Family 'persecuted' Over Double Glazing In Listed Building

A Birkenhead family have said that they fear being forced out of their Grade II listed home after having the'wrong windows' installed.

Pat O'Hara, a construction worker, has claimed he is being'persecuted' for his decision to install double glazing as he and his wife now face a bill of more than 35,000 from their local council to have the property restored to its original condition.

O'Hara said that he had fitted the windows to the property 10 years ago to provide health benefits to his son John, 29, who suffered from cerebral palsy up until his death two years ago.

"The windows were rotten and we needed to make sure the house was warm and not draughty. We had them put in for my son's health," he said.

The O'Hara's home is in Birkenhead's Clifton Park Conservation Area, which has strict rules about changes to the buildings which are considered to be of historic importance.

This has lead to an ongoing dispute with Wirral Council, who have outlined a number of proposals, including prosecuting the O'Haras, accepting it is not in the public interest to pursue a prosecution, or the council undertaking the work and charging it to the house.

However, in a report the council's planning committee has recommend a prosecution, which could mean a substantial fine for the family. The document described the Clifton Park Conservation Area as registered as 'at risk' on the Government's Heritage at Risk register, adding that 'these factors must be balanced against the personal circumstances of the occupiers.'

by: Sarah Wyattle

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