Richmond Council has this week refused permission to replace the shopfront of a barber shop in Hampton.

The application was for Sweeny Tod, located in Hampton's Station Road.

The application site comprises a twentieth century, mid-terrace property of two-storeys with an attic.

There is a commercial unit to the ground floor with accommodation above, forming part of a characterful parade on the main thoroughfare of Station Road.

It is in a transitional zone between the Station Road and Hampton Village Character Areas and by virtue of its scale, form and traditional detail, makes a positive contribution to the character, appearance and significance of the Conservation Area.

The site is located within the Hampton Village Conservation Area (CA12). It forms part of the village core, which includes the major part of early development of Hampton.

Following the refusal of a previous application to replace the shopfront, the applicant, Mr Aman Souni, amended his proposals for this application. As such, he removed the roller shutter and reinstated the stallriser and a door which matches the door previously removed. 

The application noted that an outer frame for glazing and doors would be retained.

However, it was unclear whether the whole frame was proposed to be timber, as it previously existed, or if a mix of aluminium frame and timber was proposed. 

Drawing of existing and proposed ground plans (Credit: Mr Aman Souni via Richmond Council Planning Applications)

The application did not propose to reinstate the central 'in go' entrance and the upper section did not include a top light register of casements; as previously existing.

In an application document, the Case Officer said: "The choice to omit these elements from the shopfront  considered to result in an unproportionate, incongruous design.

"The other shops sited within the row display a more traditional form and therefore the proposed shopfront design would not respond to this context. The Hampton Village Planning Guidance seeks to retain shopfronts of interest to maintain local character.

"The guidance also identifies that a 'threat' to Character Area 4 is deemed the loss of original or quality shopfronts and insensitive alterations. Additionally, the Council's Shopfronts SPD seeks to preserve well designed and proportioned shopfronts, including stallrisers, entrances, fascias, pilasters and other architectural features and new shopfronts should respect the character, age, scale, form and materials of the host. 

"It also seeks to 'avoid the removal of shopfronts of architectural or historic interest and; the use of aluminium or plastic'. The current proposal is considered to be contrary to this guidance." 

Speaking about why this application has been refused, the Case Officer said: "The proposal, due to its incongruous and wholly inappropriate design and materiality, would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the host property and cause 'less than substantial harm' to the character and appearance of the Hampton Village Conservation Area (Designated Heritage Asset) and the Station Road street scene within Hampton Village (Character Area 4). 

"As such, the proposal fails to be in accordance with s.72 of the Town Planning (Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings) Act 1990 and para 215 of the NPPF. 

"The loss of the traditional shopfront and the form, proportions and detail of the new shopfront, would be contrary to policies LP1, and LP3 of the adopted Local Plan (2018), policies 28 and 29 of the Local Plan Publication (Reg 19) and Shopfronts SPD, the Conservation Area Appraisal and Village Planning Guidance."