Planning Officer refusing cream windows

[buildernewbie]

we are on the verge of getting planning permission for our renovation project having jumped through numerous hoops set by our planning officer.

he has now refused our windows because he doesn’t like the colour cream. i’m increasingly pissed off because we’ve made so many changes at his request.

the house is 150 years old and isn’t listed, isn’t in an area of any historic relevance, but is simply a property that we are trying to pay homage to. we are also extending to the side, so while it will have a contemporary look, the officer insisted that we keep the original stone. it wasn’t what i wanted but we agreed to it to get the planning permitted. we are having cream sash windows on the stone front, but he wants a dark grey.

i feel that grey is modern and will lose its appeal in years to come, especially on a stone house. i thought cream would emphasise the stone and would soften the overall appearance.

i will be telephoning this officer on monday for a final attempt to persuade him to allow the cream. any tips? DH is at the end of his tether with this man who seems to wield so much power. it all seems down to his personal taste though, which is rather infuriating.

help!

Put the grey in and paint them cream in 6 months

@Scrowy

Put the grey in and paint them cream in 6 months

Yes exactly this. It’s annoying, I know what a pain planning depts can be, but once they’ve inspected it and signed it off they won’t come back.

I really don’t understand that and the control they have! Absolutely bonkers. If you can paint them after installed do that, but not easy with some types of windows. Why the fuck does he want them grey?

No advice, but I sympathise. In our area what you are allowed to do seems to depend entirely on which planning officer is dealing with your case. They are very inconsistent.

Personally if it's the difference between being able to sign off planning permission or not I wouldn't choose 'cream vs grey' as the hill to die on.

Don't telephone him, don't argue. Just thank him for the advice via email, state you will order them in grey and get it done and signed off.

Sing the rudest song you know with every brush stroke when you repaint them at a later date (I highly recommend Lily Allen for this).

i don’t understand neither.

the windows are the slender UPVC and are saving us a fortune compared to timber and aluminium so painting not really an option.

i fucking hate the grey against the stone - it looks so gothic. whereas the cream softens it, lifts the stone and really brings out the best in the building,

ironically, the same appearance in a similar property was passed 4 years ago by the same planning department. i just don’t get it.

any advice on what to say to the planning officer on monday?

thanks everyone. thanks @Scrowy. i’m a slow typer and didn’t see your post

From what you've just said, you tell him there's precedence from four years ago. That's a simple fact and it might make him think again.

“ Scrowy
Put the grey in and paint them cream in 6 months
Yes exactly this. It’s annoying, I know what a pain planning depts can be, but once they’ve inspected it and signed it off they won’t come back.”

This is a risky strategy and no one can guarantee that the council won’t come back.

Can you not just agree to the window frames as being ‘neutral colour/palette’ - (as the broad description includes both cream and grey) and then put in the grey windows when you build? This would then not breach the planning consent and give you peace of mind.

Refuse and suggest he escalates it to his supervisor.

I mean put the cream in, obvs.

And if that doesn't work, get in touch with your local councillors and ask them to raise it with the Head of Planning.
Sounds like they are exceeding their remit if it's not a listed building or in a conservation area.

there’s a creamy pale grey which i’m ok about I suppose. i could compromise but I’d prefer not to!

I can't understand it - cream is far more in keeping with an old building surely?! I hate the modern greys. Windows should be bright not like black holes. What are the colour of the rest of the windows on the existing part of the house?

A sage green is quite nice too. Definitely better than grey. I feel your pain.

I absolutely hate grey windows, so drab and dated, it would be a hill I would die on. How on earth can he be that specific on a non listed, non conservation house?

Get photos of as many local houses in similar stone with non grey windows.

Planning officers should refer to local Planning guidelines when specifying things like windows, but some just insist on their own personal taste.
A friend renovated a neglected Grade II concrete Brutalist house and the PlanninOfficer insisted on Portland stone for the new gate pillars which didn't match the house at all!

I hate grey window frames; they always look like someone covered them in undercoat and never came back to finish the job. Surely a lighter colour like cream would be more in keeping with an older building.

It doesn’t seem right his preference is what you have to do. We had a planning officer refuse to let us build a bigger porch - his reason was future owners might not like it. We did say they don’t have to buy the house if they don’t like it but he wouldn’t budge. I wish we had complained now.

Ask him to show you the local planning guidelines or specific planning regulations that state that cream is not acceptable.

I'll guarantee you that he can't.

@buildernewbie

i don’t understand neither.

the windows are the slender UPVC and are saving us a fortune compared to timber and aluminium so painting not really an option.

i fucking hate the grey against the stone - it looks so gothic. whereas the cream softens it, lifts the stone and really brings out the best in the building,

ironically, the same appearance in a similar property was passed 4 years ago by the same planning department. i just don’t get it.

any advice on what to say to the planning officer on monday?

There are uPVC spraying companies. We have just had the windows of our house sprayed and they look brilliant.

I think you could appeal tbh; this planning officer should not be allowed to dictate the colour of your windows based on personal taste. I am aware of someone who successfully appealed when they had to deal with a difficult planning officer

Husband deals with planners all the time and they really are ridiculous. Half the time they've not even read the details properly. Disagree with the pp who said don't call - absolutely call and discuss it. They do back down a lot. You can escalate if not. It's ridiculous how much power they wield when so much is personal preference.

What a pain! Ask him for the specific planning policy which dictates the colour of the windows he is stipulating. I’d be really surprised if he can. If he can’t, and still insists on the grey windows, escalate it to the senior officers along with examples of other houses in the area with cream windows. Good luck!

I have no experience of having work refused. I agree with the similar property having set a precedence you can ask for a rethink and escalate if not.

I hate cream colours