SAWBRIDGEWORTH’S historic Market House Hotel is set to be turned into housing.
Harlow-based Kevin Pitt wants to convert the 16th century Grade II listed property on the corner of Knight Street and Bell Street after his company, KP Property Developments Ltd, bought the building for £700,000 following its closure in 2010.
The scheme submitted to East Herts District Council is to transform the west wing into a three-bedroom house with a private garden and convert the rest of the building into one three-bedroom, two two-bedroom and two one-bedroom self-contained apartments.
The refurbishment of the former 10-bed hotel, bar and restaurant will include six new ground floor windows, the replacement of the external rear staircase, the relocation of the access gates and associated landscaping and off-street parking.
As part of his application, Mr Pitt said the landmark timber-framed building had fallen into “very poor condition” as a result of “years of neglect and lack of investment”.
All five chimney stacks as well as the roof are in urgent need of attention, while there is evidence of wet rot within parts of the frame, he adds. The external rendered walls also show lack of maintenance and “inappropriate past repairs”.
His supporting statement said the layout of the Market House allowed works relating to its sub-division to be kept to a minimum with “very little alteration to the main fabric of the building”.
It adds: “Most of the actual building works in this project will be related to matters of restoration and repair to the building itself.”
It was originally intended to retain the restaurant on the ground floor but it was later ruled out as it would be “impossible” to provide adequate insulation to meet the required noise regulations.
A decision by EHDC will be made at a later date.
