Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 24 April 2008

LAKE District planners have defended their decision to allow a change of windows in one of Keswick’s best known town centre buildings.

Their decision was made despite objections from the town council and the civic society who said the proposal showed flagrant disregard for planning law.

The decision over the windows in the former Leather Shop in Station Street was delegated to a senior planning officer.

Town councillors have been told their views were considered not substantive and further comments from them came in after the authority’s deadline date and weren’t considered because the application had already been decided.

Bill Murray, from the authority’s compliance team, told the council they had not given any reasoning or analysis to support their view that the windows were out of keeping with the building, which is in the Keswick Conservation Area.

The planning permission has been granted retrospectively to an applicant with a Sunderland address.

The building is a four-storey end terrace with three flats and potential use of the ground floor as a betting shop. It is not a listed building.

The renovation programme for the premises included the replacement upvc and incorporating antique leadwork.

The town council took the view that the windows were out of keeping with the property and there was strong opposition from Keswick Civic Society which said 14a Station Street was built in the 1800s when it was occupied by the National and Provincial Bank.

In the planners’ decision, it is stated that the new windows respect the character and appearance of the area.