AN APPLICATION to replace windows in a former navy barracks in Weymouth has been refused after it was ruled doing so would not ‘respect the historical character or appearance’ of the grade II listed building.
The Red Barracks overlook Weymouth harbour and were one of three barracks built in the 18th century as part of the country's heightened defences against possible invasion by Napoleon's forces.
The barracks were rebuilt in 1801 and used during the Second World War as a gun operations room but then gradually fell into disrepair.
They were sold and redeveloped in 1984 and renamed Wellington Court.
The application proposal, by the Wellington Court Management Company, sought to replace all the timber windows in the building and replace them with PVC plastic windows as part of ‘building maintenance’.
But Weymouth and Portland Borough Council dismissed the application, stating that doing so ‘would not respect the character or appearance of the listed buildings’.
An appeal by the management company has also been lost.
A report by Inspector Nick Fagan states: “A number of the existing windows are well maintained and in a good state of repair.”
A representation from the Weymouth Civic Society, who were against the application, said the PVC windows would have to ‘exactly replicate’ the form of the existing windows because the Red Barracks is an important listed building.
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