Planned renovation of historic Filey building is turned down by council
The planned renovation of a 19th Century Grade II listed residential building has been refused over its ‘unacceptable’ impact.
The residents of a top-floor flat in an historic Filey building wanted to improve the energy efficiency of their property by installing double-glazed windows.
However, Stephen and Joanna Draycott’s application was refused by North Yorkshire Council, which said that replacing six timber windows would harm the “heritage asset”.
The Royal Crescent Court is a prominent mid-19th Century, four-storey building located on The Crescent in Filey overlooking the sea.
The former Royal Crescent Court Hotel, now apartments, was purpose-built as a hotel around 1851 and is within the designated Filey Conservation Area.
The proposal had sought permission for the replacement of six timber windows with uPVC, double-glazed, sliding sash units from the ‘Legacy’ range.
Mr and Mrs Draycott wanted enhanced resistance to coastal weather conditions, improved thermal efficiency and reduced energy consumption, according to submitted plans.
A planning report stated that the proposed windows would be in the same style as the existing windows in terms of appearance and means of opening but would be uPVC and double glazed, as well as being white with a woodgrain effect to match the existing units.
However, the council’s conservation officer objected to the proposal as “the application has not demonstrated that the identified loss and harm to the significance of the designated heritage is justified”.
Two letters in support of the application were submitted by members of the public.
One local resident said: “I approve of any effort by owners to improve the current appearance of Royal Court and ensure its longevity.
“I am in full support of this application, which will improve the appearance of this part of the building while respecting the listed status of the structure.
"There will also be considerable environmental benefits as the insulation will be much improved.”
Council planners said the application site was considered to have historic interest for its reflection of the town’s evolution from a small fishing village into a self-contained seaside resort.
Officers added that the building’s early Edwardian windows carried “high historic, evidential and aesthetic value, and their loss would fail to preserve the character and appearance of the building”.
“Proposals to replace traditional timber windows with high quality alternative materials would only be supported in limited and exceptional cases,” according to a report.
The planning authority concluded that the uPVC windows would fail to preserve the architectural interest of the listed building and that the submitted heritage statement did not demonstrate “any exceptional circumstances which could be factored into the planning balance”.
The application was refused on Thursday, May 28, by North Yorkshire Council.