Rule-breaking at 17th century building by Windsor Castle must be fixed 'by hand'

Planning officials have ordered unauthorised changes to a listed building in the shadow of Windsor Castle must be torn out and replaced ‘by hand’.

Property owner Y & F Plus Ltd’s rule-breaking changes to 6 Church Street, the former site of Nell Gwynn Chinese Restaurant, included installing a new en-suite bathroom and removing a fireplace.

A Government planning inspector has now ordered those changes be amended, with much of the work carried out ‘by hand’ to preserve the historic building.

Church Street is directly opposite the entrance to Windsor Castle via Castle Hill and features two rows of historic buildings, which today contain restaurants and souvenir shops.

Grade II listed 6 Church Street dates from the mid to late 17th century and is situated within a strictly regulated planning conservation zone, according to historic council documents on the site.

It was believed Nell Gwynn, the mistress of King Charles II, was a former resident of the building. 

The four-storey tall building features an underground cellar and, prior to rule-breaking changes, several striking Georgian fireplaces and traditional lime plastered walls.

“It is a strong positive contributor to the significance of the conservation area, as a Grade II* listed building and forming part of an important part of the historic town,” council documents said.

The building owner’s unauthorised alterations drew the watchful eye of RBWM’s planning department, which issued an enforcement notice in mid-2023. It was later appealed by Y & F Plus Ltd.

An RBWM listed building survey undertaken that year said: “The works have amounted to permanent loss of built fabric resulting in significant harm to the building.”

The enforcement notice ordered:

• “By hand and only using hand tools remove all subdividing walls including all timber studwork and infill, and gypsum plasterboards.”
• “By hand, remove off bathroom fixtures and fittings alongside all servicing associated to the bathroom.”
• “By hand, remove all tiles, modern gypsum plaster finishes including over boarding plasterboards from the walls and ceiling finishes,” and replace with 'traditional lime haired plaster'.
• “By hand and, only using hands tools, re-open the original fireplace opening. If retained on site, reinstate the historic fireplace surround and firebox piece.”

The property owner sought planning permission for the changes in an application later in 2023. It was refused by RBWM.

“We are seeking to agree an acceptable way forward with the council through this new application to enable the enforcement notice to be withdrawn,” the application said.  

In a decision notice published on October 16, Inspector P N Jarratt said the council’s enforcement notice should be upheld.

However, the inspector did agree to Y & F Plus Ltd’s request for extra time to remedy the planning breaches.

“The appellant accepts that the unauthorised works to the listed building should be rectified but requests a compliance period of 12 months to carry out the work,” the decision notice said.

“This would enable the appellant to prepare and submit an application for listed building consent for an alternative solution to the third floor bathroom and to agree details for the fireplace.”

The inspector added: “I consider that extending the compliance period to 12 months is reasonable in order to carry out the necessary works.”