upvc windows in a conservation area

[algas]

Hi I have just bought a 1 st floor flat in a conservation area, the windows are wooden not existing but made up of 2x2 prepared with 2 opening lower casements, they have sealed glazing units in them, the flat is near the sea & the wood is rottern , paint peeling & hinges siezed. I contacted planning at the local council as expected they were less than helpfull when I said I wanted to install upvc windows, said I need planning permission which was unlikely to be granted as they dont like upvc, never mind the fact that half the properties locally have them. A double glazing firm that I spoke to said that windows were permitted development & there is nothing the council can do, who is correct ?

Alan

 

[^woody^]

Windows can normally be replaced under permitted development, as per the window company comment, but flats don't have permitted development rights and conservation areas can mean removal of rights for other buildings too.

It really depends on the building and not the area as to whether plastic frames will be acceptable.

But if you can source some plastic frames with a grained section and which look like timber in design, then there is no reason for the planners not to approve them

 

[paulf1976]

Are you a leasehold? If so who is the landlord? You would need permission from them to change the window frames as you do not own them, just the glazing! If the freeholder is a local council then they often refuse permission and you might be in breach of your leasehold agreement.

 

[blightymam]

There are no additional controls over the replacement of doors or windows in unlisted buildings in conservation areas unless there is an Article 4 Direction in place, so is it worth trying to find out if your flat is under this Article 4?

We had the same problem - but luckily although our house is in a conservation area, the house itself is not under the article 4 thingie. What made us wonder is someone before us had replaced the front windows with PVC, fairly sympathetically, but still PVC and we could find no planning permission history for them. Our back windows too are rotten through and we are able now to use PVC if we like.