§ Mr. Sydney Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will seek to amend Section 22(2)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 and/or the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1973, Schedule I, Class I, as necessary, to ensure that where a window is replaced in a main elevation of a building, involving an enlargement of the original window area or change in 93W shape, such an alteration would be deemed to be material and so require planning permission;
(2) if he will seek to amend Section 22(2(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 and/or the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1973, Schedule 1, Class I, as necessary to ensure that where a wall or part of a wall of a main elevation of a building is rendered or refaced with a different material, such an alteration would be deemed to be material and so require planning permission.
§ Mr. Graham PageNo. I see no reason to vary the present arrangements. Under these, it is a matter of fact and degree whether an alteration materially affects the external appearance of a building and thus constitutes development. Permission for development of this kind is conveyed under Class 1.1 of the General Development Order 1973. This general condition can be withdrawn by an Article 4 direction but, outside conservation areas, directions are justifiable only in exceptional circumstances.