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                                      20/00863/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/00863/B Applicant : JAC Distribution Ltd Proposal : Installation of replacement windows and doors Site Address : 5 Arbory Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LH

Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.09.2020 __

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.

C 2. The sliding sash windows are not to include horns and any glazing bars must appear on the outer face of the windows.

Reason: to ensure that the new windows are appropriate in appearance and form to the Conservation Area in which they will sit.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal complies with General Policy 2, as the proposals do not affect adversely the character of the surrounding townscape. Whilst the frames are not in a traditional material suggested by Environment Policy 34, Planning Circular 1/98, Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 are being met as the character and appearance of the Conservation Area are being preserved. Therefore the proposal is considered acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the drawings and supporting information received on 3rd August 2020. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

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Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site is a property on the southern side of Arbory Street, Castletown, within the town's Conservation Area. The street in this area is pedestrianised, with buildings on both sides sited immediately on to the highway. Properties are generally in retail or commercial use at ground floor level with frontages featuring large display windows. The upper floors appear to be in use as storage or welfare facilities associated with the premises below, or as apartments. Whilst the eaves level of the buildings varies along the street, each property is three storeys in height, has painted smooth render or white-washed wall finish, and pitched roofs that are not generally visible from the street. Windows are a mix of painted timber, stained timber or UPVC, and generally sliding sash or 'mock sash' casements. Doors are generally painted timber with glazing panels top and bottom, and many have glazed fixed lights above.

1.2 The property itself is a three storey, pitched roof building with retail use at ground floor level and residential use at first and second floor levels. The front elevation is finished in painted smooth render. Windows are painted timber sliding sash with Georgian bars in a six over six pattern at first floor and three over six at second floor. The front elevation at ground floor level has a shop front with large display windows and a shop door recessed away from the highway. To the left of the shop front is a separate painted timber door giving access to the accommodation above.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposal is to replace the existing painted timber windows on the front elevation at first and second floor level with UPVC sliding sash units. Also included in the proposal is replacement of the ground floor entrance door to the left hand side of the shop frontage. The existing painted timber door and fixed light above are proposed to be replaced in UPVC, colour black as per the existing.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated in the Area Plan for the South 2013 as mixed use and within the town's 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 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; and (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality.

3.3 Planning Circular 1/98 provides advice on the replacement of windows and suggests in Conservation Areas if the original windows are in place these should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, it states that 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.

3.4 Environment Policy 34 expresses a preference for the use of traditional materials in the maintenance, extension or alteration of pre-1920 buildings.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Application 85/01140/B approved alterations to convert the premises into three flats with a shop below. Since that approval, three applications have been submitted on the site concerning

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the use of the ground floor shop and the workshop/yard behind. Given the nature of the proposals within this application, these previous applications are not considered relevant.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division have stated that they do not oppose the application subject to a condition relating to highway works (19.8.2020). Given the nature of the proposals, it is not thought relevant to include this condition within any approval.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue here is whether the proposed windows and door 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 sliding sash units with Georgian bars in the same pattern as existing, framed in white. As Planning Circular 1/98 suggests that original windows should preferably be repaired rather than replaced, a discussion has taken place with the applicant's agent concerning the condition of the existing windows. The applicant's agent has stated that the existing windows are rotten in various places. Following a site visit, from street level it would appear that many of the units are in a poor state of repair, so replacement rather than repair is judged to be acceptable in this instance. Whilst the material is proposed to change from that currently in place, the method of opening is to be replicated. The replacement windows are therefore judged to preserve the character of the Conservation Area.

6.3 The application also proposes to replace the existing black painted timber door and fixed light above with a UPVC door and fixed light of similar style. Whilst the material will change, the style of door proposed is judged to be appropriate. The replacement door is therefore judged to preserve the character of the Conservation Area.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 It is concluded that the proposal complies with General Policy 2, as the proposals do not affect adversely the character of the surrounding townscape. Whilst the frames are not in a traditional material suggested by Environment Policy 34, Planning Circular 1/98, Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 are being met as the character and appearance of the Conservation Area are being preserved. It is therefore recommended that the application be approved.

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

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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: 07.09.2020

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.