‘Straven’ – a detached two-storey house on Plat Douet Road in St. Clement – is described as “tired and very dated” in a report by RGA Consulting Engineers submitted as part of a planning application.
Outlining the key issues, the engineers wrote: “Timber floors at ground level in some areas felt like they were sagging. Due to the age of the property, there is potential for rotten joists and the effectiveness of the ventilation to the floors is unknown. It is also assumed that the ground floor is uninsulated.
“There are various areas of damp throughout the property, with evidence of black mould growth. The walls appear to be solid masonry and uninsulated and so the damp is likely caused by a combination of mould penetration through the walls and condensation.
“There are some concerning structural details in the roof space suggesting a lack of proper support to loadbearing elements of the building. What was visible was a roof purlin did not appear to be properly supported on a brick wall, and the north chimney breast over the 1st floor hallway did not appear to be supported with a lintel.”
Were the property to be retained, the report stated that it would need extensive works to both its structure and drainage system.
Plans include demolishing the property and garage and replacing it with semi-detached three-bedroom houses and adding vehicle access onto Green Road.
The application, which was submitted by CW Developments with Axis Mason acting as agent, has been graded as ‘Major’. It will be decided at a later date.
Pictured top: Extracts of the engineers’ report.