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Application No.: 18/01002/B Applicant: Mr Alan McCracken Proposal: Installation of replacement windows to front and rear elevations Site Address: Pitcairn & Wyndham Church Road Marina Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2HQ Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Site Visit: 02.10.2018 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.10.2018 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
Reason: To preserve the special character of the Conservation Area and the appearance of the hotels.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This permission relates to the following plans and drawings:
(Date stamped as received on 21st September 2018.)
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
It is recommended that the owner of the following property 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):
The Argyle (Twilight Property Limited) as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and 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. _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site is the curtilage of two adjoining hotels, 'Pitcairn' and 'Wyndham' which are under one ownership and both included in the proposal. - 1.2 The hotels are 6 storeys, including basement and attic levels, facing onto the street on Church Road Marina, close to The Promenade and opposite St Thomas Church and the junction with Market Street. The site is within The Promenades Conservation Area. Of typical Victorian style, the front of the hotels feature large bay windows, the use of white painted timber singleglazed sliding sash windows and a cream painted external render. - 1.3 The rear of the property and courtyard area is in a particular poor state of repair, many of the windows have failed or are failing, top hung single-glazed casement windows are used at the rear.
2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is for the replacement of the windows throughout the hotels both front and rear. The rear of the hotels are to feature new top hung casement uPVC, double glazed and consistent in style. The proposed replacement windows for the front are also uPVC, sliding sash design and also double glazed. There are no proposed changes to the size or position of the window apertures.
3.1 92/00772/B - Replacement of windows, Belsfield, 3 Church Road, Douglas. PERMITTED. - 3.2 01/00405/B - Installation of uPVC sliding sash windows to replace existing, 2 Harris Promenade. PERMITTED. - 3.3 04/00050/B - a) Re- slating of roof and installation of uPVC sliding sash windows at ground and first floor level on front elevation, Wyndham, 1 Church Road Douglas. SPLIT DECISION, PART A PERMITTED. Part B of the application was REFUSED; b) Installation of uPVC casement windows at second and third floor level on front elevation. The following reason for refusal was given by the case officer: "The installation of casement windows would detract from the appearance of this property which is now within a Conservation Area. Whilst there are other properties which have, with the benefit of planning permission, installed casement windows in the upper floors, this was before the area was designated as worthy of Conservation Area status and with this status brings an obligation to seek to enhance and retain the original and positive characteristics of such properties. As such, any new window replacements in the property should replicate the original form of opening - that is, sliding sash." - 3.4 04/0265/B - Installation of white uPVC sliding sash windows to replace existing on the front elevation, Pitcairn Hotel Douglas. REFUSED. The case officer gave the following reason for refusal:
4.1 The site is designated as 'Tourism and Leisure' in the Douglas Local Plan 1998 (Map 2, South). - 4.2 The key policy relevant to this proposal is contained within The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, specifically: - 4.3 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:
4.4 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." - 4.5 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, (Conservation Areas); "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." - 4.6 Finally, in relation to window replacements in Conservation Areas, Planning Circular 1/98 is noted: "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."
5.1 The owners of the building connected to the building have requested to be given interested person status. No comment has been made regarding the proposal. (14.10.18).
5.2 Manx National Heritage made no comment on this application and are therefore regarded to have no objection at the time of writing. - 5.3 Douglas Borough Council have no objection (23.10.18).
6.1 The key consideration in the assessment of this proposal is the character and appearance of the buildings themselves, the street scene, and the Conservation Area. This is assessed in line with the relevant policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and Planning Circular 1/98 as set out in section 4 of this report. - 6.2 Firstly, is important to consider how the proposal may impact the two hotels in terms of appearance and their character. As with many older Victorian style hotels along the Promenade area in Douglas, the Pitcairn and the Wyndham both feature large timber sliding sash windows. This style of window contributes to the character of the area and preserves the originality of the buildings. In this case, it is proposed that the replacement windows will match the existing in that they will be of sliding sash design, white to match the existing colour, and no changes are proposed to the window apertures themselves. The use of uPVC, provided that the pattern and section of glazing bars and the general appearance of the site is upheld, is acceptable in accordance with Planning Circular 1/98. In this regard, the proposal also complies with General Policy 2 (b) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. - 6.3 The use of top-opening casement windows at the rear elevations, not visible from the public thoroughfare, is also acceptable in this case and subject to the same restrictions set out in PC 1/98. - 6.4 For the same reasons, the proposal would not cause a loss of visual amenity in the street scene, or a loss of the special character of The Promenades Conservation Area. Maintaining a dilapidated building and the replacement of failed windows which respect the existing and traditional styles of the area is welcomed.
7.1 The proposal complies with General Policy 2 (b,c,g) and Environmental Policy 35 of the 2016 Strategic Plan, Policy CA/2 in Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and Planning Circular 1/98 in preserving the special character of the Conservation Area and the character and appearance of the site and streetscape. It is therefore acceptable and recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSONS 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:
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: 25.10.2018 Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner
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