9,000 heritage opportunities
Andy Cocker, director at Kent-based Slenderline Glass, discusses the opportunities presented by conservation areas using its range of heritage sealed units.
Businesses look to expand into new markets to increase their revenue streams and win new business. Despite the growing number of products specifically designed to meet the needs of the sector, many businesses hesitate to explore conservation areas because of their notoriously strict guidelines.
However, while some only see obstacles, there are those who take advantage of the many opportunities the sector presents.
In fact, there are over 9,000 opportunities for tradespeople, with new research suggesting there are more than 9,800 conservation areas across England’s 336 local planning authorities alone. Of course, conservation status is designed to safeguard heritage buildings and does so for more properties than any other scheme in the UK or Europe. It’s imperative therefore that strict guidelines are in place to ensure homeowners and businesses don’t use just any product, but something that is a direct like-for-like replacement, or an authentic replica.
It’s one of the greatest challenges facing homeowners in conservation areas. However, as the demand has grown and technology has improved, manufacturers have wised up and created a full range of glazing products that are accepted by local councils and can help businesses effectively service this strong demand.
Whether it’s intelligent timber, PVCU vertical sliders or timber-effect flush sash systems, all have seen success in conservation areas by providing the cutting-edge performance the homeowner desires, along with an accurate, sympathetic design that meets the stringent guidelines of local councils.
It’s this successful combination that has seen the rise of Slenderline Glass and our range of advanced slimline heritage units. The result of years of research and development, our range of sealed units replicate heritage aesthetics while offering cutting-edge thermal performance. With a range of sizes to match any traditional rebate, a Slenderline unit takes advantage of warm edge technology from Edgetech and either argon or krypton gas.
Slenderline’s ability to meet the needs of both the restoration and replication markets has meant it has become the trusted solution for joiners, builders, contractors and installers across the country.
Of course, conservation areas do present challenges for businesses and they can certainly make jobs anything but straightforward. However, when you consider the possibility of countless PVCU windows being installed in a village like Bourneville in Birmingham, or large-span patio doors spoiling the Georgian gem of Stamford in Lincolnshire (England’s first conservation area), it’s clear to see the importance of safeguarding procedures.
But, the success of products like Slenderline Glass goes to show conservation areas are definitely not a lost cause. In fact, with the right products and the right supplier, conservation areas provide the countless opportunities that businesses are so desperately looking for at the moment to win new business.
