I have just found out that the planned extractor fan we were hoping to install to the outside wall has been banjaxed.....Apparently, as it is in an apartment block in a conservation area, we are not allowed to vent outside. Any suggestions or alternatives?
So, you have no fast food take away's or restaurants located within the same conservation area as your apartment ?
Who told you that you cannot vent externally? Have you spoke to building control about the situation? That would be my next port of call. Sounds like a game of top trumps between conservation and building regs...!
Total BS! Want to look at the The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. If building is listed then you would most likely need planning permission to fit fan & on the grounds it could affect the appearance of the Conservation Area. But, if house not listed, then I can't see a fan having any effect on the Conservation Area, but a lot of councils expect you to contact them about any work you intend to do & to apply for planning permission.
I am not so sure about this either. I live in a conservation area myself and I have never heard of restrictions on this. Just ring up you local authority and ask to speak to whoever deals with conservation area issues. Perhaps if its a frontage of important significance then there may be a concern or if the wall you want to come out onto abuts a pathway or pavement.
There are no food outlets in the vicinity. I think the biggest issue is conservation and keeping the building as original as possible. I spoke to the conservation lady and she is reluctant to allow any external venting apart from a vent for a boiler and even that has to be vented to the rear of the property. I have also hit another stumbling block, The management company has raised objections to the kitchen vent also...Bloody odd balls
Any other houses in the vicinity got fan extractors,cooker hood, boiler flues, then that set the precedent in my book. In my patch there are 10 locally designated Conservation areas in Bath & North East Somerset, & I bet you not one house applied for permission for boiler flues,extractors,etc.
Agree. If ANYONE in the entire conservation area has a kitchen extractor fan outlet on their house then they can't prevent you from having one on yours ... Otherwise you can rightfully accuse them of unfairness and discrimination. My neighbour used that argument against our local authority and won!
Management Company ? That would suggest either you are renting or the flat is leasehold. Either way, the management company will have guidelines as to what you are and are not allowed to do with the structure of the building. Putting a vent through the wall absolutely would come within that remit.
It is a share of free hold property....and every structural/visual change has to be put before the management company...... Each apartment had a vote accept the one who has brought the amendment......as for guidelines they are as grey as they come.....basically everything is voted on at monthly meetings.....but as mentioned earlier building control/ conservation officer is reluctant to the vent due to the history of the building
Ok.....................i think this is one of those scenarios where pics....................and loads of them is needed. Pic of the building, pic of where you want to vent.........................a pic of the surrounding conservation area would be useful as well...............................as many as possible. So you are saying that the majority of the other peeps in your flats voted against the vent you want to put in ? Is that correct ? Have any of them got a vent in their own kitchens ? Forget about building control at the moment.........................that's easy to get over. The main thing is your management company.
I guys have it all sorted now.....I have found an old soil pipe in the ceiling, that is disconnected and unused, so I am going to vent through this and vent to the old disused soil stack....RESULT
In the ceiling ? Obviously belongs to the flat above yours then ? How do you know 100% it's disconnected and what would stop the next owner of the flat above you from re-connecting it at some point ? Is the "old disused soil stack" still connected to the sewer and is it vented to the open air at the top of the stack ? Plastic or cast Iron ?