Following our earlier project update, Planning Permission for Roof Material Changes in Conservation Areas – Basingstoke Conservation Area, we are pleased to confirm that planning permission has now been granted for the replacement of the existing asbestos-cement roof covering in Worting Road, Basingstoke.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council approved the householder planning application on 15 July 2026 under application reference 26/01040/HSE. The approval allows the deteriorated diamond-pattern asbestos-cement tiles to be replaced with Jutland fibre-cement slates measuring 600 × 300 mm, together with complementary red/orange ridge tiles.
When we first introduced this project, we explained how an apparently straightforward change of roof covering had developed into a formal planning application. The project demonstrates that changes to external materials can require careful planning consideration, particularly where a property is visible from the public realm and situated close to a designated conservation area.
Developing the application
The original proposal arose from the declining condition of the existing roof. The property is covered with distinctive diamond-pattern asbestos-cement tiles that have experienced extensive weathering, surface staining and biological growth. Laboratory analysis also confirmed that the tiles contain chrysotile asbestos.
Retaining the deteriorating covering indefinitely was therefore not considered to be a suitable long-term solution. However, replacing it required more than simply choosing a modern roofing product. The new covering needed to be technically suitable for the existing roof while also providing an appropriate visual relationship with the building, neighbouring properties and the surrounding streetscape.
The approved replacement is a Jutland fibre-cement slate measuring 600 × 300 mm. The product was selected to provide the regular proportions, texture and shadow lines associated with traditional slate roofing while offering the consistency and durability of a modern manufactured roof covering.
Red/orange ridge tiles will be used to complement the established material palette of the surrounding area. A dry gully will also be formed at the junction between the new roof covering and the different material on the adjoining property, allowing the two roof finishes to meet in a controlled and properly detailed manner.
Additional heritage assessment
As the application progressed, the Local Planning Authority requested further information about the potential effect of the work on the nearby Brookvale West Conservation Area.
A detailed review confirmed that our site is outside, but close to, the designated conservation area. The relevant heritage consideration was therefore the effect of the proposed roof covering on the conservation area’s setting, rather than a direct alteration to a building located within its boundary.
In response, Celona Consulting prepared a comprehensive Heritage Statement examining the historic development of Worting Road, the architectural character of the property, the significance of the Brookvale West Conservation Area and the contribution made by the application property to its wider setting.
The assessment identified that the property contributes to the established character of Worting Road through its traditional two-storey scale, red-brick elevations, hipped roof, chimney stacks, consistent building line and relationship with the adjoining houses.
Importantly, none of these defining architectural characteristics will be altered by the approved work. The roof pitch, ridge height, eaves level, footprint and underlying structural arrangement will remain unchanged. The chimney stacks will be retained, and no dormers, rooflights, extensions or other additions are proposed.
The heritage assessment therefore distinguished between the importance of the overall roof form and the significance of the existing roofing material. While the hipped roof and chimney stacks contribute positively to the appearance of the building, the weathered twentieth-century asbestos-cement tiles were not identified as a historic material whose retention was essential to the significance of the nearby conservation area.
The assessment concluded that the replacement covering would preserve the established form and proportions of the property, maintain its contribution to the streetscape and avoid harm to the significance or setting of the Brookvale West Conservation Area.
Securing planning approval
The successful application was supported by a coordinated package of planning and architectural information prepared by Celona Consulting. This included existing and proposed plans and elevations, drone survey photographs, roofing product information, a Design and Access Statement and the subsequently requested Heritage Statement.
Together, these documents demonstrated that the proposed material was a considered response to the condition of the roof and its local context. They also showed that the work would not alter the scale, profile or architectural composition of the building.
Planning permission has consequently been granted subject to four conditions. The work must be carried out in accordance with the approved drawings and supporting documents, and the external materials must match the type, colour and texture specified within the approved application.
The permission must also be implemented within three years of the decision date.
Asbestos-removal condition
The approval includes an important pre-commencement condition concerning the existing asbestos-containing roof tiles.
Before removal of the tiles begins, a verification report must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The report must show that the identified asbestos will be removed from the site and disposed of by a licensed asbestos contractor in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
This means the condition must be formally discharged before tile-removal work starts. The appointment of the asbestos contractor, proposed method of removal, waste arrangements and supporting documentation will therefore need to be coordinated with the construction programme.
This condition is an important reminder that receiving planning permission does not necessarily mean work can begin immediately. Pre-commencement conditions must be identified, addressed and formally approved before the relevant stage of development takes place.
A successful outcome for the property
The planning approval represents a positive outcome for the property and its owners. It will allow an ageing asbestos-containing roof covering to be replaced with a durable and visually appropriate alternative while retaining the established form and character of the house.
The project also demonstrates the value of responding constructively when additional planning or heritage information is requested. What began as a relatively modest roof replacement required architectural drawings, material research, drone-survey evidence, planning justification and a detailed assessment of the nearby conservation area.
By bringing this information together into a coordinated submission, we were able to demonstrate that the proposed work would improve the long-term condition of the property without harming the character of Worting Road or the setting of the Brookvale West Conservation Area.
At Celona Consulting Ltd, we assist homeowners and property owners with householder planning applications, conservation-area proposals, heritage assessments, architectural drawings, roof-replacement packages, planning condition discharge applications and technically sensitive renovation projects.
We work across Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and the wider South of England, providing practical architectural solutions that balance planning policy, heritage considerations, technical performance and construction viability.
If you are considering roof alterations, external material changes or residential building work near a conservation area, you can learn more about our services at www.celona-consulting.co.uk.