A PROPOSAL to force the owners of a prominent Great Yarmouth seafront building to remove uPVC windows fitted into listed buildings was rejected by the borough council this week.

A PROPOSAL to force the owners of a prominent Great Yarmouth seafront building to remove uPVC windows fitted into listed buildings was rejected by the borough council this week.

Stephen Earl, the council's conservation and heritage manager, had argued the work was unauthorised and detrimental to the listed building, the former Caroline Seagull office in Britannia Terrace.

However, a report by planning officers, which recommended the plans be approved, said there had already been a number of examples of unauthorised work done to the building over the years.

Speaking at Tuesday's development control meeting, Mr Earl said: “The recommendation to approve this is against the policy of the last 20 years and if we allow this it will adversely affect the character of the building.

“It is totally incorrect to say that it is not desirable. It is totally unacceptable to have uPVC windows against the guidance of the conservation department and other building regulations.”

He added enforcement action had been taken in the past against people carrying out unauthorised work and warned the planning department would not be justified in now approving plans after the applicant had failed to go through the correct planning process.

But committee chairman Charles Reynolds said unauthorised works had already taken place there and he supported the current scheme's objective to spruce up the listed building.

Addressing Mr Earl, he added: “There is no way you or anyone else could take enforcement action against these people with what has happened down there. What is going to help Britannia Terrace is to encourage investment.

“I respect what you are saying, but things are not going to happen down there until we see investment and gradual improvement.”