A DECISION to make a man remove UPVC double glazed windows from his home has sparked a heated debate about conservation areas.

John Walker, of North End, Sedgefield, was told by Sedgefield Borough Council that he must take out the new windows because they are not in keeping with the village, which is a conservation area.

He was told that although the windows fitted to his home made it look desirable, he must remove them because they were not made of traditional materials.

Reluctant councillors from the borough's development control committee backed the recommendations made by officers over the retrospective planning application in a divided vote of 16 to 13.

But many felt it was unfair because other houses in the village had various forms of double glazing, including aluminium and uPVC.

One councillor pointed out that a council house in the conservation area had uPVC windows installed.

Mr Walker told a meeting last week that he had walked around the village several times before choosing his windows because he wanted something that would fit in with the rest of area.

He said: "I have gone to extra cost to put in Georgian-style double sash windows and I have had many compliments about the work I have done to the house and how nice the windows look."

Councillor Garry Huntington said he felt he could not ask Mr Walker to take out the windows if other houses had uPVC windows. He said: "I think the house looks lovely. If we are going to insist on this, we may as well knock on all the doors in Sedgefield with double glazing and tell them to take out their windows. We need to be consistent.''

But Councillor Kester Noble said that strict guidelines were in place to protect conservation areas.

He said: "If we give in to this application, we are setting a precedent and we may as well kiss goodbye to our conservation area.

"Other people have come to us and we have insisted that they use traditional materials. What do we tell them if we let this one go?"