The primary objective would be to see that a disabled person be
allowed the same freedoms to be independent that someone who is
not disabled has.

The council considered that preserving a wooden front door was
more important than that.

When we wanted to rebuild our church garden wall, repositioning the
gate to allow for the construction of a disabled access ramp the
response of the planning officer was "stuff the disabled; it's
preserving the existing wall that matters". OK these weren't his
exact words, but were his exact sentiments.


If that was said, or implied, then the planning officer was quite wrong. Did
this happen recently and with what local authority? The main objective of
the listed building regulation regime has never been to preserve buildings
in an unaltered state. Sensible and realistic alterations should, and indeed
are, permitted. Was formal application made and if it was rejected was the
decision appealed. If not then you have no grounds for complaint.

Peter Crosland