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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 16/00081/B Applicant : Mr Ronald Clucas Proposal : Installation of replacement windows to front elevation Site Address : 11 High Street Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5DP

Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken : 16.02.2016 Site Visit : 16.02.2016 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 11 High Street, which is a two-storey, mid-terraced dwelling located on the western side of High Street in Port St Mary. The site also lies within the Proposed Conservation Area. To its front elevation, the dwelling has three timber-framed windows as well as its front door. The first floor windows have a Georgian, six-over-six light arrangement, while the ground floor window has four lights of differing sizes. All the windows are now jammed shut through age and water ingress.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the replacement of the front elevations windows with sliding sash units. Although the application was not initially submitted with full information, an additional drawing has since been submitted. This drawing, which shows that the windows would also have Georgian glazing bars but no decorative horns, has been circulated to the interested parties for their further comment.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 Of most relevance is the recently withdrawn PA 15/01267/B. This also sought approval for replacement windows but proposed casement windows. On the basis of the case officer raising concern with such an approach, the applicant indicated through his agent on 19th January 2016 that he was unable to afford sliding sash units before withdrawing the application on 20th January 2016, stating that he would submit a fresh application seeking approval for sliding sash units.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is in area zoned as Mixed Use under the Area Plan for the South 2013. As previously mentioned, the application site is within the proposed Port St Mary Conservation Area.

4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

4.3 General Policy 2 states in part: "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:

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(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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality.

4.4 Environment Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the department will permit only development which would reserve 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 Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows sets down the policies in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. (Part 6 Category b) Buildings in Conservation Areas states:

"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 original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."

4.6 The Draft Character Appraisal for the Proposed Port St. Mary Conservation Area is useful. There are no specific comments in respect of High Street, but a number of extracts relate either to High Street or windows in the area and these are worth noting:

"Within the village a number of properties retain their original timber windows dating back to the late Victorian period. This is particularly applicable to the upper floors of shops. A substantial number of residential properties now have uPVC windows. Many of the uPVC windows are not too incongruous, particularly where the replacements replicate the originals accurately. However, some of the uPVC replacement windows are inappropriate, particularly where wood-grain effect frames have been used. Many replacement windows, both in timber and uPVC, fitted in recent years are out of character making no attempt to replicate those which they replaced."

"Windows in later Victorian buildings are usually larger sashes, often with moulded architraves and moulded string courses. Some buildings have a mock ashlar finish, particularly the larger houses on Athol Street. In High Street, a number of shop fronts are evident in premises now in residential use."

"Most properties were still built in terraced form, with occasional semi-detached or detached houses. Windows in these properties are typically twopane sashes, often set in bay windows, and rendered eaves brackets were used."

"Throughout the proposed conservation area, there are properties where alterations, particularly to windows and entrance doors, have a negative effect on the area as a whole. This includes replacement of original timber windows and doors with incorrectly proportioned uPVC replacements. These often have an inappropriate wood grain.

"Throughout the village there is no consistent window or door style, or material used for their construction."

From the above it is clear that 11 High Street is in many ways a traditional element of the Port St Mary streetscene and its historical character. It is difficult to know how old the dwelling is, but the reference to the later Victorian dwellings have hood moulds and string courses - evident on the

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neighbouring dwelling - suggest it is perhaps from a period earlier than this when glazing bars such as those found on the property would have been more commonly in use.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services have indicated that there is no highway interest in this planning application (09.02.2016).

5.2 Port St Mary Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application on both 11th February 2016 and then again on 14th July 2016. In between they stated on 4th July 2016that the additional information submitted would be brought to their next Committee meeting for consideration.

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 While the site is not yet in a designated conservation area it is in the proposed Port St Mary Conservation Area as identified in The Area Plan for the South and as such the application should be assessed Environment Policy 35 and also Planning Circular 1/98.

6.2 11 High Street has retained traditional sliding sash windows to the first floor on the front elevation; it is not known whether these windows are original to the dwelling, but sliding sash would have almost certainly been the original windows of the building.

6.3 The majority of properties along High Street have sliding sash windows in a mix of both timber and uPVC, and also have variation in glazing bar patterns. A small number of properties have uPVC-framed casement windows installed.

6.4 The key issue to consider in the assessment of this current planning application is the impacts of the proposal on the existing appearance of the building and character and quality of the proposed Conservation Area.

6.5 Environment Policy 35 states that development within a Conservation Area will only be permitted if the development would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area. The windows currently in place are characterful and, although there are two different styles, they enhance the appearance of what is otherwise a fairly plain frontage to the dwelling. In an interesting contrast, the adjoining no.10 has bottom-hung casement windows in white uPVC (and without glazing bars), but also benefits from decorative hood moulds. This shows in stark contrast the importance of glazing bars as the windows installed within no.10 remain the predominant feature of the dwelling's frontage and, in exemplification of the importance of appropriate window detailing, in a really rather unfortunate manner.

6.6 It is worth noting that, of the small number buildings along High Street that have uPVC- framed casements installed on the front elevation, none appears to have been installed following the submission of a planning application. It is possible that a number of these were installed under permitted development rights in any case.

6.7 The new units would be sliding sash and this, of course, is welcomed. The upper floor windows have glazing bars and the replication of these and their installation in the ground floor window, which is probably not original and is certainly not traditional to the dwelling, is considered an appropriate way forward in the absence of complete details / certainty with regards the dwelling's original windows. The lack of decorative horns is appropriate given the Georgian glazing bars - very few Georgian windows also had such features. Though the loss of timber and the loss of externally expressed glazing bars is regrettable, the streetscene is characterised as much by the presence of new as old windows. While some people may not take this view - especially given the (apparently) internally fitted glazing bars - it is considered that the overall approach proposed

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represents at the very least a preservation of the appearance of the site and Conservation Area in which it sits.

6.8 The information eventually submitted is rather lacking in detail, and certain annotations (such as 'casement' on the drawing submitted on 24th June 2016) give pause for thought, it is clear from discussion with the applicant and his agent that sliding sash windows with Georgian glazing bars are both sought and desired by them. A condition clarifying this would still be appropriate in view of the lack of complete details submitted.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION

7.1 In view of the above, it is concluded that the proposal complies with Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and, to the best of the information available, also appears to comply with Circular 1/98 - and, in any case, is concluded to comply with the spirit of that Circular. Accordingly it is recommended that planning approval be issued subject to the condition discussed.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; o 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; o Highway Services of the Department of Infrastructure, and o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.07.2016

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. For the avoidance of doubt, the windows installed shall be sliding sash and having Georgian glazing bars with six-over-six lights, as shown on the drawing date-stamped as having been received 24th June 2016.

Reason: In the interest of protecting the character and appearance of the site and the Conservation Area in which it sits.

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The development hereby approved relates to the site plan and photographs date-stamped as having been received 26th January 2016, and also to the window detail drawing showing sliding sash units with glazing bars, date-stamped as having been received 24th June 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 22.07.2016

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Senior Planning Officer

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.