When you think about York Minster and windows, images of centuries-old stained glass come to mind.
But some much newer windows installed by the cathedral are not thought to possess the same timeless beauty.
In fact, they have fallen foul of conservationists, been described as ‘crude’ – and may need to be removed.
These modern windows were added to Church House in Ogleforth after the Minster was given permission to turn the building from offices into 11 flats in 2022.
While the overall conversion got the go-ahead, “the submitted details for the replacement windows were found to be unacceptable and were not approved” a new council report reveals.
Nevertheless, they were installed. As a consequence the Minster was asked to submit a retrospective planning application for the Church House windows.
Now council officers are recommending the application is refused.
If members of the planning committee follow their recommendation at their meeting next Monday (16 December) the windows might have to be removed and replaced.
Both the Guildhall planning panel and the York Civic Trust objected to the new windows.
The trust said that, “due to the heavy gauge of the window bars (they appear approximately twice as thick as their predecessors) and the white colour, the new windows resemble uPVC”.
That meant they were “highly visually intrusive and negatively impact the Conservation Area and surrounding listed buildings”.
However, Professor Stephen Levett, director of the Sustainability Clinic at the University of York, supports the application. He says the Minster should be commended for fitting energy efficient windows, “in line with the council’s own declaration of a climate emergency”.
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.
The report says: “The windows prior to refurbishment made a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the building and the conservation area and the setting of adjacent listed buildings.
“The retrospective windows show a radical negative change in appearance… The windows that have been installed as part of this retrospective application are not the only option available that would have allowed the use of double glazing.”
In recommending refusal, officers say: “The windows by reason of their crude proportions, detailing and dominant bulky frames are a distracting feature in a prominent location in the street which fails to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
“The proposal harms the character of the building, conservation area and setting of listed buildings.”
We’ve asked if the Minster wants to comment on the report.
It is not the first time York Minster has courted controversy with Church House.
When it first put forward plans to convert the building into luxury flats it attracted criticism for not including any contribution to affordable housing in the city.
Instead the Dean and Chapter wanted its statutory £365K affordable housing contribution to instead go to a fund to restore the Minster’s medieval Mauley Window.
After YorkMix revealed this plan, it caused a backlash, and a revised planning application including two apartments with affordable rent, was submitted.