Rooflights and skylights on the Hurstpierpoint ridge

The ground under Hurstpierpoint has layers, and the village is built on the top one. Knowing the layers explains the views, the walls and the sheer variety of the roofs.

The council's conservation area appraisal places the village on a Greensand ridge. To the north lies Weald clay. To the south comes Gault clay, and then the chalk of the South Downs rising behind. The village itself stands on a sandstone ridge 145 feet above sea level, and Wolstonbury Hill is the landmark that the whole place faces. Most of the buildings date from the 18th century or later, although older frames survive inside some of them.

Growth came in waves. The opening of Hassocks railway station in 1841, a short distance to the east, brought the first commuters, and the village expanded quickly. Holy Trinity Church was redesigned by Sir Charles Barry in the 1840s. Hurstpierpoint College is part of the village too. Then in the late 20th and early 21st centuries new homes spread to the north, east and west. The parish, which includes Sayers Common, had 7,112 people at the 2011 census.

Hurstpierpoint has three conservation areas, and the National Park boundary runs along the southern edge of the village. That is four lines on the map that can touch a roof, so we check all of them before we quote.

The three areas are named in the appraisal. The Hurstpierpoint conservation area was designated in 1972 and extended in 1999. Langton Lane lies west of the centre and was designated in 1999. Hurst Wickham lies east of the centre. Changes to the Hurstpierpoint and Hurst Wickham boundaries were confirmed on 19 July 2018, so anyone relying on an older map of the village may be looking at the wrong edge.

The same appraisal states that there is a large number of statutory listed buildings in the village, and several at Langton Lane. A listed building needs its own consent for changes that affect its character, and that is a separate matter from the ordinary planning position.

The late 20th and early 21st century homes around the village follow a different logic from the old core. Their roofs are modern, and so are their problems.

A house built in the last few decades usually has a roof of trussed rafters. Those are factory-made triangles, spaced close, and they are not meant to be cut. A rooflight that would suit an old purlin roof needs a different approach here, because the opening may have to be framed between trusses with trimmers fitted to carry the load. That is work for the survey to settle, and it is the reason we look in the loft before recommending anything.

New homes are also built with thermal performance in mind, so an old-style single unit set into a modern roof can be the coldest spot in the house. A modern rooflight fitted to current Building Regulations narrows that gap. Our energy efficient rooflights page covers the glazing, and Building Regulations for rooflights explains the rules that apply. Where the work is notifiable, we handle the Building Control notification.

The roof sets the choice, and the room sets the detail. This table pairs the roofs named in the village's own record with the units that fit them.

Some houses in the village already have a rooflight, and some of those are old. Replacement is often simpler than a first installation, because the opening exists.

A unit that has misted between the panes has lost its seal. One that closes loosely lets in cold air and the sound of the weather. A thin early unit in a loft room can be the loudest part of the house in rain. When the unit is ready to go, the question is whether to fit the same size again or to use the opportunity to improve it. Replacing an old skylight explains the choice, and signs a rooflight has failed lists what to look for. The service page for misted and failed rooflight replacement covers how we go about it.

A like-for-like replacement in a conservation area still needs its position checked. Do not assume the old unit gives you the right to fit a new one of a different kind.