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                                      18/00965/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 18/00965/B Applicant : Mr Martyn Lowey Proposal : Installation of replacement windows and front door Site Address : 25 Hutchinson Square Douglas Isle of Man IM2 4HP

Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.10.2018 __

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 replacement windows shall match the existing in respect of type, size, pattern, and method of opening.

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This permission relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 11th September 2018:

o Site Location Plan o Photographs, front and rear o Side and rear elevations, front elevation windows

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

NONE

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Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE 1.1 The proposal site in this application is the residential curtilage of apartments at 25 Hutchinson Square, Douglas. The site is part of a terraced row of 3 and 4 storey dwellings within a densely residential area of the town. Directly opposite the property is Hutchinson Square amenity area, which is a registered tree area. Many of the properties around the site are used as apartments, guesthouses or small businesses. No.25 and the three properties on the row to the north east all feature dormer windows along the roof.

1.2 The terraced row features yellow brick houses with red brick detailing and large bay windows. With the site situated within Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area, windows and doors are traditional timber white sash. The front door is half window timber, with side and top lights. The dormer windows on the 4th floor are side opening.

2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 It is proposed that a number of windows on the front and rear elevations of the property are to be replaced with uPVC sliding sash windows to match those existing. Also proposed is a new front door to follow the style of the existing.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There is no recent planning history which is deemed materially relevant specific to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site falls within the area of the Douglas Local Plan 1998 and is zoned under this plan as being in an area of 'Predominantly Residential Use' (Map 2, South).

4.2 For this application, it is important to consider the following policy contained within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

4.3 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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption.

4.4 As the site falls within a conservation area, it is important to have regard to 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."

4.5 Finally, it is important to account for Planning Circular 1/98 - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows, which states in Policy 6; "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 the construction."

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5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Corporation have no objection to the proposal (12.10.18).

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 This application is assessed against the aforementioned policy in terms of the proposals potential impact on the Character and Appearance of the site and surrounding area.

6.2 With regard to the window replacements, it is important, particularly at the front elevation of the apartments, to preserve the site's appearance. This is particularly important given the prominence and visual impact of the property from the centre of Hutchinson Square. The proposed windows would maintain the sash opening and design and are of the same type as the existing. Their visual impact would therefore be very limited and would serve primarily to improve the long-term viability of the apartments. The proposal would not damage the character of the Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area It is not likely that any part of the proposal would be in conflict with Planning Circular 1-98, General Policy 2 or Environment Policy 35. The replacement of the windows, and also the front door is acceptable in terms of appearance subject to a condition requiring 'like-for-like' replacement where possible.

6.3 Additionally, it is noted that the window plans state that all replacements would be double glazed and to a 'U' value of 1.6 W/M2K. Efforts to reduce energy consumption through careful design ensure that the proposal complies with part (n) of General Policy 2 outlined above.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 In summary, the replacement windows and door of the apartments would not have a harmful impact on the character and appearance of the site itself, the street scene, or the Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area and the proposal is therefore acceptable.

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; (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. __

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 : 17.10.2018

Determining officer

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Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

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