house were often part of the original design, and the Design Principles for the Heritage Character Area say keeping that matters. Careful positioning and the original colour help a new or replacement pipe sit quietly in the street. New soil pipes and downpipes on the front of a house should normally be avoided unless they replace existing ones. Replacement guttering and downpipes will usually need to be cast iron, although uPVC made to look like cast iron may be acceptable.

What does the Modern Character Area guidance say about pipes?

For the town’s later homes, the Design Principles for the Modern Character Area also stress careful positioning of guttering, soil, vent and downpipes and the use of the original colour. They say new soil pipes on the front of a house should normally be avoided.

Does a new extractor fan vent need consent?

The Foundation says all external alterations need an application. So if a new extractor fan needs a vent through an outside wall, check with them before it’s fitted.

Does a loft bathroom need Heritage Foundation consent?

A bathroom in the roof space may involve a loft conversion or a change to the roof, and an en suite or ground floor bathroom may need an extension. Loft conversions, roof alterations and extensions are all on the Foundation’s list.

Does a replacement bathroom window need consent?

Yes. Replacement windows need consent, even when the new window looks the same as the old one. The Foundation may also ask for the new window to follow the house’s original design, because the existing one isn’t always historically accurate.

Does like for like work need an application?

Yes. It’s easy to assume that swapping something for an identical replacement doesn’t count, but the Foundation’s answer is clear: all external alterations need an application, like for like included. Window replacements are the example it gives.

How do you apply for Heritage Foundation consent?

In short: check which Character Area your home is in, then apply online, by email or at the Foundation’s office in Broadway.

The Heritage Character Area takes in the oldest and most historically important homes, particularly those built between 1903 and 1930, including the cottages from the 1905 and 1907 cottage exhibitions. Some of the earliest homes are also listed as Homes of Special Interest, and the Foundation may apply its principles differently to protect their special character.

1. Check which Character Area your home is in, Heritage or Modern, using the search tool on the Foundation’s website.
2. Read the Design Principles for that area, and check whether your home is a Home of Special Interest.
3. If you’re unsure, ask for the Foundation’s free advice before you apply.
4. Apply through the Foundation’s online portal, by email, or by dropping your application at its office in Broadway.
5. Wait for the decision. The Foundation aims to send it within 4 to 6 weeks, and it can take a little longer if the plans need changes.
6. Once approved, carry out the work within 3 years.

When you buy a home on the estate, you also need to register with the Foundation.

Who is responsible for getting Heritage Foundation consent?

The homeowner is. The Foundation says it has no arrangements with any contractors and doesn’t issue pre arranged consents, and if a contractor works without consent, the breach is yours to deal with. If your plans include anything on the outside, raise it at your design visit and we’ll talk it through with you, so you can apply before the work begins.

What happens if work was done without consent?

Work carried out without written consent puts the homeowner in breach of the Scheme of Management or the lease. That can cause difficulties when you come to sell, and it could lead to legal action by the Foundation. The first step is a retrospective application. It carries a fee and isn’t automatically approved: in many cases the work is refused, and you can then put it right so that it can be approved.

This applies to work done before you owned the house, too. If there’s no consent on the Foundation’s records, the work stays in breach until an application is approved. When you sell, your solicitor will want any consents you hold. For work carried out since December 2009, that means a Final Stage Approval and the Plan Approval Notice issued with it.