Planning officers have rebuked a St. George’s resident for installing a pair of aluminium-framed windows.

The Development Applications Board refused a retrospective application by Pauline Basden of York Street to replace two wooden windows.

It said: “The windows were installed without the benefit of Planning or building permit approvals and are considered visually detrimental to both the Historic Area and the historic building, and therefore contrary to the provisions of the Bermuda Plan 1992 Planning Statement.

“The Board wishes to express concern that the applicant has shown blatant disregard for the Planning process in that development was commenced prior to planning approval.

The Board wishes to advise the Minister to institute appropriate enforcement action.”

A Planning Department report states: “The building is a Grade Three historical listing and is also within the historic area of St. George.

“The applicant has replaced the existing wooden windows with aluminium windows.”

Although the St. George’s Preservation Authority and Historical Building Advisory Committee did not object to changing the windows, they stipulated that “the new windows should be traditional Bermudian wooden windows and must have vertical lights, raised muntins, and screens must be inside of the windows. Additionally any shutters must be of wood products and operable.”

The report added: “The applicant was not aware of the Department’s position in the previous application and has failed to make any changes to the current application.”

Maceo Dill, Assistant Planner, told The Royal Gazette: “Because we are trying to preserve the architectural merits of this area, any Planning applications are required to got through more of a stringent process.

“What we are mostly concerned with are details to design and the preservation of the historic area.

“The preservation authorities do recognise the need to change the old windows, but to still preserve the historic architecture of St. George’s.

Mrs. Basden said last week: “I have no comment.”