Grade II-listed Hill House in Sunderland set for window upgrades as council approves plans

Sunderland City Council's planning department has approved an application for the Grade II-listed Hill House at 28 Humbledon Park after a planning application was submitted

Council planners have given the thumbs up to heritage improvements for a notable listed building in Sunderland. The planning department of Sunderland City Council has greenlit proposals for the Grade II-listed Hill House, located at 28 Humbledon Park.

Perched at the crossroads of Durham Road and Seaforth Road within the Barnes ward, the building gained its listed status in the late '70s, as per Historic England's records. Earlier this year, a planning application was lodged with the aim of refurbishing windows on the northern side facing Durham Road, a key artery into the city.

The refurbishment plans included the replacement of three ground floor windows and one on the first floor on the northern frontage, alongside "upgrading" three sash windows on the upper level. Additionally, retrospective consent was sought for an en-suite addition to a bedroom on the first floor.

Throughout the application process, revised designs and supplementary plans were presented to better illustrate the "form and profile" of the proposed new roadside-facing windows. The council's senior conservation officer expressed that the updated window designs would likely enhance the building's aesthetic.

After review, the planning department sanctioned the proposed works and the application for listed building consent at the end of August, 2024. Council planners, reviewing the proposal, have stated that the project "proposes to carry out works to the interior and exterior of the building; making good and replacing the existing windows with new windows".

The report clarified that the "retrospective en-suite would not involve the Grade II-listed original structure being interfered with in any way" and declared the broader scheme fitting in terms of heritage. An accompanying heritage statement from the planning application, submitted earlier this year, traces the building's origins to Georgian times, identifying it as the "last element of a former dairy farm which operated until the 1930s".

Furthermore, the document notes that the building was significantly damaged during a World War II air raid but has survived as a "significant asset to the heritage of the city". Applicants insist that the intended replacement windows are designed to echo a "more traditional style of windows sympathetic to the heritage of the property", while improving energy efficiency and noise insulation.

The heritage statement further asserts: "It is considered that the proposed works to the property would enhance and preserve the special qualities of the Grade II-listing by upgrading and repairing the described elements and to prevent any further deterioration of the fabric of the building". According to planning stipulations, the approved works must be completed within a three-year timeframe.

For further details on the plan or council decision, head over to Sunderland City Council's planning portal website and search for reference: 24/00815/FUL.

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