Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 28 July 2025 by C Coles MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 12 AUGUST 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/Q1445/W/25/3365228 139-142 North Street, Brighton, Brighton and Hove BN1 1RU • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Barclays Bank Plc against the decision of Brighton and Hove City Council. • The application Ref is BH2024/02928. • The development is alterations to existing shopfront including installation of automatic sliding doors. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for alterations to existing shopfront including installation of automatic sliding doors at 139-142 North Street, Brighton, Brighton and Hove BN1 1RU in accordance with the terms of the application Ref BH2024/02928 and the plans submitted with it (drawing Nos RH01/PLN/SF/163 Rev A, RH01/PLN/SF/160, RH01/EL/SF/115 Rev A). Preliminary Matters 2. At the time of my site visit the doors had already been installed. However, retrospective as referred to in the decision notice does not constitute an act of development.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision I have dealt with the appeal on the basis that planning permission is sought for alterations to the existing shopfront, including installation of automatic sliding doors and I have amended the description of development accordingly. Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the development on the non-designated heritage asset (NDHA) and the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 4. The appeal site is a four-storey detached building which is located within the heart of Brighton City Centre on the north side of North Street and is a commercial premise occupied by Barclays Bank. 5. The building has been designated as a NDHA by virtue of being added to the Local List in 2015 and is recognised for its impressive scale and monolithic architecture. The exterior of the building remains largely intact and the building’s architectural interest lies in its overall composition, the quality of materials and execution and its townscape presence. 6. The frontage of the building forms part of a stone block of four storeys, finished with a clay tiled hipped roof.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision The fenestration is orderly Georgian style sashes with the frontage given emphasis through grouped hierarchical order featuring arch https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision The fenestration is orderly Georgian style sashes with the frontage given emphasis through grouped hierarchical order featuring arch https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/Q1445/W/25/3365228 headed windows to the second floor and in-antis recessed windows at the third floor. 7. The main door forms only part of an architectural entrance feature and is within a shallow framed recess bay framed by paired ionic pilasters and fascia. The doorway is flanked by recessed niche panels featuring wall mounted lam standards under a dentilled soffit. 8. The original main doors were a set of bronze double doors designed to fold flat against the inside of the façade wall when open. These original doors are displayed in the entrance vestibule. I have not been provided with specific planning history for the main doors however the transition to frameless doors does not appear to have been the subject of a planning application. The frameless doors were replaced with framed doors in 2024 which are the subject of this appeal. 9. Paragraph 216 of The National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) requires the effect of an application on the significance of a NDHA to be taken into account in determining the application.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision In weighing applications that directly or indirectly affect a NDHA a balanced judgement will be required having regard to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance of the heritage asset. 10. The main materials for the doors are the same as the previous doors, consisting largely of glazing, therefore the use of glazing is considered appropriate. The frameless glazed doors also appear to have been present when the building was locally listed demonstrating that the merits of making the building a NDHA were not diminished by the existence of the non-original glazed doors. The frameless glazed doors were considered by the Council to be neutral in their contribution to the buildings overall interest. 11. The aluminium frame is thicker than the previous frameless solution, however, neither the framed or the frameless doors reflect the original doors on the building. In my opinion, the doors still provide a neutral and minimal impact on the building’s overall appearance due to the recessed positioning of the doors on the building frontage and the overall impact of the doors when viewed in the context of the building as a whole.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision The alterations to the doors does not detract from the features of significance of the NDHA which lie in its impressive scale, monolithic features and overall composition which give its townscape presence. The degree of variation from the frameless doors including door proportions is also insufficient to significantly detract from the historic and architectural features of the building. 12. My attention has been drawn to the single framed door on the western elevation of the building approved as part of planning permission BH2008/01317. It is noted the door is on a different elevation to the main doors and was approved prior to the building’s local listing, however, the development is still consistent with materials and a design of door found on the building that did not affect the buildings designation as a NDHA. 13. I note there are examples of both aluminium framed and frameless shopfronts on neighbouring buildings. Both styles feature in prominent locations on the front of buildings and form the setting within which the NDHA is appreciated. 14. The appeal site lies outside the Old Town and the North Laine Conservation Areas (CA).

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision S72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (Act) applies to buildings within a Conservation Area therefore s72 of the Act does https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision S72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (Act) applies to buildings within a Conservation Area therefore s72 of the Act does https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/Q1445/W/25/3365228 not apply in this instance. The development is also not of a sufficient scale or prominence within the street scene due to its recessed setting within the building frontage to harm the setting of the CA as a whole or the small part of it from which the doors are visible in accordance with Policy DM29 of the LP P2. 15. The Shop Front Design Supplementary Planning Document 2005 (SPD) advises that where an existing shopfront requires additional security, this should be limited to the minimum measures necessary; should as far as possible be integral to the shopfront and should be chosen on the basis of aesthetics, the need to retain a visible display, long term durability and ease of maintenance. In my opinion, the development conforms with the guiding principles in the SPD and other security measures such as shutters and grilles would have a more significant impact on the visual amenity of the area than the development due to their deadening effect when the building is closed and are visually more intrusive. 16. In conclusion, for the reasons outlined above, the development is considered to have no significant effect on the NDHA or the character and appearance of the area.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — Appeal Decision The development complies with Policies CP12 and CP15 of the Brighton and Hove City Plan Part One (CP P1) and Policies DM18, DM21, DM23, DM28 and DM29 of the Brighton and Hove City Plan Part Two (CP P2). These policies seek to ensure development demonstrates a high-quality design, respects the special interest and character of locally listed buildings and the setting of heritage assets. Other Matters 17. The replacement doors were required for security purposes following criminal damage in the summer of 2024 and were designed to provide greater robustness to the entrance of the building and to reduce the disruption to staff and members of the public were the building to be the subject of further criminal damage. No alternative options have been provided, however, I do not consider alternatives to be necessary as the development is acceptable in design and appearance. Conditions 18. The Council has not suggested any conditions and I agree none are required. Conclusion 19. For the reasons given above the appeal should be allowed.

Barclays Bank Plc, 139-142 North Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1RU — Brighton and Hove City Council — C Coles INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3