That was not about the merits or demerits of Conservation Areas but about
the behaviour of people who would seek to snitch on their neightbours to
petty bureaucrats.

Personally, I don't care as long as the plastic gets replaced with wood.

The crime of uPVCing existing wooden sash conservation area windows is
vastly greater than "snitching" on your neighbours. Your neighbours had the
choice to comply with the law or act like *******s. It was their choice.
What happened was that some wanky developer could save a few hundred quid by
fitting substandard ugly tat and did so. They do this sort of thing all the
time. Intentionally, knowing that they won't get caught. Each transgression
by a developer should result in proper four digit fines. A third offence
should involve five figure fines.

If the alternative to non-snitching is to end up with crappy ugly uPVC
windows next door, then I know what I would do.

Christian.