W S Architecture

The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) affects many aspects of life in the Park. However it is as the Planning Authority for the National Park that most people come into contact with it. You've done all the hard work - got your permission (been 'granted consent' in the jargon) - now what? In recent years the 'fine print' or 'Conditions' listed on the Notice have become more important. If you do not understand what they mean ask the Planning Authority or your Architect for an explanation in plain English.

Slate flagged floors come in many varieties and have been around so long that you can find them in unimproved cottages covered by asphalt or some other damp resisting treatment, or even a thin layer of concrete if you are unlucky. In this area a blue/black stone has been commonly used for floors (and window sills and steps) for hundreds of years. Often referred to as 'Brathay Blue' after the quarry outside Ambleside (near the Drunken Duck Inn) but I am not sure if all of it actually originated there.

This is no scholarly research (see below for that) but just my observations from many years of working on barn conversions. The barns of the central Lake District may appear all quite similar but in fact are seldom so. Stone for construction is heavy and difficult to transport and so will normally come from the nearest quarry, sometimes mixed with field 'cobbles' - rounded stones from a beck (stream) or cleared from the land. The higher the proportion of cobbles the greater the likelihood of instability over the centuries as rain washes out any earth packing within the wall, until the weight of the slate roof is all that provides sufficient friction to stop the whole wall tumbling down (something to bear in mind when propping a barn roof).

In domestic work your 'builder' may well be from another trade - a Joiner is quite normal - or not a tradesperson at all - just someone who has set up a building firm. Unfortunately there is no requirement to have a qualification (but it seems to me under the CDM 2015 Health & Safety Regulations which now apply to all construction work in the UK, anyone calling themselves by a trade name such as 'builder', is certifying that they are competent to fulfil that role - but we will see how that turns out).

The National Park is increasingly one large village. A strong rural character is still present in the long-term residents. If you buy a property in the area you have to accept that most local people will know a lot about you if not within days then certainly within the first few weeks. It is a good thing in many ways as even the most famous residents don't get bothered which is possibly part of the reason they come. There is a tradition of personal recommendation which still thrives. Whether you are looking for an Architect or a chimney sweep asking around will usually produce honest opinions.