HASTINGS BOROUGH COUNCIL and RISK
The risk assessment prepared by HBC that prompted the action to install metal fences without permission is worth inspection.
Carefully produced risk assessments are essential documents to protect the public and workers. Hastings Borough Council prepared a risk assessment dated 29/09/2018 that identified the hazards that could affect members of the public that visit the Roman Bath at Bohemia.
The template that HBC uses for their risk assessments adopts scores 1-5 for the Likelihood of an event occurring, with 1 being Very Unlikely and 5 being very likely.
Similarly, the scores 1-5 for the severity should an event occur is used with 1 being insignificant and 5 being classified as catastrophic (loss of life, large scale major illness)
A score between 17-25 derived from Likelihood x Severity = Risk, is deemed unacceptable and requires action.
1. Using this information it is possible to consider the likelihood and severity of an event affecting visitors to the Roman Bath that HBC describes as a "small open-access water body (formally the bath area)". This scored a likelihood of 4 which means Likelihood 1 in 10,000 and the Severity was given a score of 5 meaning "Catastrophic" (Loss of life- Large scale major illness). This, therefore, achieved a score of 4 x 5 = 20 for risk.
However looking at the Likelihood score that was given seems a bit high for a heritage structure that's been accessible to the public for the past 50 years, so the historic likelihood of a record of accidents or deaths might offer some help. Perhaps a score of Fairly Unlikely 1 in 100,000 might be more appropriate. Continuing with the grid over the water the score for severity was the maximum that could be given of 5 meaning catastrophic - loss of life.
I would regard falling from the Harbour Arm Hastings at high tide on a windy day as a 5 for severity and that really might be Catastrophic with a high chance of drowning or illness caused by sewage. Falling into an area of still water that is 74mm or 2ft 4in deep is very unlikely to be catastrophic, so a reappraisal of severity would be appropriate.
2. Turning to the other reason why HBC installed the galvanised metal fences "Rock Falls into the grotto - The likelihood and severity scores have been over-exaggerated and need to be reconsidered despite the fact that some sandstone has fallen into the back of the grotto, well away from any visitors.
If HBC is committed to achieving a town without any risk they will need to look closely at all the public open spaces they control when a falling branch onto a path is likely and the severity could be catastrophic. The large amounts of open water in the public parks in Hastings could cause loss of life but I have been unable to view any risk assessment for the water areas in Alexandra Park. An examination of all risk assessments for open spaces in the Borough might reveal that there are more places where fences are urgently required if the same method of classifying likelihood and severity are adopted across the town.
BH 08/2021
Carefully produced risk assessments are essential documents to protect the public and workers. Hastings Borough Council prepared a risk assessment dated 29/09/2018 that identified the hazards that could affect members of the public that visit the Roman Bath at Bohemia.
The template that HBC uses for their risk assessments adopts scores 1-5 for the Likelihood of an event occurring, with 1 being Very Unlikely and 5 being very likely.
Similarly, the scores 1-5 for the severity should an event occur is used with 1 being insignificant and 5 being classified as catastrophic (loss of life, large scale major illness)
A score between 17-25 derived from Likelihood x Severity = Risk, is deemed unacceptable and requires action.
1. Using this information it is possible to consider the likelihood and severity of an event affecting visitors to the Roman Bath that HBC describes as a "small open-access water body (formally the bath area)". This scored a likelihood of 4 which means Likelihood 1 in 10,000 and the Severity was given a score of 5 meaning "Catastrophic" (Loss of life- Large scale major illness). This, therefore, achieved a score of 4 x 5 = 20 for risk.
However looking at the Likelihood score that was given seems a bit high for a heritage structure that's been accessible to the public for the past 50 years, so the historic likelihood of a record of accidents or deaths might offer some help. Perhaps a score of Fairly Unlikely 1 in 100,000 might be more appropriate. Continuing with the grid over the water the score for severity was the maximum that could be given of 5 meaning catastrophic - loss of life.
I would regard falling from the Harbour Arm Hastings at high tide on a windy day as a 5 for severity and that really might be Catastrophic with a high chance of drowning or illness caused by sewage. Falling into an area of still water that is 74mm or 2ft 4in deep is very unlikely to be catastrophic, so a reappraisal of severity would be appropriate.
2. Turning to the other reason why HBC installed the galvanised metal fences "Rock Falls into the grotto - The likelihood and severity scores have been over-exaggerated and need to be reconsidered despite the fact that some sandstone has fallen into the back of the grotto, well away from any visitors.
If HBC is committed to achieving a town without any risk they will need to look closely at all the public open spaces they control when a falling branch onto a path is likely and the severity could be catastrophic. The large amounts of open water in the public parks in Hastings could cause loss of life but I have been unable to view any risk assessment for the water areas in Alexandra Park. An examination of all risk assessments for open spaces in the Borough might reveal that there are more places where fences are urgently required if the same method of classifying likelihood and severity are adopted across the town.
BH 08/2021
The risk assessment prepared by HBC for fences.
Council folly threatened by Council folly:
controversy over Hastings grotto facing permanent damage
A Listed Building in Hastings has been damaged by the local Council who put railings and grilles on it, and are now seeking to give themselves retrospective planning permission.
The neoclassical building is a Victorian version of a Roman Bath, in Summerfields Wood, formerly the grounds of Bohemia House, Hastings. The Grade 2 citation is here:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101379434-roman-bath-at-the-summerfield-estate-hastings-gensing-ward#.YP7AdqjYrfo
The industrial fencing was supposedly for safety reasons but this makes little sense. As well as persistent neglect, arguably criminal damage to a listed building has been committed. The retrospective application appears to be in breach of Hastings Borough Council's Local Plan policies including EN1 (Built and Historic Environment), and HN1 (Development Affecting the Significance and Setting of Designated Heritage Assets).
The application’s Heritage Statement is defective, lacking an Assessment of the Significance of the Roman Bath, and the effect of the galvanised structures on this Significance. The Design & Access Statement is also defective.
There has been no apparent notification of, or comment from Historic England, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, Natural England, or the Council’s Conservation Officer.
The retrospective application (case reference HS/LB/20/00805), for Listed Building Consent, is here:
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
including a strenuous objection from the Sussex Gardens Trust (SGT), lately notified, who concluded:
SGT finds the utilitarian, brightly coloured galvanised gates and grid entirely unsympathetic to the sandstone ‘Roman’ bath-house and its setting. It is hard to imagine an uglier solution. For this reason, SGT objects to the application being approved.
The case was previously reported here:
https://hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk/hot-topics/home-ground/hbc-seeks-post-hoc-approval-for-ruining-roman-ruin
Bernard McGinley July 2021
controversy over Hastings grotto facing permanent damage
A Listed Building in Hastings has been damaged by the local Council who put railings and grilles on it, and are now seeking to give themselves retrospective planning permission.
The neoclassical building is a Victorian version of a Roman Bath, in Summerfields Wood, formerly the grounds of Bohemia House, Hastings. The Grade 2 citation is here:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101379434-roman-bath-at-the-summerfield-estate-hastings-gensing-ward#.YP7AdqjYrfo
The industrial fencing was supposedly for safety reasons but this makes little sense. As well as persistent neglect, arguably criminal damage to a listed building has been committed. The retrospective application appears to be in breach of Hastings Borough Council's Local Plan policies including EN1 (Built and Historic Environment), and HN1 (Development Affecting the Significance and Setting of Designated Heritage Assets).
The application’s Heritage Statement is defective, lacking an Assessment of the Significance of the Roman Bath, and the effect of the galvanised structures on this Significance. The Design & Access Statement is also defective.
There has been no apparent notification of, or comment from Historic England, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, Natural England, or the Council’s Conservation Officer.
The retrospective application (case reference HS/LB/20/00805), for Listed Building Consent, is here:
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
including a strenuous objection from the Sussex Gardens Trust (SGT), lately notified, who concluded:
SGT finds the utilitarian, brightly coloured galvanised gates and grid entirely unsympathetic to the sandstone ‘Roman’ bath-house and its setting. It is hard to imagine an uglier solution. For this reason, SGT objects to the application being approved.
The case was previously reported here:
https://hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk/hot-topics/home-ground/hbc-seeks-post-hoc-approval-for-ruining-roman-ruin
Bernard McGinley July 2021
On the 18th March 2022 the Hastings Planners announced that the applicant HBC had withdrawn HS/LB/20/00805. No information is available from the department of Hastings Borough Council who erected the metal grills and made this application.
The Bohemia Estate is now experiencing the first serious threat to its open space now that another planning application has emerged to build houses at Horntye Park over the existing cricket ground with planning application HS/OA/21/00845.
Below are details of the retrospective request by HBC to try to regularise the action they took without listed building permission where there is still an opportunity to comment. Elsewhere in the Bohemia Estate there are more places where HBC are eager to cover the grass with buildings that are explored on the Regeneration pages
Below are details of the retrospective request by HBC to try to regularise the action they took without listed building permission where there is still an opportunity to comment. Elsewhere in the Bohemia Estate there are more places where HBC are eager to cover the grass with buildings that are explored on the Regeneration pages
The listed building application described below has been withdrawn by Hastings Borough Council on 18th March 22
Council folly threatened by Council folly:
Controversy over Hastings grotto facing permanent damage
A Listed Building in Hastings has been damaged by the local Council who put railings and grilles on it, and are now seeking to give themselves retrospective planning permission.
The neoclassical building is a Victorian version of a Roman Bath, in Summerfields Wood, formerly the grounds of Bohemia House, Hastings. The Grade 2 citation is here:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101379434-roman-bath-at-the-summerfield-estate-hastings-gensing-ward#.YP7AdqjYrfo
The industrial fencing was supposedly for safety reasons but this makes little sense. As well as persistent neglect, arguably criminal damage to a listed building has been committed. The retrospective application appears to be in breach of Hastings Borough Council's Local Plan policies including EN1 (Built and Historic Environment), and HN1 (Development Affecting the Significance and Setting of Designated Heritage Assets).
The application’s Heritage Statement is defective, lacking an Assessment of the Significance of the Roman Bath, and the effect of the galvanised structures on this Significance. The Design & Access Statement is also defective.
There has been no apparent notification of, or comment from Historic England, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, Natural England, or the Council’s Conservation Officer.
The retrospective application (case reference HS/LB/20/00805), for Listed Building Consent, is here:
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
including a strenuous objection from the Sussex Gardens Trust (SGT), lately notified, who concluded:
SGT finds the utilitarian, brightly coloured galvanised gates and grid entirely unsympathetic to the sandstone ‘Roman’ bath-house and its setting. It is hard to imagine an uglier solution. For this reason, SGT objects to the application being approved.
The case was previously reported here:
https://hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk/hot-topics/home-ground/hbc-seeks-post-hoc-approval-for-ruining-roman-ruin
The Planning Committee of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is likely to consider the case not before Wednesday 23rd Feb 2022
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
For more details of the HBC actions to harm the heritage of Hastings see the Roman Bath pages
Bernard McGinley July 2021
Council folly threatened by Council folly:
Controversy over Hastings grotto facing permanent damage
A Listed Building in Hastings has been damaged by the local Council who put railings and grilles on it, and are now seeking to give themselves retrospective planning permission.
The neoclassical building is a Victorian version of a Roman Bath, in Summerfields Wood, formerly the grounds of Bohemia House, Hastings. The Grade 2 citation is here:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101379434-roman-bath-at-the-summerfield-estate-hastings-gensing-ward#.YP7AdqjYrfo
The industrial fencing was supposedly for safety reasons but this makes little sense. As well as persistent neglect, arguably criminal damage to a listed building has been committed. The retrospective application appears to be in breach of Hastings Borough Council's Local Plan policies including EN1 (Built and Historic Environment), and HN1 (Development Affecting the Significance and Setting of Designated Heritage Assets).
The application’s Heritage Statement is defective, lacking an Assessment of the Significance of the Roman Bath, and the effect of the galvanised structures on this Significance. The Design & Access Statement is also defective.
There has been no apparent notification of, or comment from Historic England, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, Natural England, or the Council’s Conservation Officer.
The retrospective application (case reference HS/LB/20/00805), for Listed Building Consent, is here:
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
including a strenuous objection from the Sussex Gardens Trust (SGT), lately notified, who concluded:
SGT finds the utilitarian, brightly coloured galvanised gates and grid entirely unsympathetic to the sandstone ‘Roman’ bath-house and its setting. It is hard to imagine an uglier solution. For this reason, SGT objects to the application being approved.
The case was previously reported here:
https://hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk/hot-topics/home-ground/hbc-seeks-post-hoc-approval-for-ruining-roman-ruin
The Planning Committee of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is likely to consider the case not before Wednesday 23rd Feb 2022
https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_117862
For more details of the HBC actions to harm the heritage of Hastings see the Roman Bath pages
Bernard McGinley July 2021
A Comment from Hastings Borough Council
The statement below was made by a member of HBC staff that fails to realise that the new bridge structure is within the curtilage of a listed structure and would also require a listed building consent application like the one submitted for the Bohemia Roman Bath after contact with HBC Planning, but HBC erected the bridge ignoring that requirement. Sadly HBC does not employ many people who understand the requirements that are in place to protect heritage buildings.
"A new bridge has appeared next to the Roman Baths, this was installed as the original bridge was way too narrow. The only solution was to install a bridge over the original one. The park manager, Terry Drinkwater, is still trying to work on the Roman Baths but this is a very high cost project so will take some time to move forward"
"A new bridge has appeared next to the Roman Baths, this was installed as the original bridge was way too narrow. The only solution was to install a bridge over the original one. The park manager, Terry Drinkwater, is still trying to work on the Roman Baths but this is a very high cost project so will take some time to move forward"