Mon Oct 17
If the house you own and live in is in a “standard” area, then replacing your windows with new windows may be a relatively straightforward process. You simply need to think about what type of windows you want and then organise for an expert installation company to come and do the work for you.
However, if you own a property in a conservation area, replacing and even restoring windows can be much trickier. This is because various rules and regulations prohibit significant changes to the property overall. This often focuses on updating and altering the house using modern materials.
What is a conservation area?
You should know whether or not you live in an area that is labelled as a conservation area. They are locations protected by their local Councils due to their historical or architectural value. England has as many as 10,000 conservation areas, and every local authority up and down the country will have at least one.
What rules apply to conservation area windows?
For many homeowners, a window is simply a part of your home that you look out for and see the world around you. However, this is not the case for those properties in conservation areas. In these areas, windows are a part of the overall appearance of the property, which in turn will indicate the property’s age and the time period it was built.
This means that the rules that apply to the windows of a conservation area property will not always be easy to follow. They often change depending on the case and the changes to be made.
To ensure that you are always working within the guidelines set out, you should speak to the relevant local authority before the work you want to have carried out is started.
There are times when you can make changes to the windows without having to ask permission. However, this is only when the windows are changed with windows deemed identical replacements.
Restore not replace
One common occurrence that many people find when they need to have their windows replaced within a conservation area is that they are told that they should aim to restore their windows rather than have them entirely replaced.
This will usually be suggested when there is an issue such as rot, dampness or if you want to ensure that the window provides proper draught proofing too.
More often than not, repairing and restoring windows within a conservation area will not require any form of permission to be granted. It is also cheaper and takes less time too.
At the same time as having the work carried out to ensure that the windows are in the best condition possible, it is also possible to consider replacing them with a double-glazed option.
Standard double glazing is not allowed in many areas. However, there is an alternative option, thin vacuum double glazing, which will still give the benefits, but is appropriate for properties within a conservation area.
Suppose you live in a conservation area and want to have your windows replaced, restored or improved. In that case, the good news is that there are plenty of options for you to consider and arrange to have the results you want whilst still keeping with the look of your property.
