Harwood bungalow plans rejected over ‘out of character’ windows

Plans had been submitted to modernise the property on Sandown Road, Harwood, including converting the garage into living space, rendering the property and changing its windows.

The most distinctive part of the scheme was glazing on the front of the bungalow stretching from ground level to the apex of the roof.

Bolton Council refused permission in April, arguing that the combined impact of the increased glazing and render would harm the character and appearance of the area.

The decision was appealed, with an appeal statement arguing that the council had “very substantially overstated” the significance of what was described as a “modest glazing panel” above the entrance.

It also argued that “residential neighbourhoods are not museum exhibits”.

The statement said established neighbourhoods naturally evolve as homeowners adapt and modernise their properties.

It pointed to other properties in Harwood where contemporary alterations had previously been approved, including a bungalow around 500 metres away on Hough Fold Way and a home on Chale Green.

But planning inspector Martin H Seddon dismissed the appeal after visiting the site on August 18.

The inspector did, however, disagree with concerns over the render.

He noted that a significant number of nearby bungalows already incorporated render and said: “I see no reason why it should not be used as an external material at the appeal building.”

The floor-to-roof glazing proved decisive.

Mr Seddon said there were no other bungalows with full-height glazing in the immediate vicinity and that the proposed front elevation would appear “prominent and out of character in the street scene”.

The appeal had highlighted a triangular window previously approved at the bungalow next door, but the inspector said this was smaller and separated from the doors below.

He concluded that the proposed glazing would be “harmful to the character and appearance of the surrounding area because of its scale and extent”.

The appeal was therefore dismissed.

However, much of the planned makeover can still go ahead, with the council approving an almost identical scheme for the bungalow which retains the rendered elevations but removes the disputed glazing above the entrance.