Owner of historic Peter Hall fined for breaching listed building planning rules

Rugby Borough Council's planning enforcement team discovered modern capping tiles fitted to the historic building's roof, wooden window frames replaced with uPVC - and a 14th century wooden door which had a hole cut into it so a garden tap could be installed.

The work was carried out after the council's planning team received an application on behalf of Peter Hall's owner - Pharvinder Singh - in 2021 to carry out investigative and repair work to a wall which, according to a structural report submitted with the application, was at risk of imminent collapse. 

Permission - known as listed building consent - for the investigative work was given but a number of conditions were imposed, including a requirement no repair work was to be carried out following the investigatory work without written approval from the council.

But after no further contact from Mr Singh's representative, officers visited the site in January 2024 and spotted a number of the building's wooden window frames had been replaced with uPVC frames in a different design.

The officers then arranged to meet Mr Singh on site the following month to discuss the work which had been carried out - and found no evidence of investigative or repair work on the wall which prompted the application for listed building consent.

Interviewed under caution in May 2024, Mr Singh admitted knowing Peter Hall was a listed building and the work had been done without listed building consent.

Mr Singh told officers a family friend who claimed to have experience of Grade II listed building works had submitted the application for listed building consent and was managing the repair and restoration project on his behalf.

Mr Singh added the wooden windows had been leaking and required urgent repair but accepted he was aware the work required consent from the council's planning team. 

At Coventry Magistrates Court on Wednesday 18 June, Mr Singh pleaded guilty to carrying out works on a listed building without consent - an offence under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

In mitigation, magistrates were told Mr Singh and his wife had bought Peter Hall in 2018 and the building was in a poor state of repair.

Magistrates heard the couple, who live in Birmingham with their four children, had experienced family health issues and, after Mr Singh lost his job of 14 years, had struggled financially.

Reiterating Mr Singh had left the project in the hands of a family friend, magistrates were told the couple wanted Peter Hall to be the family home.

Taking into account his early guilty plea, Mr Singh's fine was reduced by a third to £1,057 by magistrates, who also ordered him to pay the council's full costs - £5,856.30 - and a £425 victim surcharge.

Peter Hall was built on the site of the former medieval Church of St Peter in the 16th century, incorporating the remains of the church, with further extensions to the brick farmhouse building taking place in the late 18th century.

Historians believe the Church of St Peter was acquired by monks who founded the monastery at Coombe Abbey in the 12th century.

Peter Hall was designated a Grade II listed building in 1960.

Speaking after the hearing, Cllr Louise Robinson, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for growth and investment, digital and communications, said: "Listed building consent aims to safeguard buildings of historical or architectural importance by placing strict conditions on any renovation or repair work which might impact a building's character.

"In this case, the owner of the property allowed a number of repairs to be carried out despite the conditions of the listed building consent clearly stating the consent only applied to the investigatory work and permission was required from the council before starting any repairs or renovations.

"The council's planning team always works to support applicants through the listed building consent process, offering advice on how to comply with the legislation," Cllr Robinson added.

"However, we have a duty to protect the borough's historic buildings and have no hesitation in prosecuting individuals who allow work to be carried out on listed buildings without permission."

Cllr Isabelle McKenzie, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat group spokesperson for growth and investment, digital and communications, said: "Listed building consent isn't there to make life difficult for homeowners, but to ensure our historic buildings are cared for appropriately."