Last updated at 16:54, Friday, 17 August 2012

THE owner of a restaurant has put his business up for sale after losing an eight-month planning battle.

Tim Bell has owned the Crown Court House since 2003 and had ambitions of creating four-star accommodation at the venue in Market Street, Dalton.

In November last year he applied to install new uPVC windows to the property but members of Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee refused the application as they felt it was not in keeping with the conservation area.

The council argued he should use wooden windows.

On Tuesday an appeal against the decision failed – and Mr Bell has announced he will close the business this weekend.

He said: “It’s disappointing, we’ve spent so much time and energy trying to make this a special place.

“It’s not a cost issue, the windows are aluminium framed and have better safety features.

“Wooden windows can warp and where we are we get sea spray and I would have to put scaffolding up every couple of years to repaint them.

“The windows we wanted were specified to get a tourism grant, they are endorsed by English Heritage.

“It’s a shame. We would like to thank all our regular customers for their support and we have made a 100 per cent commitment to making this business sustainable and a community hub for Dalton. We are very disappointed this cannot be realised.

“This leaves Barrow Borough Council detached from many other planning authorities around the country like SLDC, who have allowed the heritage range of PVC, energy-efficient windows to be used in their conservation areas.’’

The building has been put up for sale and Mr Bell is looking for offers around £495,000.

Councillor Ann Thomson, chairwoman of the council’s planning committee, said planning permission had been refused because the committee felt the windows would not be acceptable in a conservation area.

She added that the decision was upheld on appeal by national planning body, the Planning Inspectorate.

First published at 16:08, Friday, 17 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk