June 8, 2020

The entrance doors designed specifically for conservation areas

Written by Rebecca Clayton

Listed buildings or buildings in a conservation area come with strict regulations when it comes to external features, such as entrance doors - unless you can replicate the look of the original entrance door with a modern alternative

A listed building is classed as a building that has historical or architectural features that mean it can’t be altered, extended or demolished without permission from the local planning board. This usually means that the building is full of charming character and historic features, but it also comes with the negative aspect that it is very difficult to carry out any alterations to the building.

It is not only listed properties that come with strict construction limitations, if a building is located within a conservation area then you usually require permission to make any changes to the original external features, including windows and doors.

 

Entrance doors in conservation areas

After the introduction of conservation areas, there are now over 10,000 in the UK. A conservation area can come in many forms, including different styles and forms of building and landscape.

Local planning legislation is different in most areas, but generally, when it comes to entrance doors there are rules about the aesthetic and even the colour. Typically, Article 4 Direction can be invoked by local planning authority to prohibit certain changes that would usually be allowed under the Permitted Development rights (even in a conservation area). Article 4 Directions can be applied to specific houses or groups of houses, for example, houses from number 1-40 on Rose Street have to use the following paint colour.

Most historic entrance doors are wooden and have been manufactured bespoke for each unique door frame. A historic door is unlikely to match generic modern doors, so it is important to consider a bespoke entrance door when replacing entrance doors in conservation areas or on listed buildings.

 

Introducing the Belgravia Entrance Door

The Belgravia Entrance Door has been specifically designed for the installation in conservation areas and on listed buildings. Luxury townhouses in London can benefit from a modern entrance door while meeting the strict external aesthetic regulations in conservation areas.

The Belgravia Entrance Door, part of the IQ Ingresso range, is designed to have both a modern internal finish and a traditional external finish to maintain the traditional aesthetic on the outside of the property while achieving a contemporary design internally. This entrance door is perfectly designed to exactly replicate the existing doors which allow homeowners to benefit from a modern product with the latest security but with the same external design as the surrounding properties.

This entrance door is manufactured completely bespoke to each project including size, frame colour, ironmongery, external finish, internal finish (including material and colour), and the lock operation. The door frame can be designed in a choice of either brushed steel, rusted Corten, burnished brass, RAL 9016 or RAL 9005.

There are several design options for both the internal and external faces of the door that can be completely different from each other. The materials available for the door finishes include a range of quality wood that can be smooth, carved or decorated with a choice of grooves and bevelled edges for a luxurious aesthetic. There is also the Hesla line which is a panel covering including a steel panel stretching across the width of the door for a contemporary style to the interior.

Download the Belgravia Entrance Door specification sheet for further technical information, here.

 

How can you know that an entrance door is secure?

The Belgravia Entrance Door is manufactured with exceptional strength and security. It includes a cylinder locking mechanism comprised of 10 movable recognition pins plus a high precision floating pin, a tamper-proof cylinder, and a highly advances Arckey lock system.

The core of the Belgravia Entrance Door is constructed from a vertical structure Omega, horizontal reinforcing bars, heat barriers, and the cylinder lock. The locking mechanism has an exclusive 3in1 patent that allows the coding of the key to be changed 3 times without having to change the cylinder. The Arckey system within the lock is an access control system, integrated into all the IQ Ingresso entrance doors, and is managed through a smartphone app - so if the homeowner desires, there is no need for keys.

Entrance door locking mechanisms come in many different types and vary in the level of security they provide. A cylinder lock (or euro-cylinder lock) is one of the most secure locks for entrance doors (more secure than a five-level mortice deadlock). A cylinder lock is designed to meet the British Standard TS007:2014.

Multi-point locking systems, like the one in the Belgravia Entrance Door, offer impressive security. The Belgravia Entrance Door has a unique 10-point locking system with shoot bolts on the side as well as the top and bottom.

Exposed hinges can also post a security flaw in that burglars can tap into the hinge pins and lift the door out without having to tamper with the lock. However, with the Belgravia, the hinges are concealed within the door frame which means that they are impossible to access and meddle with.

 

Modern entrance doors for conservation areas

As experts in the design and installation of entrance doors for listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas, IQ are happy to advise you on the right choice of finish for the Belgravia Entrance Door to meet the conservation requirements in your projects local area.

As part of our service, we can supply detailed CAD drawings, finishes and some samples of ironmongery and finishes (depending on availability) before planning permission is granted.

Just get in touch to speak to one of our experts at hello@iqglassuk.com