06 Design Statement

Document Reference 693 06 – Design Statement Proposed Extension with Balcony, Installation of double doors at first floor level, windows in rear and side elevations and minor internal alterations’ Kilmuir, Ballure Promenade, Ramsey IM8 1NN Justification for extension: To be read in conjunction with drawings numbers 683.01 to 05. Kilmuir stands as a detached dormer bungalow on Ballure Promenade overlooking foreshore and Ramsey Bay. Its construction is very similar and typical to many other such properties built in the 1960’s on the Isle of Man. It stands as a detached property in splendid isolation adjacent to the existing road with the Fountains Apartments adjacent and to the South the detached residential property known as Ballure is situated some 50/60 metres to the South. It is surrounded on all sides by stone walling varying in height from approximately just in excess of 5 metres, reducing to 2 metres on the Eastern and Southern boundaries, affording almost perfect privacy of its grounds and structure from the adjoining properties. Kilmuir is presently used, and has planning approved, for both a private residential property and four-star tourist accommodation with the Isle of Man Tourist Board and has been used as such by the previous owners for the last 15 years. As the new owners, we are undertaking a full plan of refurbishment and alteration to the property, which has been sadly neglected over the previous time frame. We wish to transform the present, rather staid and dated exterior into a more contemporary structure giving a “WOW” factor to guests and visitors to the Isle of Man. Our intention is to gain a five-star rating with the Isle of Man Tourist Board with the objective of increasing the availability of very high standard accommodation for potential visitors to the Isle of Man. Given the property’s wonderful position on the Ramsey Bay Marine Park coast, our proposals involve the construction of a relatively small triangular glass extension (giving approximately an additional 9 square metres living space) to what will become the lounge area to the front elevation of the property, in order to take full advantage of the outstanding views across Ramsey Bay, Having taken into account your planning department’s guidelines with particular reference to overviewing of adjacent properties, we would ask you to note that the adjacent 5 meter high stone wall between Kilmuir and the adjacent Fountains Apartments virtually completely negates any concerns with overviewing of adjacent properties (there is no consideration needed for the detached property Ballure to the South as this is some 50/60 metres distant).

If you refer to the site plan drawing number 693.02 you can see that the proposed ground floor level extension is just in excess of 12.2 metres from the ground floor unit on the South-eastern corner of the Fountains Apartments. In addition to this we would ask you to note by reference to photographs’ numbers 1 and 2 on drawing number 693 05 that due to the presence of the surrounding stone boundary wall, owned by us, there is no change to the present situation of overviewing between the two properties

The present first floor master bedroom has a large picture window in the front elevation. We propose to change this window for opening patio doors leading out on to a small balcony area approximately 6 inches below the bedroom floor level and extending out no more than 2.85 metres. You will observe that walking onto the balcony results in no additional significant overview of the adjacent ground floor apartment other than that which presently exists. This is because of the privacy afforded by the intervening stone boundary wall, the height of which begins to reduce from 5 metres slightly in front of the front elevation of Kilmuir reducing down to 2 metres along the Northern boundary. Photograph 1 on drawing 693 05 seeks to demonstrate this by being taken from an elevated platform 2.5 metres out from the front of the property, as would occur when standing on the proposed balcony.

As stated previously our proposal is to transform Kilmuir from its present drab appearance into a signature property, when viewed from the promenade/beach area to further enhance the street scene of this area of Ramsey/Ballure.

We trust our proposals will meet with your approval at the earliest opportunity, as we wish to proceed with all haste, with this and all the other necessary requirements, in an attempt to obtain a five-star Tourist Board Rating.

End of statement