Please don’t go Bacon my heart

Burnham: Historic building is facing an uncertain future

A 200-year-old building is in the middle of a planning controversy in Burnham.

Plans for ‘Old Bacon House’ have raised objections from Burnham Parish Council, local business people and residents who feel that the unlisted building should be left untouched.

Plans have been submitted to demolish the existing structure on Church Street, comprising two semi-detached houses, and build two new homes.

Previous attempts to fully refurbish the homes in 2022 were halted due to the building’s structure proving to be unsound.

Following advice from structural surveyors, applicant Mandeep Takar applied to Buckinghamshire Council for the early 19th century properties to undergo a complete demolition and rebuild.

Although not officially classed as a listed building, locals believe it should be protected from development as it sits within Burnham’s Conversation Area and within the Archaeological Notification Area (within what is known as the historic town core of

Burnham).

There is also a call for the building to be listed as curtilage, which means that due to other buildings in close proximity (Burnham St Peter’s Church and 47 High Street) being listed as Grade II buildings, Old Bacon House could also be protected.

One objector said the building had ‘stood proudly’ for over 200 years to ‘remind us all of the past’ and another said any replacement must be ‘in keeping with the village character’.

Business owners like Tracy Leigh, whose offices are next door, object to the inconvenience potential building works may cause and to the look and feel of any potential new dwellings.

She said: “My building is a listed building and dates back to circa 1200. The Old Bacon House is situated right next door to us and St Peter’s Church which again dates back to c1200.

“To build two new brand new dwellings between two buildings of historical importance is completely out of keeping with the village.”

Burnham Parish Council has objected to the application, deeming it as ‘overdevelopment’.

Plans state that the new homes will be ‘of a near identical design and appearance’ to the current building, using the same footprint and traditional building methods.

IQ Planning Consultants wrote in its report that rebuilding two new homes would enhance the area and not ‘harm the setting’ of any nearby listed buildings within the conservation area.

They added: ‘Given the poor condition and appearance of the existing building, it is considered that the new dwellings would improve and enhance the views in the Conservation Area here.

“Furthermore, the proposal would enable the site to be brought back into use, since the existing building has remained vacant for sometime due to its poor condition and the work previously commenced on site, and would also enable the erection of dwellings of a highly sustainable construction and fabric, as compared to the existing dwellings which are now of a considerable age.”

Plans can be viewed at the Buckinghamshire Council planning portal using reference: PL/22/4091/FA.