Developer faced with enforcement action

4:01pm Friday 18th January 2008

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A DEVELOPER faces enforcement action if he does not pull out £115,000 of windows from a grade II listed chapel.

Rossendale Council will warn Barnett Construction after they failed to install timber-framed windows at the methodist church in Crawshawbooth in accordance with planning conditions to turn the chapel into 12 apartments.

Councillors at a development control meeting this week refused retrospective planning permission.

They decided the UPVC frames and associated panels unnecessarily and unacceptably harmed the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building.

Now a meeting will take place between council officers and the developers to discuss when the windows will be removed.

A council spokesman said: "When the Development Control Committee grants someone planning permission it expects that they will follow the planning conditions agreed.

"Our planning enforcement section will be in touch with the developer shortly to discuss its implications for them.

"We are in discussions with the owner regarding timescales to remove the windows."

Barnett Construction and agent Alan Kinder were unavailable for comment.

Rossendale Council's decision was backed by English Heritage.

Helen Bowman from English Heritage said that where worship was no longer viable, it would be important to find appropriate alternative uses which would give buildings a new lease of life.

She said: "English Heritage therefore welcomes new uses for redundant places of worship and works to ensure that changes are designed to preserve the special qualities of the building."

In addition, English Heritage provides an argued case for the use of timber windows against other materials, covering issues of energy efficiency, longevity, repair and maintenance.