York Minster has hit back after being accused of installing ‘highly visually intrusive’ windows on a city centre building.
The Minster owns Church House on Ogleforth. It won permission to convert the 19th century building from offices to flats in 2022.
But City of York Council says its plans for the new windows were never approved.
The Minster has applied for retrospective planning permission for the windows. But council officers are recommending that permission is refused.
That could mean the windows have to be taken out and replaced.
In a report to Monday’s planning committee meeting, officers say they are “highly visually intrusive and negatively impact the Conservation Area and surrounding listed buildings”.
But the Minster says the windows are very energy efficient – and should be allowed to stay.
Alex McCallion, York Minster’s director of works and precinct, said: “In 2019 City of York Council declared a climate emergency.
“York Minster has repeatedly supported this position, noting that the biggest threat to the fabric of the cathedral and its estate is extreme weather brought about by the climate emergency.
“We have responded quickly and decisively, developing a suite of decarbonisation policies; by the end of 2024, we will be generating over 120,000 kWh of power per year.
“Further, retrofit is a core part of our plan to reduce energy consumption and make our buildings more efficient.
“These projects are being recognised both nationally and internally, establishing York Minster as a leader in heritage adaptation.
“The Church House retrofit project has delivered ten apartments with A-rated thermally efficient windows.
“Together with internal wall insulation and a combined heating system, Church House is now the most energy efficient building in the cathedral’s precinct.
“We must act with speed if we hope to meet the objectives of the 2016 Paris Agreement. The Council quite rightly set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030 – that only leaves 1,848 days. The clock is ticking.”
Church House, built in the 19th century and remodelled in the 20th century, is not a listed building.
But it is within the Central Historic Core Conservation Area and forms part of York Minster Cathedral Precinct, a scheduled monument.