The Haymills estate dates mainly from the mid to late 1930s and was laid out for the Haymills Company by their architects Welch, Cachemaille-day and Lander on the site of the former Hanger Hill Golf Club. The development is notable for the mix of architectural styles, as well as for the overall quality of house design and landscaping.
The Hanger Hill (Haymills) Estate Conservation area was designated on 18 June 1996 and an article 4 direction requiring planning permission for most development affecting street frontages of properties introduced shortly afterwards. The Design Guide published by the Council in 1997 will be available for download shortly. The guide identifies the principal design features of houses on the estate and is intended to assist householders in ensuring that any alterations to their properties are carried out in as sympathetic a manner as possible. If you are contemplating making any changes to your house we recommend that you look at the Design Guide first and ensure that your architect is familiar with its details before submitting any planning application to the Council.
A review of the conservation area was started in autumn 2007 and is expected to result in the publication of a draft area appraisal and management plan early in 2008. All residents will be given an opportunity to comment on these in draft before they are adopted by the Council later in the year. Conservation area appraisals are generally historical documents setting out the origins of the areas concerned and how they have been affected by development over the years. The management plans tend to be more forward-looking and make proposals for possible changes in the extent of the conservation area or the nature of the controls.
To complement the information in the Design Guide we intend to provide information on specific elements of house design and, in particular, to provide details of contractors who are familiar with the estate and have undertaken work on it to a high standard. If you would like to recommend a contractor or tradesman to us for inclusion on the website please mail details to hhera.com.
See links on right for information currently available.
WINDOWSThe Design Guide (paragraph 12) states that planning permission is needed for the replacement windows on the street frontage of a house. It goes on to state that windows are an important element of the character of house, and the wrong type of replacement windows can alter the character drastically. For this reason it is preferable, and often cost-effective, to repair and retain the existing windows (especially where these are original). Metal windows are a recognisable architectural feature of the pre-war modern style of house. The replacement of these windows (especially the curved metal windows of the 'Moderne' style houses) is a serious loss to the character of the individual houses and to the overall interest of the whole estate.
Unless they have been well maintained in the past, the original steel windows can suffer from rust and over painting. However, it is possible to obtain modern metal windows which are rust and draught proofed (and even double glazed) which can be used as direct replacements for pre-war ungalvanised steel windows. There are also specialist contractors who can repair and upgrade original metal windows (often in situ) to avoid the need for their replacement. Likewise, replacement timber windows which replicate the appearance of the original windows can be made to current standards, incorporating sealed double glazed units where required.
If it should be necessary to change the windows then the replacement frames, whatever the material, should be well designed and keep the same proportions as the originals. New windows should precisely replicate the original windows in terms of the size and pattern of glazing bars, including decorative features such as leaded lights.
REPLACEMENT
One of the crucial decisions to make when installing new windows is deciding whether to buy u-PVC or timber framed units. The production and disposal of u-PVC windows leads to the release of highly poisonous chemicals, which threaten the environment and human health. U-PVC production releases no less than six of the fifteen most hazardous chemicals listed by European governments for priority elimination. When u-PVC windows come to be disposed of, many of these chemicals are again released into the environment, either through chemical reactions caused when U-PVC is incinerated or through depositing old u-PVC frames in landfill sites. Developments in timber window design and finishing products mean that modern, high performance timber windows need minimal maintenance and potentially have a significantly longer life than u-PVC. U-PVC windows degrade, they are not maintenance-free and they cannot be repaired when necessary. The National Building Federation’s ‘Standards and Quality in Development’ gives u-PVC window frames a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years, and vacuum-treated softwood frames 25 to 35 years. According to the Green Building Digest, ‘well designed and well maintained timber windows can and do last the lifetime of the building in which they are installed.’ Price comparisons are extremely difficult to make because of the enormous variations in quality of both timber and u-PVC frames. Discounts and incentives complicate the picture further. However the widely held assumption that u-PVC provides the cheapest option is often wrong, both in terms of initial capital costs and total costs over the lifetime of the window. U-PVC cannot match the detailing of traditional windows. In contrast, timber has a variable and natural beauty and enormous flexibility for design options. Timber is a sustainable resource. As long as the timber is sourced from properly managed forests and care is taken in the choice of preservatives, paints and stains, timber windows are by far the best environmental choice. In addition, Ealing Council is normally very reluctant to permit replacement of original windows with u-PVC.
PLANNING PERMISSION
Unless like-for-like replacement is envisaged, planning permission is required for all window replacements in house elevations facing a road. This is not always appreciated by window contractors who can mislead householders into replacing windows without planning permission which can lead to expensive and time-consuming enforcement action by the Council with possible reinstatement being sought. If in doubt, seek advice from the Council’s planning department on 020 8825 6600 before having any work undertaken and don’t accept the assurances of window companies who, sadly, are often ignorant of the planning regulations.
SUPPLIERS
The following are suppliers of modern window replacements. Residents have used them on the estate in the past but we are not able to personally vouch for their services:
Steel windows
Steel Window Association for a list of its members including
www.steel-window-association.co.uk
Crittall Windows
www.crittall-windows.co.uk
Clement Windows
Aluminium windows
JSB Windows
Wooden windows
Ealing Wooden Window Co, 56 Northfield Rd, W13 9SY Tel: 020 8566 0606
The Original Box Sash Window Company (also repairs)
SPECIALIST REPAIR COMPANIES
Wooden windows
Michael Morrisroe, 56 Ealing Park Gardens, W5 4EU Tel: 020 8847 1368
Wooden Window Company, 317b Acton Lane, W3 Tel: 020 8992 6376
Metal windows
Steel Windows Service
http://www.steelwindows.co.uk/
Metali Window Service Limited
1 The Broadway, Northolt Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 0DL Tel: 020 8422 6444