Tuesday August 1st 2023
Bid to permanently remove chimney stack on the left has been given go ahead a year after it was refused.
A restaurant owner has been told he will not have to rebuild a disused chimney stack on top of his Category B listed building amid concern it would damage the roof.
Midlothian planners initially refused to allow Antonio Crolla to remove the stack above his Cavalier Restaurant, on Dalkeith High Street, despite it being in poor condition.
And when its condition deteriorated to the point it had to be removed for health and safety reasons the council insisted it would have to be replaced with a new stack.
However officers have now granted listed building consent for the permanent removal of the stack after experts warned the Category B building could not longer support the chimneys.
In a report by planning officers they said: “The gable is not structurally sound to support the rebuilding of the chimney stack.
“The rebuilding could result in a significant impact upon the historic fabric of the listed building. Therefore, the complete removal of the chimney stack, protects the structural integrity of the gable and roof of the listed building.
“Therefore, in this instance, the complete removal of the chimney stack is justified on the basis of protecting the historic fabric and structural integrity of the roof, gable wall and building. saying it was in poor condition.”
Last year planners had insisted there was no evidence that the chimney stack was beyond repair telling Mr Crolla: “It has not been evidenced to the satisfaction of the planning authority that the repair of the chimney stack is not possible.
“However, should the chimney stack be unrepairable, this would still not justify the complete loss of the chimney stack. The chimney stack should be re-built so as to ensure that the character and appearance of the roof is retained.”
Following the submission of a masonry report and evidence from a structural engineers officers reversed the decision granting consent for the permanent removal of the stack.
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