1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 9 August 2021 by Diane Cragg DipTP MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 23 August 2021 Appeal Ref: APP/X0360/W/21/3271719 1-3 Church Street, Twyford RG10 9DP • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Dr A Dandapat against the decision of Wokingham Borough Council. • The application Ref 203165, dated 8 December 2020, was refused by notice dated 27 January 2021. • The development proposed is installation of replacement windows (retrospective). Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Procedural Matters 2. The development has already been implemented and therefore I am considering this appeal retrospectively. 3. The site location plan indicates that the site area includes Nos 1-3 Church Street. However, the floor plans and elevations drawing indicates that the replacement windows to be considered as part of this appeal are those in the west and north elevation of No 1 Church Street. The application form confirms the windows are constructed of uPVC materials. I have considered the appeal accordingly. 4.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision On 20 July 2021, the Government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework). Both main parties have had the opportunity to submit comments on the relevance of the Framework to this case. I have taken any comments received into consideration and I have assessed this appeal in light of the Framework. 5. As the proposal is in a conservation area and affects the setting of a listed building, I have had special regard to sections 66(1) and 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the Act). Main Issue 6. The main issue is whether the replacement windows would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of Twyford Conservation Area (TCA) and the effect of the replacement windows on the setting of the adjacent grade ll listed building (No 4 and No 6 London Road). https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/X3060/W/21/3271719 Reasons 7. The appeal property is a two-storey corner building at the junction of London Road and Church Street. It occupies a prominent position within the TCA. 8. The significance of the TCA is in part derived from the juxtaposition of modest residential properties and the public and commercial buildings along the main roads, as well as the early street layout and early buildings which retain local building materials and features, and the staggered road junction and prominent corner buildings in the centre of the TCA. The grade ll listed building adjacent to the appeal site is acknowledged as a positive contributor to the TCA. In particular, the appellant notes the symmetrical wooden sash windows at first floor and the sympathetic design of the shop front. 9. The ground floor of the appeal building consists of an attractive corner door entrance and four windows separated by rendered panels. The first floor has two windows on each road elevation with vertically proportioned window openings. Its landmark location and the building’s chamfered corner design positively contribute to the character and appearance of the TCA.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Further, when taken together with the adjacent listed building and No 1 High Street opposite the appeal site, with its vertically proportioned sliding sash wooden windows and attractive ground floor corner shop front, these properties form a small group of buildings prominently located at the road junction which contribute to the TCA’s significance. 10. The illustrations provided indicate that the previous upper floor windows of the appeal property were sliding sash wooden windows with small panes divided by slim glazing bars set back in the window reveals. The ground floor metal windows were small paned with slim glazing bars which reflected the design of the upper window detail. The appellant indicates that the windows were not original, however, the windows contributed to the buildings visual interest, illustrated the architectural taste of the period and were evidence of its previous use.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision As part of a small group of buildings at a prominent junction which retain historic interest through the materials and craftmanship of the windows, the appeal property with its previous window detail, displayed characteristics that are reflective of the significance of the TCA and thereby contributed to the TCA’s character and appearance and the setting of the adjacent listed building. 11. At my site visit it was evident that the smooth, flat surface of the windows at the upper floor, their proportions, and flat profile are not comparable with the subtle detailing of the previous windows and the loss of the small panes and slim glazing bars at ground and first floor level affects the visual interest of the building. The introduction of replacement windows, with the drawbacks set out, has a negative effect on the TCA’s significance resulting in harm to the character of the building, the TCA as a whole and the setting of the adjacent listed building. 12. The appellant states that the windows were in poor condition, but there is no evidence before me to suggest that they were beyond repair.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Even if this had been the case, it would not justify their total replacement with unsympathetic materials in a design that does not reflect the character of the former windows, or the TCA. Although I note the other changes to the building, the harm I have described caused by the loss of the windows is not diminished. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Even if this had been the case, it would not justify their total replacement with unsympathetic materials in a design that does not reflect the character of the former windows, or the TCA. Although I note the other changes to the building, the harm I have described caused by the loss of the windows is not diminished. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/X3060/W/21/3271719 13. The TCA is a designated heritage asset as defined in the Framework. In accordance with Paragraph 199 of the Framework the finding of harm to designated heritage assets is a matter to which I must attach considerable importance and great weight. Given the scale of the proposed development, I quantify this harm as less than substantial. Where a development would lead to less than substantial harm, in accordance with Paragraph 202 of the Framework, this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal. 14. The appellant indicates that the installation of the new windows has secured the building’s optimum viable use and in turn the use positively contributes to the setting of the adjacent listed building. However, the building is occupied as a dental practice and I have no evidence before me that the viable use of the building is or was under threat. On this basis I attach limited weight to the public benefit of the building’s occupation as a dental practice. This limited public benefit would not outweigh or justify the harm I have identified. 15.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Overall, I conclude that the development would not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the TCA and would be detrimental to the setting of the adjacent grade ll listed building in conflict with Policies CP1 and CP3 of the Wokingham Borough Adopted Core Strategy January 2010 and Policy TB24 of the Adopted Managing Development Delivery Local Plan February 2014. These policies, among other things, seek high-quality design and to preserve the important character and special architectural and historic interest of listed buildings and conservation areas, retaining or incorporating existing features or details of historic or architectural significance or design quality. The development would also conflict with the Framework. Other Matters 16. I accept that the original windows could have been painted in a dark colour. This is illustrated by the dark paint colour used on No 1 High Street opposite the site. However, the use of dark paint at that property does not detract from the proportions of the windows, its historic joinery or the quality of the window detail.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Appeal Decision Even if the original windows had been painted in a dark colour this would not have detracted from their contribution to the historic interest of the building and its character and appearance in the TCA. 17. The fact that the windows may need replacing in as little as 20 years does not justify the harm to the character and appearance of the TCA or the setting of the listed building. 18. The appellant suggests that the installation of applied glazing bars would overcome any perceived harm. However, I have no information about how such glazing bars would be installed and I am not satisfied that such an approach would overcome the harm I have identified. Conclusion 19. For the reasons given above, the proposal would conflict with the development plan and there are no material considerations that would outweigh that conflict. Therefore, the appeal is dismissed.

1-3 Church Street, Twyford, Wokingham, RG10 9DP — Wokingham Borough Council — Diane Cragg, INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3