Inspector rules that Telford homeowner must replace illegal UPVC windows
A Telford homeowner has been told that a council was right to tell him to remove all the windows he installed without permission.
Telford & Wrekin Council slapped an enforcement notice on the owner of a property in New Road, Ironbridge, after finding that timber windows had been removed without authorisation.
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Mr Shiv Sharma appealed against the council’s enforcement notice but a government planning inspector has dismissed his case.
The inspector said Mr Sharma had not suggested any “lesser steps” that could rectify the situation.
“To allow retention of the UPVC windows through the imposition of lesser steps would effectively grant permission by default and would undermine the statutory enforcement process,” the inspector wrote.
In reaching the decision the inspector did not visit the site.
“The requirements of the notice do no more than oblige the appellant to undo what has been done.
“They are the minimum necessary to comply with the notice and are proportionate to achieve its purpose to restore the property back to its condition before the breach took place.
“Since no lesser steps have been identified which would achieve that purpose, the appeal fails.”
The council’s enforcement notice calls for the removal of four unauthorised white UPVC windows from the front elevation of the property, one white UPVC window from the side, and all the windows from the conservatory.
Mr Sharma has been told to replace all the unauthorised windows with white painted timber windows of the same design.
