Concern over 'unauthorised swimming pool' built in country house

On January 7, owners of a country house in South Wraxall, near Bradford on Avon, made an application for permission to build an outdoor swimming pool with kitchen/storage, and associated landscaping works years after the work was finished.

They want a retrospective granting of listed building consent and planning permission for the pool, outhouse, and associated works.

In a planning and heritage statement attached to the application, the agents acting on behalf of the property owners say construction of the new facilities was carried out between September 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021.

Five years on, the owners are now seeking the council’s approval of the works, which the statement states are “unauthorised”.

The application has raised concern among local councillors, with South Wraxall Parish Council weighing in on the heritage impact of the work done to the historic house.

South Wraxall Parish Council commented: “The South Wraxall Parish Council has concerns about the impact of the development on the listed building and the curtilage.”

Another commentor was more positive about the development, however, saying that the owners of the home have opened the pool up to the community.

Elspeth Pinckney wrote: “The swimming pool and surrounds are very sympathetic with the main house and garden, beautifully designed and safety is provided by stone walls and a gate.

“The residents of the village have been welcomed by the owner to use this facility which is a wonderful opportunity to encourage wellbeing and health. I support this retrospective application fully.”

Wiltshire Council is set to make a decision by March 4.

The works done also included the demolition of small portion of the main perimeter wall of the walled garden, the removal of walls within the side garden, and new walls along the edge of the side garden.

A “modest” outbuilding was also built to “enhance” the use of the swimming pool – the outbuilding serves as an outdoor kitchen/barbeque area.

The statement also states: “The work has been carried out to a very high standard, in line with the quality and setting of the Grade II listed property.

“This application seeks to regularise the unauthorised works, ensuring that the permission is granted retrospectively.”

In a section of the statement under the heading Heritage Significance, the agents write that the house is designated at Grade II for the home’s special architectural and historic interest as a late-eighteenth century country house.

It goes on to say that while the walled garden also forms part of the historic functioning of the house, the side garden – which is where the swimming pool is located – is of “lower heritage significance”.

The application adds: “Its contribution to the overall significance of the listed building is therefore limited and subordinate.”

In another section under the heading “assessment of impact on significance”, the statement goes on to say that the pool and its associated outbuilding do not involve alteration to the listed building. Considering also that the pool cannot be seen, it states that the historic interest of the site is preserved.

The section also broaches the subject of the reversibility of the works already completed. The agents write that the pool can be removed from the garden in a way that would not harm the listen building. However, it does say that sections of historic walling have been lost already, although the loss is “confined to fabric of low heritage significance.”

Regarding the impact on significance, the agents conclude: “the development results in no harm to the significance of South Wraxall House and no harm to its setting…and at worst constitutes a very low level of less than substantial harm.”

Concluding the statement in its entirety, the agents state that construction of the pool is a proportionate and discreet change that sustains residential use and long-term stewardship of the listed building.