Can I install uPVC sash windows in a conservation area?

The last few houses that we have lived in have all been older properties. I love the quirkiness that comes with them – funny shaped rooms, nooks and crannies, sometimes beautiful stained glass windows like we have here and walls that aren’t quite straight….!

The last house that we lived in was a couple of hundred years old, complete with beamed ceilings and bags of character. A few of the windows had already been replaced before we moved in, but most were still single glazing and old wooden frames. When the ones in the kitchen started to rot, we knew it was time to think about double glazing and new windows.

Our investigations told us that our house was in the middle of a conservation area. This is an area of notable environmental or historical interest or importance which is protected by law against undesirable changes. Basically it meant that any new windows we had put in had to be in keeping with the age of the property, and needed to look as similar as possible to the originals. So, no picking any off the shelf double glazed units!

If you want to install uPVC windows in a conservation area, you may need to apply for consent from the Local Authority first. They will assess the project, and the products being used within it, to ensure that they maintain the period aesthetic of the area. It can be tricky to keep on the right side of the rules, so this is when companies such Rose Collection are great. Although their sash windows are made from uPVC, when I went to see them even up close I struggled to tell that they weren’t wood.

While it might be a little more difficult than if you are not in a conservation area, from a heritage point of view it is really important. We’re lucky enough in the UK to have some beautiful old buildings that are really full of character and I think it’s vital that we preserve that. To keep the aesthetic of the area intact – I much prefer to see old houses than new builds!

Our finished windows looked amazing – you couldn’t tell that they were uPVC instead of wood and they really did look just like the originals that were in place – but with the bonus of double glazing!

It’s worth checking if your house is in a conservation area before you start thinking about installing new windows as it will save you time and money if you find out once you have started the project.