Goring circular home plans 290825

PLANS have been submitted to demolish a contemporary circular house in Goring.

The Jordleys in Manor Road was built in the Sixties and is an elliptical-shape, formed by two curves meeting in points at either end.

It was designed by architects John Bicknell and Paul Hamilton for Sir Edward and Lady Hale in 1964.

The pair are known for their work with British railways, including Harlow Station, 1964 Birmingham New Street Signal Box, and the Paddington Maintenance Depot, all of which are Grade II listed.

Jordleys is set in three acres and comprises a four-bedroom house with a self-contained one-bedroom annexe, a tennis court and a period greenhouse with a potting shed.

Mr and Mrs Roughneen have submitted plans to South Oxfordshire District Council to replace the building with a six-bedroom house and detached triple garage.

They already have permission to extend and remodel the existing building, including the addition of an extra storey, rear extensions and linking of the existing annexe.

DP Architects, agent for the couple, say the building’s irregular shape results in a small, secular space which doesn’t function well as a cohesive family home.

Its design and access statement said: “Our clients have owned Jordleys for a number of years and while the existing dwelling is unique in its design, the irregular form, resulting in small secular spaces, does not function well as a cohesive family home and its Sixties masonry construction is uninsulated, offering limited thermal performance.

“Despite also benefiting from a number of outbuildings on the site, they offer a schedule of accommodation not required at that scale and most notably the greenhouse divides the spacious site.

“Therefore, the brief is to redevelop the site by creating a proposal which takes advantage of the spacious site, impressive river views and provides a coherent home suitable for modern family life that is designed to meet and, where possible, exceed current standards for thermal performance through a fabric first approach.

“Arranged over three floors, the new dwelling should offer open-plan family living on the ground floor facing towards the river.”

It said that the existing tennis court is to be removed and laid to lawn and the existing pool house will be repositioned on the site.

The site’s screening would remain as it is, with trees and hedging along the north-west, north-east and south-east boundaries.

But Goring Parish Council has objected saying that the value of the historic and architectural interest of the existing building needs to be established by Historic England.

The body had issued a Certificate of Immunity on February 27, 2020, which expired on February 26, 2025. The certificate confirmed that the building would not become listed during that time period.

The Twentieth Century Society, a charity that campaigns for the preservation of architectural heritage from 1914 onwards, urges the district council to reject the application.

It said: “We regard Jordleys as a non-designated heritage asset, based on its architectural quality.

“If the local planning authority concur with this designation, the effect of the proposed application on the significance of Jordleys ought to be taken into account.

“Given the potential complete loss of significance to this heritage asset that would result from its demolition, we urge the local planning authority to reject this application.

“Jordleys is a unique private dwelling that ought to be retained for the future as a non-designated heritage asset. The society would not object to the considerate and careful retrofit or extension of the building, provided its special interest — most notably its plan form — is not overly diluted.”

Enid Worsley, of Millers Close, wrote to the council to say Jordleys should be protected.

She said: “Bicknell and Hamilton’s work was characterised by dramatic buildings of exceptional architectural quality, with strongly sculptural form.

“I now suggest that Jordleys is of national architectural importance and worthy of protection, so I wish to ask the district council to initiate a Building Preservation Notice for the building as it is at risk of imminent demolition.

“This would protect the building for six months and allow Historic England to assess the building and submit a report for the Secretary of State to consider whether to list the building formally.”

Michael Moore, who lives in Manor Road, disagreed. He said: “The proposed building will be a welcomed enhancement to this area of Goring.

“A great deal of thought and skill has been put into the design of the house, the positioning of the ancillary buildings and the layout of the outside amenities.

“I have faith that a sound and fully managed traffic programme will help alleviate some of the disruption. They have my full support for this proposed planning application.”

The district council will make a final decision by September 11.