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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 18/00584/B Applicant : Mr Adrian Darbyshire Proposal : Rendering works (retrospective) Site Address : 2 Lhargan Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5AR

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 11.07.2018 Site Visit : 11.07.2018 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.07.2018 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the information received on 4th June, 2018.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing end of terrace property which sits on the western side of Lhargan. The property is a two storey traditional Manx cottage which sits slightly lower than that adjoining to the north (number 3). The property was, until mid November, 2017, finished in painted stonework. The property has recently been re-finished in smooth render which is now painted a cream colour. The gable and rear elevation of the property was formerly smooth rendered.

1.2 The stonework on the property was random coursed with large stone quoins on each of the corners. Numbers 3, 5 and 9 have more regularly coursed straight edged stonework with raised/strap pointing: number 7 is finished in pebble dash. Both numbers 1 and 9, the outer faces of the terrace, have large stone qoins on the outer corners of the front walling but where that on number 9 is smoother and flatter: the two end properties are not replicas of each other.

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THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is retrospective approval for the smooth rendering of the stone work. This work has already been undertaken. The applicant explains that the property was constructed prior to 1832 and has solid masonry walls with stone quarried from the site itself. The property has suffered historic water ingress and as a result, the gable and quoins were rendered in sand/cement some time in the 1970s or 80s. The front elevation including the remaining parts of the quoins, were treated in a wall coating system in 2003 but this performed poorly, trapping water inside. When the coating was removed recently traces of the original lime mortar render was discovered in the top 18 inches of the elevation.

2.2 The external render that has been applied is lime mortar which has been applied to all three elevations and stack and finish with a silicate paint system, in their view, returning the house to its former condition. They explain why lime mortar is the appropriate finish to the property. They applied the mortar to the whole of the front elevation as in their view, leaving existing stonework of poor quality exposed would have left it vulnerable/ They explain that the cement window bands had failed and they could not be replaced without compromising the surrounding render. In their view, leaving the quoins exposed would have compromised the lime render and left the building vulnerable to water ingress.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The property lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as Predominantly Residential. The site also lies within an area proposed for consideration as a Conservation Area. Within the appraisal which supports the proposed CA status, the application property is referred to as follows:

"There is an older stone-built terrace of several houses at the lower end of the Lhargan which were built prior to 1869."

"Prevalent and Traditional Building Materials, Textures and Colours Due to the phased development of the area proposed to be included within the conservation area, there is no prevalent style of construction. However, the vast majority of properties are built in stone, many having a render coat. Some exposed Manx stone buildings include: the former school; Town Hall; The Lifeboat House; St Mary's Church; Mount Tabor Methodist Chapel, and the former Isle of Man Bank. Several residential properties still retain their natural stonework including: the majority of a terrace of houses at the lower end of the Lhargan; Willow Terrace; other buildings on Shore Road and many properties on Lime Street. Adjacent to Willow Terrace recently completed residential properties have been finished in traditional materials. These harmonise very well with the older neighbouring properties. To the rear of the Post Office is a particularly good example of a Manx stone building.

The later Victorian properties are again usually built in stone and mainly finished in render, which is typically smooth and often painted white or a pastel colours. There are exceptions to the above, particularly in the case of the two landmark corner buildings at the junction of Gellings Avenue and Bay View Road. These are built in red Ruabon brick. The public conveniences on The Quay have a simple Arts and Crafts style and are finished in rough-cast render.

Roof coverings are typically slate, although there is limited use of concrete tiles and man-made asbestos slates. In the area to the rear of High Street extending to Park Road, and between Athol Street and Queen's Road, the remaining industry can be found. A large proportion of the industrial premises have corrugated asbestos roofs."

"Vernacular Architectural Details The oldest remaining buildings which date before 1869 include: cottages on the seaward side of Bay View Road, adjacent to the old school; a terrace of cottages at the lower end of the

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Lhargan and cottages on Lime Street. Many of these retain their original form and to an extent their exterior appearance in Manx stone. These older residential properties followed the local vernacular style of the period. They are usually built in rough-random stone with broad Manx chimneys at gable ends. The roof is typically shallow pitch, clad in slate that in some cases replaces the original thatch. Windows and door openings have stone lintels and sills and original windows would have been small-pane, timber sashes."

3.2 The proposal should be considered in light of the following Strategic Plan policies:

3.2.1 General Policy 2: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape and (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality."

3.2.2 Although the site lies within a proposed rather than an adopted CA, it is relevant to consider the Environment Policy 35: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."

3.2.3 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Guide to the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man provides guidance on development in CAs, reflecting the requirements in EP 35 above.

"POLICY CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application. Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected."

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Planning approval was granted under 02/00593/B for the installation of timber framed sliding sashes and 84/00666/B approved a rear porch. Planning approval was granted for the rendering of the front elevation under 02/02080/B. A concurrent application is presently in the system for retrospective approval for the installation of a replacement roof (18/00585/LAW).

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services have no highway interest in the application (21st June, 2018).

5.2 Port St. Mary Commissioners have no objection (03.07.18).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The works change the appearance through the covering up of the existing stonework and whilst lime render has been used, it has been applied so thickly as to obliterate the texture of the stonework beneath. After discussion with the Registered Buildings Officer, it is considered that given the non-traditional style of pointing of those properties within the terrace which retain their stone finish, the fact that one of the terrace has already been dashed and that the

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properties may at one point have been rendered, given the pointing syle, the proposal does not have any adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The application is supported.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

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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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 18.07.2018

Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

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