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THE DILEMMA: Amanda and Julian Duckworth live in a pretty cottage in Kent with their two children, Eleanor, 12, and Theo, 7. The semi detached property was originally a woodcutter’s cottage owned by the Crown and tied to the Bedgebury estate (now the National Pinetum).

But the charm of the Duckworths’ home doesn’t end there: inside, the kitchen has the original bread oven, which Amanda would like to remove to make way for kitchen utilities but Julian feels is a “period feature” that should be sensitively converted into an illuminated wine store – even though this “feature” is crawling with slugs because it is mounted on bare earth.

Amanda and Julian have consulted an architect and have been advised that they may need planning permission for any work. Is there a solution to their conflicting desires, and will they need planning consent?

THE SOLUTION: First allow me to quash the misleading advice that planning permission may be required. Any works in this case would be to the interior only, so planning permission is not applicable. And, as the property is not listed, listed building consent will not be required either. Nor is it situated in a conservation zone. Basically Amanda and Julian can do what they like to the interior of their home, and, to a degree, the exterior, so long as they comply with building regulations. Their local authority will be able to advise but, in principle, because the works are small, they can either proceed on a building notice basis, in which works can commence as long as they or their “agent” submit a building notice application form together with a scaled site location plan beforehand. Alternatively, depending on the contractor that they employ, the contractor may be able to self-certify the work. As to the more contentious matter of period features, looking at the photographs that Amanda and Julian have sent me, I can’t say that the bread oven is the most attractive of features, especially given the slug factor. However, it is quite unusual and has an affecting history. Plus, when Amanda and Julian come to sell, it might make all the difference to a potential buyer. But at nearly two metres (6½ft) deep this little bit of history is taking up quite a lot of space.

To satisfy both Amanda and Julian I would recommend excavating the rear of the oven to create Amanda’s utility room but retaining the front to create Julian’s wine store. This would require removal of the adjacent bath but not of the entire bathroom, as Amanda has suggested. Although Amanda and Julian have an en suite bathroom I can’t recommend that they live in a house with soon-to-be teenage children and just one bathroom, particularly one that is en suite to their bedroom.

Instead the bath could be replaced with a shower to allow for access from the bathroom into the new utility room. This will need to be dampproofed and the new access will require a structural beam. Once this work is completed Amanda can install utilities, as well as shelving for cleaning materials and even dry goods and cookery books. She might also be able to hang coats here (at present they are bunched up at the back door).

With access created at the rear of the oven, it will be easier to embed small, neat recessed spaces into the two apertures at the front, fitting each with minimalist metal wine racks. If these can’t be found, Amanda and Julian may want to employ the services of a local blacksmith to make them something special.

For makeovers by Naomi Cleaver, go to: timesonline.co.uk/propertyexperts

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