Conservation & Heritage Issue 49 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 119
Conservation
or Compromise?
Paul Trace, Director of Stella Rooflight discusses the rise of imitation rooflights
in heritage projects
Renovating or extending a heritage property is about
more than meeting planning requirements, it’s about
preserving character, honouring craftsmanship, and
protecting the story of a building for future generations.
Yet across the UK, a subtle but serious threat to our built
heritage is on the rise: the growing use of cheap imitation
‘heritage-style’ rooflights.
In recent years, large-volume manufacturers have entered
the heritage sector with mass-produced roof window
products marketed as “conservation” rooflights. These
typically feature a black frame and a surface-applied
glazing bar designed to mimic traditional detailing.
However, many of these products are made from plastic or
thin aluminium and lack the proportions, materials and
subtlety required to integrate with historic architecture.
At Stella Rooflight, we specialise in genuine conservation
rooflights, handcrafted in the UK from 316L stainless
steel and hardwood inner linings. Our rooflights are
designed to replicate the slim profiles and low-pitch
installations of traditional fittings. Yet despite our
commitment to authenticity and quality, we increasingly
see these inferior alternatives being specified by architects,
accepted by conservation officers, and installed into listed
and historic buildings.
The reason? Cost.
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Budget pressures, particularly in public sector or
ecclesiastical restoration work, are leading decisionmakers to favour cheaper alternatives. On the surface, this
might appear to be a practical compromise. But in reality,
it risks long-term damage to the visual integrity of our
historic environment.
This issue was brought into sharp focus during a recent
exchange with a respected heritage consultant. Defending
the use of what he called “user-friendly and affordable”
conservation-style rooflights, he wrote:
“Like lots of other things, you can’t uninvent them, and it’s
a question of how their use is governed. I believe you have to
be realistic and acknowledge that there are many cases in the
historic environment where such things do no harm and might be
an improvement on what’s already there.”
“We did look at Stella rooflights for an annexe we recently
built, and thought they were a lovely product, but the needs of
the building didn’t merit it and I’m afraid a cheaper imitation
alternative prevailed that time.”
This kind of comment highlights just how far the
conversation has shifted. When the professionals
responsible for protecting our historic buildings feel
forced to compromise on quality and authenticity, we
must ask: where does this lead?
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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