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                                      23/01028/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/01028/B Applicant : Mr Illiam Christian Proposal : Installation of twenty replacement PVC casement style windows Site Address : 45 Victoria Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2LD

Planning Officer: Mr Toby Cowell Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.12.2023 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design standpoint, whilst ensuring that the character of the Conservation Area is successfully preserved. The development therefore accords with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 1, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the following drawings and documents referenced;

Location plan Photographs of existing windows Scaled drawings of proposed windows Received 25.08.23 __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

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It is recommended that the following should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

Isle of Man Victorian Society, Marjon House, Alberta Drive, Onchan

as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site relates to 45 Victoria Street in Douglas, a 4 storey office block in the town centre with a Victorian façade on the elevations visible from Victoria Street. The rear of the building, which features a plain rendered wall and uPVC windows, is accessible from King Street, a narrow service lane. The site lies within the Athol Street/Victoria Street Conservation Area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the replacement of a total of 20 UPVC casement styles windows on the southern (King Street) and eastern (service passage) elevations of the property.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 19/00242/B - Installation of four replacement windows to rear elevation - Permitted

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The application site is identified in the Area Plan for the East as falling within Mixed Use Area 3 - Strand Street, whilst also falling within the Athol Street/Victoria Street Conservation Area.

4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;

Strategic Policy 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact

Spatial Policy 1 Development in Douglas

General Policy 2 General Development Considerations

Environment Policy 35 Development within Conservation Areas 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality

4.3 Planning Circular 1/98 - The alteration and replacement of windows The following policy details the approach to replacement windows to buildings in Conservation Areas:

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                                      23/01028/B                                     Page  3  of  4

"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows must have the same pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows."

"Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in their construction."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council - No response received at the time of writing.

5.2 Highways Services - No highways interest. (01.09.23)

5.3 Registered Buildings Officer - No response received at the time of writing.

5.4 Manx National Heritage - No response received at the time of writing.

5.5 Manx Utilities Authority - No response received at the time of writing.

5.6 One letter of representation has been received from the Isle of Man Victorian Society, who have made the following comments:

We have viewed this application and have noted that the proposals relate to the King Street and Society Lane elevations to which we do not have any objections. For the purpose of clarity any approval notice should contain a note that no approval is given or implied to replacement windows facing Victoria Street. (11.09.23)

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key consideration in the assessment of this proposal is the character and appearance of the building itself, the streetscene, and the Conservation Area. This is assessed in line with the relevant policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Planning Circular 1/98 as set out in section 4 of this report.

6.2 Planning Circular 1/98, as outlined in 4.3, is clear in the requirements regarding the replacements of original windows which are in place. In this instance, the existing uPVC casement and sliding sash windows on the rear elevation are not of any traditional or aesthetic merit. Whilst it is noted that the proposals would seek to replace some of the existing sliding sash windows with top hung casement windows, it is recognised that the King Street streetscene is widely varied and uPVC is the most prevalent material used. Likewise, the general form and appearance of the proposed windows would closely replicate the existing, and therefore not result in a material change to the character and appearance of the property or that of the wider Conservation Area. No concerns are also raised over the proposed replacement windows in the service passage elevation, which would again introduce top hung casement windows closely replicating the form and appearance of those which they would replace.

6.3 Given the above, the proposals are considered to sufficiently preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area whilst being acceptable from a design standpoint, in compliance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design standpoint, whilst ensuring that the character of the Conservation Area is successfully preserved. The development therefore accords with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 1, General Policy 2 and

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Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 08.12.2023

Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

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