The Dower House
- Client: Komfort Services
- Architect: Morse Webb Architects
- Contacts: Oliver Coleman
- LPA: Hillingdon
The Dower House is an example of a ‘Heritage at Risk’ scheme, proposing an enabling development within the curtilage of the listed building within Green Belt land to support its restoration.
The Dower House is a Grade II listed historic house dating from the sixteenth century located on High Street Harlington. The term ‘dower house’ historically refers to a house intended for use by the widow of the previous owner of an English, Scottish or Welsh estate. The widow, often known as the “dowager”, usually moves into the ‘dower house’ from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he was single at his succession. The new heir occupies the now vacated principal house.
The Dower House was gutted by fire in 2011 and has been in a deteriorating state ever since. Rolfe Judd Planning was engaged during the preparation of the application with the client recognising the benefit of receiving planning advice to manage the project going forward. We recognised the importance of receiving a positive response from Historic England to the proposals in consideration of the other planning policy designations, particularly Green Belt, which need to be considered. We led the engagement with Historic England utilising their pre-application service and agreed to strategies over how The Dower House will be restored, recognising that much detail can only practically be determined when planning and listed building consent has been secured. We also sort this approach was agreed with Hillingdon to ensure a co-ordinated approach.
The development comprises the construction of 18 houses at the rear of the site in what would have been the orchard of The Dower House. The buildings have an agrarian character, a response to historical research which showed agricultural buildings had once been present within the wider site. The proposal also subdivides The Dower House into 3 apartments to further support the viability of the scheme and reflect the local housing market. Part of the forecourt walls to The Dower House, a separate entry on Historic England’s register, will also be removed to enable access to the rear of the site.
The rear of the site where the 18 homes are located are not only within the curtilage of the listed building, but also with Green Belt land. These are two complex planning designations which had to be addressed in their own right. The Green Belt assessment required a ‘Very Special Circumstances’ case to be made.
