Contact: Bob Edwards, ext 6513

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given for a grant of £9,410 towards the repairs of the roof of Steele's Farmhouse, Ashmansworth. The grant to be paid on satisfactory completion of the works in accordance with the standard conditions and attached conditions.

2. Reason

2.1 To contribute to the costs of extensive timber replacement in the roof of the farmhouse, complete replacement of the tiles with hand-made clay tiles, and renewal and repair of the rainwater goods and external joinery. Steele's Farmhouse is a Building at Risk.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Not to give a grant.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Steele's Farmhouse is a C17 house with C19 additions and alterations and is associated with a family run working farm. The house is listed Grade II.

8. The farmhouse has been recognised as being `at risk' because of problems concerning the roof since 1994 when the County Council published the first Register of Threatened Historic Buildings in Hampshire. A considerable number of the rafters of the roof of the C17 part of the house require repair and, in some cases, complete replacement. The tiles require complete replacement and the external joinery, in particular the fascia and soffits, require renewal. The rainwater goods are to be repaired or renewed with cast-iron guttering and downpipes.

9. The estimated cost of the work is £55,283 including VAT but the owner is able to reclaim the VAT element and so the proposed grant offer of £9,410 represents 20% of the eligible cost.

10 In addition to the standard conditions the following conditions would apply:

(i) the contractor shall afford reasonable access to works for inspection(s) by appointed officers of the County Council, as required (during working hours);

(ii) no deviation from the submitted drawings and/or specification, other than to secure compliances with these conditions, shall be made without prior written agreement from the County Council;

(iii) all scaffolding shall be erected and dismantled with the greatest care to avoid causing any damage whatever to the fabric;

(iv) where tubular steel scaffolding is used, the ends of tubes abutting the building shall be fitted with plastic caps to eliminate the risk of rust works staining the fabric or abrasion damage to the surface of the fabric;

(v) any spalled, eroded or cracked bricks shall be carefully cut out taking care not to damage surrounding work, and replacement bricks shall match the existing in size, colour and texture as closely as possible, second-hand bricks may be used if sound and clean. The size or joints and bond of brickwork must be carefully repeated, as should any patterning;

(vi) all joints to be repointed shall be raked out to a minimum depth or 25 millimetres (and never less than the width of the joint). No mechanical cutting device shall be used to rake out the joints;

(vii) where roof timbers are to be replaced the extent of replacement should be agreed with the County Planning Officer;

(viii) all new leadwork should be carried out in accordance with the latest recommendations of the Lead Sheet Association;

(ix) replacement rainwater goods should be in cast-iron - the internal (only) surfaces of the gutters to be painted with bitumen paint after fitting; and

(x) a sample of the tiles to be used and the mortar mix for rebedding the ridge tiles, etc should be agreed with the County Planning Officer prior to works commencing.

6928/BE