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                                      23/00593/GB                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/00593/GB Applicant : The Vicar & Wardens Of St.German's Cathedral Proposal : Erection of a new pedestrian access from Derby Road in to the Cathedral grounds (in association with PA 23/00636/CON) Site Address : St Germains Church Vicar & Wardens Derby Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1HH

Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 23.08.2023 __

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. For the avoidance of doubt this approval relates to the creation of the 1.2m wide pedestrian access only. No approval is granted to any other works relating to car park layout and finishes, EV charging points, vehicular access gates or bollards etc.

Reason: the application form and description relate only the creation of the pedestrian access and so the application has been advertised and assessed on this basis only.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The creation of the pedestrian access and installation of pedestrian gate is judged to be acceptable in respect of S18 of The Act and to have acceptable visual and amenity impact preserving the character of the conservation area and the setting of the Registered Building, and not resulting in any public amenity or highway safety harm. The application complies with Strategic Policies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, General Policy 2 (b, c, g, h and i) and Environment Policies 34 and 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and meets with the principles of PPS 1/01.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

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                                      23/00593/GB                                     Page  2  of  4

This approval relates to drawing number 0804H/04 Rev A date stamped and received 01/08/2023, and drawing numbers 0804H/01 and 0804H/02 and supporting Design Statement all date received 19/05/2023. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site relates to part of the grounds associated with St Germans Cathedral and Corrin Hall, Peel and sits along the edge with Derby Road. The Cathedral is included on the Protected Buildings Register (RB 204).

1.2 Access from Derby Road is via a gated 3.8m wide access in the north east corner opposite the Police Station. This access is shared by pedestrians and vehicles.

1.3 The sandstone pillars of the access join with a sandstone boundary wall running along Derby Road which has metal railings above.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 This application proposes the demolition of part of the boundary wall near the existing access to create a separate pedestrian access gate.

2.2 Following comments from DOI the proposed access was widened to 1.2m.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There have been a series of previous applications relating to works to the cathedral itself and Corrins Hall, although none are considered materially relevant in the assessment of this application. .

4.0 PLANNING POLICY. 4.1 The site is within an area defined as 'Church' and within the area indicated as Conservation Area on Peel Local Plan 1989.

4.2 Minded of the current proposal S18 relates to the statutory tests of development in Conservation Areas, and the most relevant policies of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 would be: o General Policy 2 - general standards towards acceptable development including highway safety o Strategic Policies 1, 3, 4, 5 and 10 - needs for access, use of local materials, protect or enhance Registered Buildings and Conservation Areas, make positive contribution and promote integrated transport network encouraging pedestrian movement. o Environment Policy 34 and 35 - use of traditional materials, preserve or enhance a conservation area.

4.3 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Department's website. This report contains summaries only.

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                                      23/00593/GB                                     Page  3  of  4

5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services -recommend that the pedestrian gate is widened to 1.2m to better accommodate wheel chair and those with push chairs etc. Following revised drawings for a 1.2m gate, DOI confirmed Do Not Oppose (08/08/2023).

5.2 Peel Town Commissioners - no comments received as of 23/08/2023

5.3 No comments received from any neighbours.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The proposal results in the part demolition of the existing boundary wall in order to create a 1.2m wide opening to facilitate a separate pedestrian access into the cathedral grounds. The loss of this part of the wall is fairly small in proportion to the remaining boundary, and its loss is not considered to result in any unacceptable or adverse visual impacts on the overall appearance of the streetscene or to effect the overall visual quality of the setting of the cathedral building and its grounds. The proposed pedestrian access is also to be finished with a gate matching the style of the existing railings and being in keeping.

6.2 The proposed access is considered to be a reasonable level of development which will likely have a negligible impact on the overall character and appearance of the area preserving the Conservation Area and not resulting in any harm to the setting of the Registered Building.

6.3 For the avoidance of doubt, the application sought only for the creation of this access as per the application form and the subsequent advertised description. No other works have been assessed as part of this application in relation to car park layout or any other associated car park works such as bollards or vehicle access gates.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The creation of the pedestrian access and installation of a pedestrian gates is judged to be acceptable in respect of S18 of The Act and to have acceptable visual and amenity impact preserving the character of the conservation area and setting of Registered Building, and not resulting in any public amenity or highway safety harm. The application complies with Strategic Policies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, General Policy 2 (b, c, g, h and i) and Environment Policies 34 and 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and with the principles of PPS 1/01.

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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                                      23/00593/GB                                     Page  4  of  4

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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 25.08.2023

Determining officer

Signed : J SINGLETON

Jason Singleton

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.