BCO says i need an openable windows with my French doors

[martin68]

Hi guys please see my before and after pics of my proposed work, I currently have a pair of french doors with two high windows with top openers on each side, to me it looks ugly so i plan to remove the two side windows including the walls below them and install glass panels the same height as the french doors but the BCO said that I need to be able to open one of the new windows.
It would be impossible to make them open unless i put a fan light on the top which again would spoil the effect of the symmetrical look of the fall height glass. Tilt and turn is a no no too because of the wide profile frames it would need, it may as well be another door! So what are my options? please see pics, ignore the double opening window to the far left of the picture, my main concern is the proposed 6 panel arrangement on the right side. The left side is no problem because i already have the far left window which is over the kitchen sink.
But on the right I only have the velux windows that could be opened, but i forgot to mention that when the bco was here, and now wondering if there are any options instead of creating opening windows to the sides of the french doors. There is a dividing wall between the two sides.
Any ideas most welcome.

 

[Notch7]

Did they say why?

IE what regulation an opening window is needed? Purge?

Do you have mechanical ventilation?

 

[mr_chaela]

I believe the regulation is that you must have opening windows equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room - doors do not count - for ventilation.
Could you not put a high level (so as not to overlook next door) window on the side of the room?

 

[martin68]

High level will spoil the floor length symmetrical look I'm after. And net door is my house too. I mean how would bifolding doors work if an openable window needs to be fitted? I have looked at loads of pics and find loads of kitchen extensions with bifold doors but no extra windows.

 

[Notch7]

The veluxes are opening windows, I would first see if they accept them as the opening windows

 

[noseall]

he BCO said that I need to be able to open one of the new windows.

Sounds like a load of bollix to me.

 

[Nige F]

The veluxes are opening windows, I would first see if they accept them as the opening windows

Velux have a trickle vent setting

 

[^woody^]

There is no difference between a door or a window for providing purge ventilation. Your inspector is wrong.

 

[wessex101]

This is Wales dont forget where the rules can be different.

I can remember many many years ago a door could not be classed as a ventilation opening unless there was a secondary opening, we used to get around that by putting a trickle vent in the head of the door frame. I wonder if the BCO is a dinosaur like me?

 

[^woody^]

OK then. A heat recovery extract fan would be less obtrusive a door is not sufficient in Wales