Sympathy a cold comfort
Planners refuse permission to replace timber frames of 18th-century cottage
THE owners of an 18th-century village home have lost their bid to replace traditional timber window frames with UPVC, despite sympathy for their “cold” location.
The owners of the property at Marketgate, Ormiston, had initially been given the goahead to replace the windows and door frames of the house after agreeing with planning officers that timber frames would be used for the sides of the house visible to the main road.
But they submitted a new application to replace all the windows with UPVC frames, which was rejected after planners said the main streetfacing part of the house was an “intrinsic part” of the village’s conservation area.
And a meeting of East Lothian Council’s local review body last month unanimously rejected an appeal by the owners, ruling that the change of material would be out of character with the local area.
Councillor Neil Gilbert, review body member, told the meeting following a visit to the house: “It was quite obvious this was a conservation area; the history is there for all to see.
“The windows and door in
question are easily viewable from the street or public footpath.”
Chairing the review body, Councillor Andrew Forrest said that the historic property was “so blatantly in your face” that a change of materials
would be visible.
And Councillor Donna Collins said that, despite sympathising over the weather in the village, she could not support the appeal.
She said: “I was a bit conflicted because I know how cold Ormiston can get in the winter time.
“They are trying to make it look similar but it is a listed building, a historic conservation area. I think turning it into UPVC will affect the character.”
Rejecting the new proposals from the applicants, officers had said: “The southern part of Marketgate, which includes the applicant’s house,
I know how cold Ormiston can get but it is a listed building, a conservation area
comprises of a group of former agricultural buildings that have been converted to housing.
“These houses and buildings are readily visible from Main Street, are of traditional character and appearance, and make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of Ormiston Conservation Area.”