Hi all we have just been refused permission to replace the front door to our house and am looking for some advice re appealing the decision.
we were expecting the outcome as the house falls within a historical building protection zone but as two of the four houses on the row have non original colonial six panel doors and the other has a non original door that resembles something from a chateau we were hoping to be successful in our application, The original door is in bad shape and hung with no frame on the inside of the aperture with bits of carpet nailed on to exclude drafts, I’ve no intention of keeping this door.
the good news is that the refusal states we can replace with an identical door but must also keep the ironwork and reinstall it to the new door which would mean us sourcing a very expensive bespoke door, All in all I am hoping to be successful in my appeal and fit an off the shelf similar style door.
Any input on protocol and my chances off it going our way would be appreciated.
I should think that the first step should be a rendez-vous with the Mayor to find out his / her opinion. Take along some catalogue photos of the type of door you would like to fit, and determine the reaction.
A few years ago, friends had a similar negative response. I went to their Mairie to discuss, bearing in mind that other properties “didn’t conform” (similar to your situation.
The response was along the lines of:
… sadly we can do nothing about what was allowed in previous years… but we have to take a stand or the whole area will become totally changed as we lose more and more of our heritage.
My friends did a major rethink… plus talks with Batiment de France etc… and all is now conforming and looks great.
Not cheap, but not as bad as originally thought.
Hope you get a similarly good outcome.
From what you say it sounds as if your house is the last one out of the four to have the original door, and that may be why they want this one at least to remain original. That being the case (quite likely I think) continuing to stress that all the other houses have changed their doors, may do more harm than good.
It also seems quite likely the previous owner was also refused permission to install a modern door and that would explain why they made do with carpet to keep the draughts out.
Of course you can appeal but since they have already considered the matter and told you what they are and are not prepared to accept, I think you will be lucky to get them to change their minds.
Just an idea, but could you fit a new thermally efficient & secure door & then face it with the old door in some way?
I saw something on TV a couple of years back where a joinery workshop had taken an old door and reworked it with insulation and weather-strips and gave it a new - and energy-efficient - new lease of life. If memory serves, they said it was marginally cheaper than installing a new door.
If historic then outside Mayor’s remit.
@ratman
Having helped with a few projects… I can confirm what Jane says…
but… talking things through with the Mairie… can be useful.
If nothing else, one can explain one’s thoughts, aims, problems… and the Mairie will appreciate their citizen keeping them in the loop.
Plus, the Maire should be able/might be able to recommend a useful/sympathetic contact name within Bde France… (for me it’s always been the person dealing with the dossier/application).
My first experience was in Charente and as a result of summoning up my courage to visit a rather terrifying Mairie, I discovered that the Maire knew my tiny village and my (then) Maire. …
phew that broke the ice nicely.
He helped me strike up a good working relationship with the lady at BdFrance…
In Dordogne a couple of years later… it was with relief that I found this same lady was now “the person” for a new project.
Tell them that you want to do the best you can… explain the finance situation… there might be help/grants available.
good luck
Sorry for the late acknowledgement of your replies which I thank you for, Re the Marie indeed it is outside his remit as the refusal is written by the planning officer but signed off by the Marie’s office only. As for dobbing the neighbours in I don’t want to upset the apple cart and fall out with them although I’m quite miffed in why a ruin with no roof on the next row and my neighbours concrete tile roof does not damage the historical monument as apparently my new door would?
I’ll try appealing along the lines of energy use and insulation properties etc and hopefully get the ok to replace but not to original spec so I can hang the door in a frame and not to the wall opening, I am puzzled though as one rejection point is that the house is visible from the consular house which I can’t see from our house unless on the roof?
Did you know the property was in a Historical Building Protection Zone before you bought it ???
just thinking that this could be a cautionary tale for other would-be purchasers… fully understanding what one is taking-on
Just a thought, but have you considered building an internal porch inside the existing door ? You could fit that with whatever door you like as it would not be visible from outside, and neither would it be on the perimeter of the building.
Yes Robert we had considered this option but as we are taking a wall down in the hallway to reveal a detailed hidden iron stair railing we opted to replace the door, we have now purchased a similar door and are having it altered in the UK to a similar spec, we have just been over working on the house and when the decision was questioned we were told we made the mistake of asking permission 
Can be the case, civil servants love their power and dont always act in the best way.
Very true, I’ve took note and won’t be asking for any more permission starting with the new shutters I did while over and heavily coppicing a tree which was obstructing the lake view 
I think that as long as what you do fits in with the surroundings as much as possible, then it is unlikely to create any complaints from the neighbours or the Mairie. Probably good to discuss things in broad terms with the neighbours first though.
Well perhaps not, as undeclared items can come back to haunt you many years later, with a fine attached. As many have found in recent years.
Our niece employed a french architect submitted plans for their roof that matched the roofs of the surrounding houses. Civil servant wanted their roof 100mm lower than the others and new drawings and submissions. Total of the extra work €3500. Just to make their roof look odd, and the point was, a jumped up power mad .**.
Amazing how complicated and frustrating the powers that be make it when the majority of owners are sympathetic to the surrounding area when renovating, completely understand the need for regs for new builds or modern materials fitting in with the look of other properties in the vicinity, I am bewildered though by the ruins owned by the commune just left to degrade which apparently don’t bring down the look of the area?
Are you sure they are owned by the commune? And if they really are have you looked at the commune’s budget to see what funds they have available for non essential works? In the last few years the whole of our commune’s budget has been taken up by things like bringing the fire hydrants up to standards, a new sewage station which commune had to contribute to, and maintaining the rental appartements the commune owns. We are not a rich commune and the mayor has not increased the local taxes so there is little for extras.
Having re-read this thread… it’s plain that there are deeply divided views on “how things work” in France…
Time and again, on this Forum, we’ve advised people to visit the Mairie and thoroughly discuss any Property prior to Buying… to ensure that all future plans/renovations are viable/acceptable etc etc etc.
It is essential (in my view) that one has a good understanding of the implications of a Property which falls into “whatever” Classification etc etc … rather than a vague idea 
(incidentally, a professional should do the same… check beforehand that plans/suggestions will be OK before Submission…)