There are roughly 10,000 Conservation Areas in the UK, all of which are prized for their visual appeal, distinctive nature and historic character and many of which are home to the nation’s most beautiful listed buildings. Properties in these locales command high prices and their value appreciates rapidly every year. Yet if you are lucky enough to call one of these areas home, you need to be aware of the stringent building regulations which are in place, covering everything from repainting your property to retiling its roof and replacing its sash windows.
This is because Conservation Areas are protected areas of special architectural and historical interest where unique and distinctive features must be preserved. If you live in a Conservation Area, your local planning authority (LPA) will be able to advise you of what you can and can’t do to your house and will let you know of any changes which might affect you when they update their guidance.
If you wish to carry out major repair works on, or replace, your traditional sash windows in Chester, you must make your LPA aware. They will need to carry out a thorough assessment of your property and the planned work to ensure that the building’s character and appearance will not be negatively affected. ‘Article 4 Directions’ allow this process to occur. If the work is deemed to be in keeping with the area’s character, planning officials will provide approval. However, if you do not seek approval before carrying out a project, you will be breaking the law and will be liable to pay a fine that can run into the thousands of pounds. You may also be forced to return your property to its former state, meaning you will have wasted lots of money, resources and time.
To ensure compliance with the law, you should make sure all work is completed by a registered professional, such as you’ll find at yoursashwindows.com. Our team has been working on listed buildings in conservation areas for over 15 years, designing, manufacturing and installing beautiful sash and casement windows in line with Article 4 Directives. We work exclusively in wood to ensure an authentic finish which is sympathetic to your property’s appearance. Our joiners are highly skilled and can create-like-for-like replicas of your existing windows, down to the finest details, should they need replacing. As we bespoke manufacture all of our windows in our Stockport workshop, we can incorporate unusual designs and can even create double glazed sash windows which meet the strict regulations of Conservation Areas. We can handle all the relevant paperwork on your behalf and provide any detailed drawings and specifications your LPA might request. For added peace of mind, all of our windows are FENSA registered, meaning that they meet the very highest standards of craftsmanship.
Sometimes, planning permission may not actually be needed if only minor maintenance work is required. Therefore, If you do spot an issue with one of your heritage sash windows, such as rot or damage, you should contact the team at yoursashwindows.com immediately. By dealing with the problem as soon as it has been discovered, we will be able to stop it becoming any worse.
If you are unsure whether you live in a Conservation Area, you can contact your LPA to find out. If you have any other questions or concerns about your sash windows, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0333 600 0196. You can also request a FREE sash window survey by clicking here.
