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18/01067/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 18/01067/B Applicant : Mrs Jane Masson Proposal : Installation of PVC windows to front elevation (retrospective) Site Address : 16 Stanley Mount Peel Isle of Man IM5 1NE
Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 13.11.2018 Site Visit : 13.11.2018 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.11.2018 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
None
Plans/Drawings/Information:
This decision relates to the information received on 16th October, 2018.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties 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):
18, Stanley Mount as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and 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
THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of a mid terraced house situated on the southern side of Stanley Mount which lies between Stanley Road and Bridge Street.
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18/01067/B Page 2 of 4
1.2 The streetscene is a mix of building heights. Most are old buildings, some with their original sliding sashes and there are a few new properties, two of which sit immediately to the east of the site and have traditional proportions and uPVC framed sliding sash windows - the outer ones being single sashes with externally fitted glazing bars, the double sashes on the inner part of the frontage having no glazing bars. The remainder of the dwellings in Circular Road and Stanley Mount have plastic framed sliding sashes, plastic framed casements and timber casements with no prevalent style or pattern of subdivision, some being half and half and others being top third, bottom two thirds. In this row there are two properties with plastic framed sliding sashes, the application property which until recently had its original timber framed sliding sashes, three properties to the west which have plastic framed casements subdivided into two equal sections one above the other (except on the ground floor of the property immediately to the east which has a top third opening window), and the last property has plastic framed casements with a top third opening style. The most recent building on the block, to the south east of the two new houses, has sliding sash windows on the second floor with internal glazing strips. On the first floor there are patio doors with Juliet-style balconies.
1.3 Circular Road has a similar mix, many windows being original timber framed sliding sashes, some with vertical glazing bars, some without, some more modern sliding sashes.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the replacement of the existing timber framed sliding sashes which the applicant describes as rotten and allowing water to get in to the property, with plastic framed sliding sashes. The windows match the opening style but the first and second floor original windows have a single, vertical, subsidiary glazing bar and the ground floor window is subdivided into two equal pairs of sliding sashes, as are the originals. All have horns. The work has commenced and all the front windows are now replaced with no glazing bars. The front door is to be refurbished, which is not subject to planning control.
PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site, like much of the centre of Peel, is designated as Mixed Use, reflecting the mix of residential and commercial within the historic part of the town. The site, also like much of the town, is designated as a Conservation Area.
3.2 Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 both require development within a Conservation Area to preserve or enhance its character or appearance. Planning Circular 1/98 provides detailed advice as follows:
Buildings in Conservation Areas 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.
REPRESENTATIONS 4.1 Highway Services indicate that there is no highway interest in the application (29.10.18).
4.2 The owner of 18, Stanley Mount expresses concern at the loss of the glazing bars and consequent loss of character in the area and points out that the new dwellings built alongside incorporated glazing bars (07.11.18).
PLANNING HISTORY
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18/01067/B Page 3 of 4
5.1 In the last ten years, planning approval has been granted for the replacement of existing plastic and/or casement windows in this row where the proposed windows were either slightly better in proportion or the same in terms of proportion and opening style (17/00911/B - number 12 ground floor, 09/01071/B number 14) and two properties were the subject of applications for certificates of lawfulness for the replacement of windows in numbers 8 and 10, both with plastic casements. Number 20, on the corner of Stanley Mount and Circular Road, was approved as a replacement building which was a new dwelling, under 14/00421/B. Planning approval was granted for the replacements of casements with sliding sashes at number 1, around the corner from the application site, under 11/01329/B.
5.2 The two new dwellings alongside were approved under 05/01016/B and 06/00228/B.
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The test is whether the proposed replacement windows preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area and if not, whether there are any reasons to consider the proposal to be acceptable. The replacement of timber frames with ones made of plastic do not result in an exact replication but retain the profile and depth of the originals. It is generally not accepted that the replacement of timber sliding sashes with ones framed in plastic would represent either an enhancement or a preservation but Planning Circular 1/98 advises that the material in the frames of the windows is not as important a consideration as the opening style and makes no statement about the unacceptability of non-timber frames providing that the pattern of glazing bars is acceptable. Here, the replacements do not replicate the pattern of glazing bars.
6.2 In this case, the context of the site is important in that the majority of the properties in this terrace have either plastic framed casements or plastic framed sliding sashes. The property looks out at the rears of the properties on Stanley Road and the cumulative effect of this is that the character of this part of the CA is not original nor does any of the charm it has, relate to the details of the windows.
6.3 Regard has also been had to 17/00609/B, which relates to an application to change timber framed sliding sash windows with a vertical glazing bar in 23, Bridge Street, not far from this site. The proposal was for a timber finish uPVC sliding sash window without the replication of the glazing bar which were approved. The Inspector noted:
"25. The Peel Conservation Area has a unique historic character, partially derived from the narrow streets of former fishermen's cottages, such as Bridge Street. Within Bridge Street and its immediate vicinity there is a mixture of window styles, materials and opening methods. The majority have sliding sashes, and this is a prevailing characteristic. The proposed replacement windows at No 23 would have sliding sashes; a strong point in their favour.
In relation to replacement windows in conservation areas, Planning Circular 1/98 advises that new windows must have the same method of opening as the originals and, regardless of the material used in their construction, they must have the same pattern and section of glazing bars. The proposed windows would have the same method of opening (sliding sashes) but not the same pattern of glazing bars (there would be no vertical glazing bar). I have carefully considered what harm the absence of vertical glazing bars would cause to the conservation area. I noted that the appellants' windows at No 21 (adjoining the applicant's house at No 23) have no glazing bars, nor do many other windows in Bridge Street and thereabouts. To the normal passer-by I doubt whether the absence of glazing bars at No 23 would be noticed.
In the light of the above, I have reached the view that the proposed replacement windows and front door at No 23 Bridge Street would preserve the character and appearance of the Peel Conservation Area."
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18/01067/B Page 4 of 4
6.3 The replacements at 16 Stanley Mount match the opening style of the originals and whilst there are no glazing bars, none of the other properties to the north west in the terrace has these and what would result is consistency and a replication of the windows in the properties immediately to the west. As such, in terms of the character of the area, it is considered that this is preserved by the installation of plastic framed sliding sashes as have been installed and the absence of the glazing bars does not warrant refusal of the application.
CONCLUSION 7.1 It is considered that the proposal complies with EP35 and PPS1/01 and 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. __
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 : 20.11.2018
Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER
Stephen Butler
Head of Development Management
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