Agenda item

Conditional approval

The Interim Development Manager presented the report and referred to the slide presentation that had been circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting.  He recommended approval of this application as set out in the report.

Public Speaker

Tim Bartlett (Cromer Town Council)

Councillor T Adams, local Member, considered that the proposal did not preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area and the applicant had not justified the use of the proposed materials or considered more suitable alternatives.  He considered that the Heritage Statement lacked the necessary level of detail and was a poor appraisal of the heritage contribution of the building, its features or group value.  The building was in a prominent corner location on a principal route through the town, within the Conservation Area and close to locally listed buildings.  He considered that the proposed materials would be a garish contrast with the brickwork.  He expressed concern that the Conservation Area Appraisals were not valued in the way they had been in the past, as the erosion of character was becoming profound and this part of the Conservation Area was particularly suffering due to the cumulative impacts of such changes.  He referred to an appeal case against the refusal of a similar proposal in a similar location, which had been dismissed by the Planning Inspector.  He questioned why such changes were considered to be appropriate in this case but not on the opposite side of the road.  He considered that good quality timber would be much more appropriate.

Councillor Mrs A Fitch-Tillett supported the views of the Town Council and Councillor Adams.  She considered that the Conservation Area should be protected.  In addition, having declared a climate emergency, the Council should not be encouraging the use of plastic.  She proposed that the application be refused.

Councillor A Brown also supported the views of the previous speakers.  He was concerned that the report appeared to suggest that policy could only be rigorously enforced if a building were listed, whether or not it was in a Conservation Area, and questioned how the character and environment of Conservation Areas could be best protected if the Council did not enforce policy uniformly within them.  He considered that comparisons with nearby buildings that had reverted from wood to plastic were misguided, as the subject building was in a prominent location, the windows were at street level and he considered that plastic windows would not support the character of the building.  He referred to the views of the former English Heritage that replacement windows were not necessary and that insulation could be achieved by augmenting existing windows.  He seconded the proposal.

The Chairman reminded the Committee of the need to vote firstly on the Officer’s recommendation.

Councillor N Lloyd supported the Officer’s recommendation in this case.  He considered that the benefits of double glazing for the occupants outweighed the aesthetics.  He trusted the officers to manage the sympathetic replacement of the windows. 

Councillor N Pearce supported refusal of this application.  He referred to the responsibilities in respect of the Conservation Area and the climate emergency.  He understood the requirements of the applicants to have insulation but considered that timber would be appropriate and would protect the heritage of the area.

Councillor A Yiasimi, local Member, emphasised that the application proposed a wood grain finish and each application had to be assessed on its own merits.  He was keen to preserve Cromer as it should be.  He referred to the Human Rights issues, but considered that the assets of the town were also important and a balanced judgment had to be made.

The Assistant Director of Planning stated that the application had been brought to the Committee at his request.  He stated that Officers valued Cromer and the character of its Conservation Area.  It was not necessarily inappropriate to use uPVC windows, although it was not desirable or recommended.  The subject building was in the Conservation Area, but it was not listed and that was the context for consideration.  The Committee had to consider if the proposals enhanced or protected the character of the Conservation Area, the appropriateness of the materials and the opening mechanisms of the proposed windows.  The detail of the windows was contained in the presentation pack.  The Officers’ view was that the proposed windows were appropriate and although they did not enhance the Conservation Area, they would protect its character as there would be a neutral impact.

It was proposed by Councillor J Toye, seconded by Councillor N Lloyd and

RESOLVED by 7 votes to 6

That this application be approved in accordance with the recommendation of the Assistant Director of Planning.