The owners of three listed hotels which painted themselves in striking dark colours are being ordered to repaint them in the old, neutral colours.
Brighton Black Hotel at number 17 Charlotte Street, which has been painted black, will now have to be repainted pale blue, as will the navy blue Brighton Surf Guest House at number 16.
And Paskins Town House, which is in number 18 and 19, will have to revert from aubergine to cream.
Brighton and Hove City Council served enforcement notices on the owners of the three hotels in Charlotte Street, Kemp Town, this month. They now have until October next year to comply, unless any appeals are lodged.
Phil Willmann from Paskins Town House, said the council had first talked to them about the paint as he and his daughter had been dealing with a family bereavement, as well as the upheaval of Covid, Brexit and soaring energy costs.
And he questioned why other listed buildings which have been painted in colourful shades, including one in the same street, were not being served similar orders.
He said: “Suddenly we have been threatened once again with financial ruin and prison for the crime of responsible conservation of a property which needs expensive maintenance.
“Other properties in the local area are not always well maintained but the council choses to ignore this.
The current owner operators of Paskins have consistently acted to preserve, maintain and conserve this property for the good of their guests, as local employers and for the greater good.”
He said the hotel was intending to appeal the order.
Jeremy Mann, the owner of Brighton Surf Guest House, said: “If it was some horrible colour or something, I would understand.
“If all the buildings were painted the same colour, it would be a bit boring.”
The notices have been served because repainting listed buildings in significantly different colours requires planning permission. All four buildings are Grade II listed.
The orders require the owners to: “Repaint the listed building to restore the principal elevation to the colour existing immediately prior to the
unauthorised re-painting.”
Planning should reflect economic realities.
The Planning Dept do not contribute to the upkeep of Listed Buildings and are disproportionate and inconsistent in their approach.
For decades no objection has been made regarding any colour changes!!!!
The aubergine and black colours are hideous to be fair.
Aubergine is black
Not sure we will be taking Conservation advice from Pink Dolphin???
https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tDP1TdITsk2MmB0YPDiTCxNSi1Kz8xLBQBLtgbo&q=aubergine&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-gbGB968GB968&oq=aubergin&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggBEC4YsQMYgAQyDQgAEAAY4wIYsQMYgAQyCggBEC4YsQMYgAQyDQgCEAAYgwEYsQMYgAQyCggDEAAYsQMYgAQyBggEEEUYOTIKCAUQABixAxiABDIKCAYQABixAxiABDINCAcQABiDARixAxiABDIHCAgQABiABDIKCAkQABixAxiABNIBCTQ5NThqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
No, aubergine is aubergine, black is black.
Yes, agree the colours are grim in that setting.
“He said: “Suddenly we have been threatened once again with financial ruin and prison for the crime of responsible conservation of a property which needs expensive maintenance.”
Painting in these colours isn’t ‘responsible conservation’ though.
If you own a listed building you should be fully aware of the restrictions placed on you due to that listing and also the penalties that follow if you break them.
There are no Restrictions on colour
The listing makes no mention of the colour
Just gets more and more pathetic with each passing day. And the people that just seem to eagerly lap up every bit of nonsensical busy work they come up with is equally as infuriating.
https://www.google.com/search?q=red+regency+building+facades&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-gbGB968GB968&oq=Red+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCAgAEEUYJxg7MggIABBFGCcYOzIICAEQRRgnGDsyBggCEEUYQDIGCAMQRRg5MhMIBBAuGIMBGMcBGLEDGNEDGIAEMg0IBRAuGNQCGLEDGIAEMg0IBhAuGNQCGLEDGIAEMgoIBxAuGLEDGIAE0gEJNTk4NGowajE1qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
If you take the trouble to look and research you will see properties of this era were not all white or cream !
Responsible Conservation protects the façade from harsh acid rain and wind .
Responsible maintenance does the protection from the elements.
Conservation is about maintaining historical features including colours.
Do your research .https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulators-code
The listing has no mention of colours .
The planning Dept has never commented on the colours used for more than four decades.
This is not what a responsible , transparent , trustworthy enforcing body adhering to the precepts of the Regulators Charter would suddenly reverse. We need to know why .
Do you work for the local Planning Dept Chris? I wonder?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulators-code
Based on their dereliction of maintenance down marida drive and all the public foot paths maybe they need to put their own house inorder before committing on others !
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8195791,-0.1278002,3a,75y,203.99h,86.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sRc7d1kUN_FND7burx-JMpg!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
No Challenge from Planners over Decades as is clear from Google if you examine the timeline .
Hence the Rule was reasonably assumed to be Dormant.
Unfair and inconsistent to now reintroduce a rule which has been ignored by planners for around 40 years plus.!
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8193394,-0.1278978,3a,75y,180.81h,68.5t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sCyvM-FwRTos3W1_S0Mc1rg!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
Red was allowed 2009- 2023
Blue was allowed 2009- 2023
Black was allowed 2009- 2023
Why now????????????????????? Issue ????? What is the REAL ISSUE ???? We would like to know !!!!
A Grade 2 listed building has always had limitations to what can be done to it due to historical or/and cultural past. Would it not been prudent to check with the council first, then just paint it a significant change in colour?
Especially with freeholds the deed says majority of the time that there are certain things that must be kept and not changed and certain protections given to the building look or how to to treat the building especially to grade 2 buildings such as to the facade, materials that can be used all for the benefit for the building and even paint types.
Whilst you may not like it, and maybe there are grounds you could of changed it with no issue you didn’t ask first. If the reason you didn’t ask was because you didn’t want to is that not on you? Using, this place did it so why can’t I approach seems a little juvenile but if there is a precedent you can argue. But preaching here is a bit wet, appeal the decision and use justifications with the council rather than comment section of an article.
We did James .!
They were busy posting Planning Documents on the Building at the time that the Building was been painted.
The black Building has been black for years .
The actual listing is Thus :-
SX4555 CHARLOTTE STREET, Devonport 740-1/41/131 (West side) Nos.17, 18 AND 19
II
Nos 17 and 18 and C20 doors; original pilastered doorcase with moulded entablature, panelled reveals and panelled door to No.19. INTERIORS not inspected. Rare virtually complete examples of C19 earlier workers’ housing; other housing in terrace too altered.
NO MENTION OF COLOURS AND THE BUILDING IN THE PICTURE IS END OF TERRACE SO THE LISTING ITSELF IS CONTENTIOUS.
Nb
The Blue Building across the street, also listed has been blue and other colours for many , many years.
No objection from the Planning Authority .
Why now ?
Personally I find the colours before insipid and the new colours more vibrant and interesting.
Good Point Steve.
Just compare the Photos
The new colours enhance the Heritage Features and are consistent with the period.
Interesting story here. I was reading up on Historic England’s guidance on the matter, and it’s a bit 50/50.
Whilst it states colours change over time as trends change, and that doesn’t need consent, it also identifies special interests, and highlights a specific example of a seaside townhouse traditionally being a certain colour. That’d be an interesting point to argue.
I am going to assume the owner has used appropriate paint for the building as detailed in the guidance, because that’d make a clear reason for rejection.
Surely,if you own a listed building ,you would check out the can and cannot do first ?
Aubergine and black ,Really?
Were you inspired by Halloween?
Visitors and tourists like to see Brighton how it was in years gone by .
If there were no regulations on historic buildings ,can you imagine Adelaide Crescent doing such a thing .
It’s no good moaning now,you just assumed as you said,but this time your assumption was wrong
Check for yourself.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1130023?section=official-list-entry
The contentious listing which sites an end of terrace property makes no mention of colour scheme but only features which have been faithfully maintained and conserved.
3 small houses in a terrace. Early C19. Slatehanging; wooden doorcases; dry slate roofs to Nos 17 and 18, asbestos slate to No.19, stepped roof; brick stacks over party walls, many old pots. Double-depth plan. 2 storeys; each house with 1-window-range front and doorway on its left. Original formerly 16-pane hornless sash with some glazing bars removed to ground floor of No.19, otherwise later horned sashes. Doorcases with moulded hoods and consoles to Nos 17 and 18 and C20 doors; original pilastered doorcase with moulded entablature, panelled reveals and panelled door to No.19. INTERIORS not inspected. Rare virtually complete examples of C19 earlier workers’ housing; other housing in terrace too altered.
Is anyone really called Karen Karen ?
Is Karen Karen really a name?
Cooperation and collaboration are needed to reform planning
As we’ve already touched upon, it’s not just homeowners who suffer from delays to planning projects, but every other party involved in the work. The designer or architect they are working with is also likely to have contracted an installer, builder or multiple trades services; businesses which may have needed to schedule time for the project weeks, if not months, in advance. Aside from the inconvenience caused, and the knock-on impact on their other projects, work that was initially affordable is now unrealistic.
What’s even more alarming is that these repeated delays and unfair denials can lead to beautiful historic buildings falling to ruin.
https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/planning-construction-news/listed-building-planning-permission-process-reform/107764/
Interesting that when I lived in Brunswick Square some twenty years ago there was a strict ruling from the council that all the frontages of the Grade II listed townhouses had to be painted a specific colour of cream every 5 years. Same for Adelaide Crescent, albeit a different shade if memory serves me correctly. The uniformity of painting the whole area the same shade is far less jarring than the disputed colours used here. Just my opinion for what it’s worth!
Sarah Beeny did a programme once on how to raise the value of your house in which everyone painted their house the same colour on the street and the properties shot up in value.
Historic buildings falling to ruin.
Of course, the listed building planning permission process (and beyond) was far from perfect, even before the pandemic, however, the quirks of the system seem to have been exacerbated over the past couple of years, with no signs of improvement. Planning officers are still refusing to carry out site visits, and working from home continues to be the norm, all in contradiction to current government guidelines.
In order to get a proper understanding of what needs to change, and the impact of delays, Historic England and local councils need to work together with listed building specialists on a clearer set of guidelines and more effective methods of enforcing them.
Phillip are you a brightonian or another one of these people who comes to Brighton with a wad full of cash and things they own the place? The houses look stupid OK? you wanted them to be bold and stand out etc great, but unfortunately they are out of character for the area which is for whatever reason considered protected. Just because it’s Brighton doesn’t mean it’s a doormat with “anything goes in Brighton” written on it.
Saying that, if you had just kept it similar to the blue one then it might have been possible to be sympathetic but those other two colours… come on…
Philip Wilmann although I don’t like the aubergine, it’s got nothing to do with me. This is a digital paper, and peoples’ views are going to differ. However, after reading your comments I became concerned for you. You say it’s going to appeal, so no matter what I think, good luck with that.
As an elderly mortgaged-to-the hilt owner of half of an unlisted terraced house in Brighton, I can testify that, given the weather we have here nd the way these old houses were originally built, white, cream and very pale colours don’t stand up at all well and , even if we repainted every year, it still wouldn’t stand up well. If dark paint helps to disguise or even withstand the ravages of the weather then good luck to them.
Do B&H council employees have nothing actually better to do than carp about paint?? Oh dear.
When I said concerned, I was worried about him. I sometimes get like that, and no one else can see it.
It’s a shame if a compromise can’t be reached. If done in good faith it will cost a lot to redecorate and enforcement could be delayed so that it is done within 5 years of last paint job. In this way the area will be eventually restored.
A common sense solution like this will also serve notice on other owners that good faith can no longer be argued and new paint jobs will have to comply.
Personal taste wise the dark blue building has been done in a way that highlights the architecture where as the other two detract with their block colour.
All black was probably a big red flag that helped set this in motion!
I agree that the council should have a lot more important things to worry about such as the dilapidation of properties of heritage all over Brighton’s seafront.
Rather than pick on properties that are only trying better their buildings and in turn add to Brighton’s quirky charm, they should focus on the heritage of the seafront that is falling apart and the west pier which is an iconic attraction of Brighton.
It’s seems there is a hidden agenda to BHCC sudden attack on these building as there has been no whisper of enforcement in the last 40 years.
Pretty sure the council is already investigating these buildings for various other planning breaches internally as well that were made last year with no planning consent where they gutted features of historical interest and drastically changed layouts. You would think strike one with the planning team would have made their approach to decorating the outside somewhat more cautious if already being investigated?
You aren’t “preserving, maintaining and conserving the property” if you make significant internal alterations with no planning permission to turn what was the guest house dining room into a modern flat and kept the councils heritage team completely the dark about it. That’s acting in bad faith.