PP required to change colour of windows?

[~dadam02~]

As per the thread title I need to change my current windows (white upvc frame) and want to replace them with black framed aluminium windows. This is for a house, I don't live in a conservation area or other designated area.

Do I need to notify my local planning department of this or am I free to proceed?

I have a couple of neighbours who would be very quick to inform the local planning department as they don't like change so want to make sure I'm not setting myself up to fail.

Thanks.

 

[mattylad]

To test it out, paint your existing frames black.
This will bring the neighbours to a frenzy and force them to report such a horrid act lol

Then you will get to know what the outcome will be.
Or you may find that no one give a monkey.

 

[^woody^]

Permitted development allows you to replace windows as long as they are of similar appearance to what was there originally.

Black is not similar to white, but the council may determine that it is near enough. Normally councils have a general or specific window enquiry service for you to give them some details and they tell you.

 

[^woody^]

To test it out, paint your existing frames black.
This will bring the neighbours to a frenzy and force them to report such a horrid act lol

Then you will get to know what the outcome will be.
Or you may find that no one give a monkey.

You just need to wait four years though for someone to complain, and then change them and wait another four years to make sure no one complains.

 

[mattylad]

Permitted development allows you to replace windows as long as they are of similar appearance to what was there originally.

Black is not similar to white, but the council may determine that it is near enough. Normally councils have a general or specific window enquiry service for you to give them some details and they tell you.

So paint them black, then change them

 

[Notch7]

perhaps you should graduate the change; light grey, dark grey, very dark grey, black

 

[Notch7]

some people go for less subtle changes

 

[Nakajo]

That's a conservation area, so a bit different

 

[Newboy]

Might be worth a read (ref. the candy striped house)

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/apr/24/red-white-striped-house-zipporah-lisle-mainwaring

 

[geraldthehamster]

I'm not sure "similar appearance" has anything to do with the colour. In the recent past, when most houses still had proper timber windows instead of this plastic rubbish, people often used to change the colour when redecorating.

 

[garyo]

My house is a bungalow that has walls 50% red brick, and 50% rendered panels. The PD extension I've just built is 100% rendered. Do we think I'm on safe ground?

 

[^woody^]

people often used to change the colour when redecorating.

That's because painting window frames does not come under planning control unless in a designated area or listed.

But replacement does, and then colour does come into it - or more specifically can come into it if the planners deem it. And reference to "similar appearance" relates to the 'as original', and this prevents people painting the frames (which does not require permission) and then changing them for frames in the colour of that just painted and then say ing "but they are of similar appearance to what was there before".

 

[^woody^]

Do we think I'm on safe ground?

Did you not have soil samples taken before laying the foundations?

 

[~dadam02~]

Thanks all, so it's shaky ground it seems. I drove through our village yesterday and spotted about 15 houses with coloured windows, not a single request for permission sought though. One house, terraced, had rendered their house pink with green windows. I'd be pretty mad if that was my neighbour.

 

[~dadam02~]

The other question is, if I did change colour without permission, what's the worst case scenario in terms if enforcement? Is enforcement even likely, assuming the windows aren't particularly offensive?