- Decision
- dismissed, 4 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: R Standfield
- Authority
- North Somerset (South West)
- Appeal reference
- 6008669
- Application reference
- 26/P/0327/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Replacement of 24 timber sash windows with uPVC double-glazed sashes on a prominent Victorian corner building
- Site context
- inside settlement, conservation area, listed building setting
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- HE6(1), HE6(4), HE4(2)
- Development plan policies
- North Somerset Core Strategy 2017 CS5, CS12, Sites and Policies Plan Part 1 2016 DM3, DM4, DM32, Great Weston CA Appraisal and Management Plan
- Main issues
- conservation area and setting of listed building
Summary
Replacing 24 original timber sashes with woodgrain-effect uPVC on a prominent Victorian corner in the Great Weston Conservation Area, opposite a Grade II library, was dismissed. The thermal-efficiency benefit is recognised as important under HE6(4). It did not outweigh the harm, because double-glazed timber would give similar gains without the loss of authenticity.
Issues and findings
- Transition. "Insofar as the contents are relevant to this appeal, the NPPF remains broadly consistent" (DL ¶2).
- Conservation area: HARM. "the overall appearance would be of modern uPVC double glazing. Further, the loss of authentic building materials would undermine the heritage value of this visually prominent building and the wider GWCA" (DL ¶10).
- Setting: HARM. The Annex B definition of setting was applied (DL ¶13). The library's setting would suffer "an erosion of its physical setting, albeit to a limited degree" (DL ¶14).
- Balance. "Policy H6 1 [sic] … substantial weight … H6 4 … clear and convincing justification" (DL ¶15). The thermal efficiency gain is "an important public benefit" (DL ¶16). However, "I have not been presented with substantive evidence to suggest that the proposed uPVC windows would significantly outperform well installed and maintained double glazed timber windows" (DL ¶17).
Planning balance
An HE6(4) balance. Harm to the conservation area, and limited harm to the listed building's setting, both with substantial weight, against temporary economic benefit and real thermal and wellbeing gains. The harm prevailed (DL ¶18).
What made the difference
A less harmful alternative existed: double-glazed timber would achieve the efficiency benefit, and the appraisal specifically targets uPVC in the Boulevard. Energy benefits only count to the extent that the harmful option is needed to secure them.
Transferable points
- Energy-efficiency benefits under HE6(4) are discounted where a less harmful material or method would deliver comparable gains (DL ¶17; compare PINS-6008562 ¶25).
- A conservation area appraisal that names a specific threat, such as uPVC, weighs heavily (DL ¶7, ¶12).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HE9 | harm | loss of authentic timber sashes on a positive building in the Boulevard character area, where the appraisal flags uPVC as a key threat (DL 7-10) | |
| HE6(1) | harm | substantial | limited erosion of setting of Grade II former library; Annex B setting definition applied (DL 13-15) |
| HE6(4) | fail | thermal efficiency is an important public benefit, but no evidence uPVC would outperform well-installed double-glazed timber (DL 16-18) |
Key facts
- Corner building opposite the Grade II Hans Price library; original sashes with horns (DL 8)
- Nearby uPVC replacements and a 2023 appeal allowed at 24 Clarence Road South distinguished (DL 11-12)
- Framework "broadly consistent"; no re-consultation (DL 2)
Related decisions
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.