110523

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                                      18/00881/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 18/00881/B Applicant : Maurice & Sheila Trace Proposal : Replacement of existing balcony double doors and side lights with Veka UPVC units Site Address : Apartment 24 Millennium Court Queens Promenade Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4NN

Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken : 05.09.2018 Site Visit : 05.09.2018 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.10.2018 __

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. All exterior balcony door materials used shall match the existing balcony door in respect of colour and style.

Reason: In the interests of preservation of the character of the building and special character of The Promenades Conservation Area.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This permission relates to the following plans and drawings: o Sketch of proposed balcony doors o Site location Plan Date stamped as received 20th August 2018.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

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Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The application site is apartment 24 located within the Millenium Court apartment complex. The site is situated on Queens Promenade, Douglas, IM2 4NN. 1.2 The Millenium Court apartments are relatively new in construction, built within recent decades. They are sympathic to the build and styling of the Douglas Promenade, this is also noted in the balcony doors which are uniformly of a dark timber or timber-look framing. 1.3 The proposal site is situated within the Douglas Promenades Conservation Area, visible from the promenade and Douglas Bay.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The proposal is for the removal of the exisiting timber frame balcony double doors and sidelights. It would involve the installation of a new set of double doors with side lights, incorporating horizontal midrails similar to the existing layout. The new door frame is to be finished in veka rosewood uPVC.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site is in an area designated as Mixed Use (Tourist Accomodation and Residential) as defined by the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998, Map 3 (North).

3.2 The key policy relevant to this proposal is contained within The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, specifically: 3.3 General Policy 2 (Development in accordance with the land-use zoning); "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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality."

3.4 Environment Policy 35 (preservation of conservation areas); "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."

It is also important to consider guidance and policy regarding development in Conservation Areas:

Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) - 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."

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4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 There is no relevant planning history material to this application.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Department of Infrastructure, Highway Services stated on 26th September 2018 that "the proposal would not chanage the exisiting balcony railings or construct anything that would overhang the public haighway below and therefore no new highway issues should arise as a reuslt of the development. Highway Services does not oppose the application."

5.2 Douglas Corporation - No objection to the proposal (dated: 24th September 2018)

5.3 A letter was submitted from Mille Management Limited, stating their interest in the application as they are the owners of the freehold land on which 24 Millenium Court is situated (the applicants have a 999 year lease on the apartment) dated: 13th September 2018).

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The key considerations in the determination of this application are:

o Character and Appearance o Energy efficiency

Character and Appearance 6.2 Any potential impact on the visual amenity of the promenade area must be carefully considered. In this case, the planning application states that the current timber framed balcony door will be repalaced by a door similar in layout with regard to the horizontal midrails. The proposed material for the replacement door will be rosewood UPVC on the exterior, therefore matching the colouring of the existing door and the other balcony doors in the same apartment complex. 6.3 Provided that the replacement door uses the same style and colouring as stated in the proposal, it is likely that the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area will be preserved. In this respect the proposal satifies the requirements of General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 parts (c) and (g), and Environmental Policy 35 of the same. It also complies with Policy CA/2 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 which requires development to have no adverse impact on the "special character" of a Conservation Area.

Energy Efficiency 6.3 UPVC windows and doors generally provide reduced energy consumption in comparison with older timber frame. In this respect, the proposal complies with General Policy 2 (n) in that it "is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is acceptable in accordance with the Douglas Local Plan designation and General Policy 2, Environmental Policy 35 and Policy CA/2 for the reasons outlined, subject to a condition requiring that the exisiting balcony door style is closely matched in respect of colour and design.

8.0 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;

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(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 a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 03.10.2018

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note

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