DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00783/B Applicant: Richard Overty Proposal: Replacement of two existing timber windows with UPVC units Site Address: Flat 2 3 Derby Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3ES Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.08.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan, Planning Circular 1/98 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and whilst the materials are not traditional as suggested by Environment Policy 34, the proposals will preserve the character of the Conservation Area.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to details and products included within the supporting information, received on 22nd July 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is a ground floor flat within number 3 Derby Road. The property sits at the eastern end of a terrace on the south side of Derby Road at the junction with Derby Square Lane. The site is within the Windsor Road Conservation Area. The terrace within which the site sits is three storeys in height, the third storey of which is accommodated within the roof space with dormers of various

• styles. The terrace has pitched slate roofs, with the eaves stepped up in height every two properties as the road climbs away from the sea, and chimney breasts on each party wall centred on the roof ridge. The properties are finished in painted smooth render, with bay windows at ground floor level. The properties are set back from the highway, with painted metal railings above painted render dwarf boundary walls around the front gardens. The windows along the terrace are a mix of painted timber, UPVC or aluminium framed, most are sliding sash in style although some have been replaced by casements.
• 1.2 The property itself is a three storey building containing self-contained flats. The gable facing Derby Square Lane has a protruding enclosed porch with accommodation above at first floor level, finished with a hipped pitched roof. The forecourt between the property and the road on this elevation is open and used as a parking area. The windows of flat 2 are white painted timber sliding sash units in poor condition and feature a central mullion. The windows on the upper floors of the building are white UPVC.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is to replace the two existing white painted timber sliding sash windows with white UPVC sliding sash units.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY3.1 The site lies within an area designated in the draft Area Plan for the East, and the Douglas Local Plan (1998), as predominantly residential and within the Windsor Road Conservation Area where Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 require development to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area and to take into account in any decision, the special character of the area.

3.2 Planning Circular 1/98 provides advice on the replacement of windows and suggests in Conservation Areas the method of opening is more important than the frame material but the original method of opening should be replicated where the originals are in place. - 3.3 Environment Policy 34 expresses a preference for the use of traditional materials in the maintenance, extension or alteration of pre-1920 buildings. - 3.4 General Policy 2 sets out general standards of development including a requirement for development to have an acceptable impact on the character or appearance of the area.

- 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 Flat 1 within the property had planning approval granted for the installation of replacement UPVC windows under application 00/02076/B. An application to replace the front and side windows of the property with UPVC casement units was refused under 04/00302/B. Approval was granted for the widening and improvement of the access to the forecourt parking area under 05/92206/B. The parking area is immediately in front of the windows proposed to be replaced in this application. - 4.2 The planning application history on the site includes two applications (16/00794/B and 04/00600/B) relating to number 3A Derby Road, known as the cottage, which is a separate property.

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division have stated that there is no highways interest with regard to the application (4.8.2020). - 5.2 Douglas Borough Council have stated that they have no objections to the application (10.8.2020).

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The issue here is whether the proposed windows preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area in which the property sits taking into account the special character of the area.

6.2 The proposed windows are to be UPVC framed, replacing painted timber units. Whilst Environment Policy 34 expresses a preference for the use of traditional materials in the maintenance, extension or alteration of pre-1920 buildings, Planning Circular 1/98 suggests that in Conservation Areas the method of opening is more important than the frame material, but the original method of opening should be replicated where the originals are in place. The windows are to be the same style and method of opening as those they replace, and as there are already PVC framed windows on the upper floors of the property, the proposed change in material is not likely to be noticeable to many. It is therefore judged that the character of the Conservation Area will be preserved.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 It is concluded that the application meets the tests of Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 as the character of the Area would be preserved. General Policy 2(c) is also met as the proposals do not affect adversely the character of the surrounding townscape. It is therefore recommended that the application be approved. Whilst EP34 prefers the use of traditional materials, PC1/98 makes it clear that the opening style is more important than the frame material which in this case is consistent with others in the vicinity. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

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: 24.08.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.