Scotland eases rules on window replacements in conservation areas

The long-standing ban on uPVC windows has been lifted, and a streamlined approval process is making it easier for period homes to benefit from draught-free, thermally efficient designs.

In May 2024, revisions to Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for conservation areas came into effect.

If a property is in a conservation area – but not listed or within a World Heritage Site – rear elevation windows and side elevation windows which do not front a road can be replaced without permission. For principal elevation windows, or side elevation windows which front a road, a streamlined prior notification/prior approval process now replaces the need for a full planning application, provided the new designs closely match the originals in key aspects such as opening style, pane configuration, frame, astragal dimensions and colour.

Double-glazing and uPVC frames are now also explicitly permited under prior approval, as long as the period character of the building is retained.