A WEST Devon school?s project to promote world peace fell foul of borough planners this week, when an application to install a stained glass window received the thumbs-down.
Councillors decided the ?peace window?, created by a 93-year-old Benedictine monk, would be detrimental to the character of the Grade II Listed Milton Abbot School if it was placed within one of the existing windows.
The decision outraged ward member Cllr Dilwyn Hughes, who argued strongly that the window should be installed in the school hall.
?We should all be in favour of this ? it?s for peace for heaven?s sake. If you turn this down, God help us,? said Cllr Hughes, who said the school planned to focus on the window during assembly times, to encourage awareness and a desire for world peace.
?This school was founded by the Duke of Bedford ? the new duke is fully in agreement and would like to see the window in situ. In 50 years time you?d be pleased it was there,? said Cllr Hughes, who suggested councillors should visit the school and see for themselves the stained glass panel.
Planning officer Chris Watson told the committee the circular, stained glass window would take up virtually the entire bottom half of a window in the front of the building, founded as an endowed school by the Duke of Bedford in 1829.
Mr Watson said: ?Whilst undoubtedly this would be a proposal of interest and beauty, the application must be judged entirely within the context of the character of this Listed building.?
He said the council?s conservation officer had decided the stained glass panel would be detrimental in the Gothic mullioned window, though he admitted the bottom section of window was not original.
Cllr Roger Mathew, committee chairman, said the application had to be judged in terms of whether it would damage the character of the Listed building.
He proposed the application be turned down ?with considerable personal regret?.
Cllr Mathew said: ?The benefits and merits of a peace window are not material planning considerations. I would invite you to put your hand very much on your hearts ? I do understand the difficulties some of you are facing, but this is a planning committee, not a peace committee.?
Peter Jones, headteacher at Milton Abbot School, was shocked at the news.
He said he was ?very surprised? at the decision and said the school would fight to continue with the project.
Mr Jones said: ?We?re a living school for people, we?re about education and the community and it?s such a shame West Devon wouldn?t take this opportunity to have this wonderful thing in one of their schools.?
Mr Jones said Milton Abbot hoped to be the third school in the country to have such a window, one of a series organised by the Flight of the Phoenix group to promote world peace.
?The idea is by children and communities having these windows, they feel in touch with other people around the world,? said Mr Jones.
?It?s a shame. I think the objections are aesthetic and a personal opinion. We look after this building, we certainly wouldn?t do anything to damage it.
?What we were planning was totally reversible and would have replaced a rather ugly metal hopper vent.?
?We will have to try and work out a solution, but that window really was the perfect place.
Mr Jones said he would take advice on the matter but said the window had ?a lot of support? and the school was determined to proceed with the project.