ITPAS - Hillbark House Marquee

AGM & Summer Talk...

Professor Stephen Harding

Weds 4th June...

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HillBark House Marquee

Planning Breach

March 2008 - Hillbark House has never really given much cause for concern since the late 90’s when the then owner tried to carry out all sorts of planning alterations which could have proved destructive to this glorious listed building.

The feedback we have had about the current owner has always been positive. We have been told that their intentions are honourable and it would appear that was the case from looking at the building both inside and out.

However, one problem has arisen. A rather strange situation in respect of the marquee that stands at the Northern side of the house. If you click on the below thumbnail photo, you can see the marquee appears to exceed the size of the actual hotel!

Sadly, the owner chipped away a good proportion of trust when we found the marquee was erected without planning permission. A retrospective application was soon submitted for the siting of a "Temporary Marquee for 12 weeks (max) per year”. That was in 2005! (click here to view the planning application)

Hillbark House before the marquee

We also found a search of the WBC planning portal to produce a number of applications in respect of this matter since 2000 (click here to view search results).

Hillbark House with the marquee

One thing that stands out about this application however is this…. There is no result! Yes, no decision, no outcome, no recommendation, no refusal – and this has been the case since 2005!

We find this a very odd situation, unknown in our experience. As a result, we have written to the Planning Dept to query the situation. In doing so, we are not seeking to interfere with what appears to be a healthy ongoing business concern, but like our situation with ‘White’s Farm’, why should one individual or business operation get away with one thing when another has to be fully compliant with the rules?