RICS Level 3 Building Survey in Sutton Cheney

Sutton Cheney brings a very particular set of issues for anyone thinking of buying there. The whole village sits inside a Conservation Area, so any home you buy will come with planning restrictions and conservation duties attached. It also has a strong cluster of listed buildings, among them St James' Church, which dates back to the 13th century, the six sandstone Alms Houses built in 1612, The Hall, a Jacobean mansion dated 1601, and other notable historic properties such as Townsend Farmhouse, Hercules Inn, Church View, Mount Pleasant, and Hall Farmhouse. With so much historic fabric around, many homes here need more than a standard survey and benefit from specialist eyes.

A lot of the housing in Sutton Cheney was put up using traditional methods rather than modern ones. You see mellow reddish brick laid in Flemish Garden Wall bonded brickwork, plain clay tiles, Welsh slates, and timber windows and doors. Those materials call for specialist knowledge because damp penetration, brickwork decay, and roof problems can show up very differently from the way they do in a newer house. Our inspectors work on period property regularly, so they recognise the defects that often come with these buildings, including the diaper work patterns and double brick string courses that are part of the village's architectural character.

The conservation area appraisal makes a point of saying that some post-war development has done little for the area's traditional look. Single-storey and two-storey houses with hipped roofs are described as discordant with the historic character. Some modern refurbishments have also brought in render, concrete roof tiles, plastic windows and doors, large roof lights, and flat-roofed dormers, all of which jar with the street scene. A Level 3 survey will look closely at those changes, how they affect the structure, and whether the right planning consents were in place.

We usually point buyers towards a Level 3 survey for homes over 70 years old, listed buildings, and properties built in unusual ways. Sutton Cheney has buildings from the 17th century and earlier, so a fair number of homes in the village will either need or clearly benefit from that level of inspection. It matters even more where a property has been heavily altered or extended, because that can bring structural complications that only a detailed survey will properly pick apart. Barn and farm building conversions across the village also need careful checking, to make sure the original fabric has been handled properly.

• Properties over 70 years old
• Listed buildings
• Properties with non-standard construction
• Homes with significant extensions
• Conservation Area properties
• Period cottages and farmhouses
• Converted barns and outbuildings

The architecture in Sutton Cheney gives a good picture of how English vernacular building has developed over several centuries. The village has a group of small cottages in mellow reddish brick, with distinctive details such as diaper work patterns and double brick string courses. They are attractive, but they need a particular kind of assessment because the materials and techniques age and weather in ways that modern construction does not. The conservation area appraisal stresses how important those details are, and says that losing them through unsuitable alteration takes away from the village's character.

The six sandstone Alms Houses, built in 1612, are a fine example of early 17th-century building in the village, while The Hall shows Jacobean style from 1601. Together with the many farmhouses and cottages from the 17th and 18th centuries, they often include timber frame elements, pegged joints, and lime-based mortars. Those call for different assessment criteria from modern brickwork with cement mortar. Our inspectors know these older methods well and can spot problems that might be missed without historic property experience, such as the difference between lime mortar repointing and cement mortar, which can trap moisture and lead to brickwork decay.

There are also several early 17th century buildings in the village, along with later historic farm buildings made with traditional methods. They often have timber frame elements, pegged joints, and lime-based mortars, so they need a different approach from modern brickwork with cement mortar. Our inspectors are familiar with those techniques and can pick up issues that are easy to miss if you do not work on historic buildings. We also check any converted agricultural buildings, since they may have Building Regulations approvals that are not the same as standard residential conversions and may carry specific conditions tied to their permitted development rights.

• Mellow reddish brick walls
• Plain clay roof tiles
• Welsh slate roofing
• Timber windows and doors
• Flemish Garden Wall brickwork
• Traditional lime-based mortars
• Diaper work patterns
• Double brick string courses

Buying in Sutton Cheney's Conservation Area brings extra points to think about before you complete the purchase. The Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has specific rules for properties within conservation areas, including the need for Conservation Area Consent for the total or substantial demolition of any building over 115 cubic metres. Planning permission is also required for external cladding of any building with stone, artificial stone, timber, plastic or tiles, and for roof alterations that enlarge it. Those rules apply to every building in the Conservation Area, not just listed ones, so even modest changes to a cottage may need formal approval.

That means future changes such as adding dormer windows, replacing windows, or extending the property may need permissions beyond standard planning consent. Our report will identify visible alterations that have been made and can comment on whether they appear to have the relevant consents. It is particularly important here because some modern renovations in the village have introduced features that sit badly with the traditional character, and the local planning authority may take a strict line on anything else that could change the look of the Conservation Area. The conservation area appraisal specifically says that certain modern features are harmful to character.

Several Sutton Cheney properties, including Hall Farmhouse, The Hall, and the Alms Houses, are listed, so they have extra requirements on top of standard Conservation Area consent. Listed Building Consent is needed for any work that affects the character or historic interest of the building, inside as well as out. Our surveyors know how to assess listed buildings and can point out alterations or additions that may have been made without the proper consents, which could leave the new owner with legal headaches. We can also advise on the kind of work that usually needs listed building consent and suggest speaking to the Hinckley and Bosworth conservation officer before making any changes to a listed property.

Anyone thinking of buying in Sutton Cheney needs to understand these planning constraints, because they shape not just what you can do with the property but also the maintenance duties and the likely cost of repairs later on. Our survey report flags any conservation-related issues we spot during the inspection and can advise whether it would be sensible to speak with the local planning authority. That is especially useful where previous alterations may have been made without the right consents, since that can limit future changes or lead to retrospective applications to regularise earlier works.