Those replacement windows must go!

Rose Travis and Belinda Murrell, of Marina, got a shock when, two months ago, they received a letter from the council informing them they had not been given planning permission to change their wooden windows to uPVC double glazing.

And in a subsequent retrospective planning application, permission was refused on the grounds the property is in a conservation area, and the windows are 'detrimental to the character.'

But the pair claim they made three separate telephone calls to Rother before the windows were fitted, and were told no planning approval was required.

Rose, 33, and Belinda, 40, have now decided to launch an appeal against the decision after recently receiving another letter telling them to replace the windows.

Rose, said: "We're angry because we've seen other properties in the conservation area with these windows and we can't see any difference.

"As far as we're concerned if they have to be replaced then every other property in the conservation area should have them replaced as well."

Belinda, added: "We really don't understand what we have done wrong. We were just trying to improve the property.

"We phoned the council to ask if we needed permission and each time they said no. We weren't told it was a conservation area."

Neighbour, Matt Henry, is mounting a campaign on behalf of Rose and Belinda.

He said: "It is ridiculous. Many of the properties next door to us have replacement uPVC windows identical to theirs in design and operation. Ours in the top flat are identical. They were supplied by the same firm.

"The building next door has had uPVC windows from top to bottom from the same firm.

"We are helping them with their appeal because we feel this is so silly. There are scores of buildings within the conservation area that have uPVC windows of the same design.

"We are going to check the Rother planning permission register to see if they have been granted planning permission."

Rother's chief planning officer, Frank Rallings, said: "The matter is under investigation and the council would normally send a letter confirming if window changes did not require planning permission."