The Historic Buildings Advisory Committee has refused to support proposed renovations to Prince Alfred Terrace in Dockyard over the use of aluminium windows.

Wedco applied to replace the building’s asbestos roof and replace all of the external doors and windows, but the HBAC has called on the quango to use wooden doors and windows in some portions of the site.

The Grade 1 listed building was first erected in the 1840s as married quarters for officers of the Royal Naval Dockyard.

The doors and windows were originally wooden but they were replaced with aluminium in 1989 by the Royal Navy.

The HBAC noted that a Grade 1 listed building is considered to have survived in essentially its original condition and has exceptional architectural or historic value that should be preserved. Under planning regulations, minor alterations should be carried out using the same materials as were used originally, and in the same style.

While the HBAC proposed a compromise, suggesting that only 54 of the building’s 148 windows and 13 of the 61 doors be replaced with wooden equivalents to reduce the cost of the project, Wedco elected to continue with their original plan without amendment.

Wedco later offered to replace the PVC balustrades at the site with wooden balustrades, but that compromise was declined.

The planning application was scheduled to go before the Development Applications Board late last month, with a recommendation of refusal.