006 Plannig Statement

01 APPLICATION DETAILS

Castle Mona Hotel, Central Promenade, Douglas Registered Building 82 Douglas Promenades Conservation Area

Application for Registered Building Consent

Tevir Developments Ltd • Applicant Horncastle Thomas Ltd • Agent

02 DESIGN

02.1 DESCRIPTION

The core section of the Castle Mona is a registered building, the early 19th century home of the 4th Duke of Athol, subsequently an hotel, now vacant since 2006. The south west wing does not form part of the registration, though it does fall within a conservation area.

This application seeks approval to replace the lead parapet gutters to the south west and north east wings of the core of the building with a reinforced liquid membrane system

02.2 APPROVED APPLICATION

Planning and Registered building approval was granted on 12 October 2020 under 20/00582/GB and 20/00583/CON for alterations and installation of replacement and additional rooflights, enlargement of existing roof access door, roofing works and installation of a fall safety system.

Re-configuration of the parapet gutters and finishing the gutters in traditional leadwork formed part of this approval

02.3 DESCRIPTION • BACKGROUND • NEED

Castle Mona has had roofing works undertaken in the past. These included replacing the roof finish with a concrete roof tile and subsequent repairs to the lead flashings, generally in fibreglass.

The building had been poorly maintained since its closure as a hotel in 2006 resulting in progressive decay mainly caused by water ingress from the roof. Following the acquisition of the building by Tevir Developments in 2018 some necessary repair works were undertaken to the roof following consultation with the Registered Buildings Officer, Ross Brazier.

These repairs were attended to again in 2019 but it is clear that further work is required to stop water ingress and protect the building fabric and internal historic detailing, particularly at the wall and roof junctions, the parapet and associated box gutters along the courtyard elevations.

02.4 DESCRIPTION • EXISTING FORM • MATERIALS

Castle Mona is of a distinctive form and materials. Walls are constructed of rubble stone clad in Arran Freestone, a white sandstone, detailed with a projecting cornice at attic storey level; inset clustered columns; medallions of Coade stone; and carved swags. The walls terminate in parapets which have castellations in areas of importance.

The essentially square plan has side projecting wings at the rear with an inner courtyard containing a circular tower that projects above the main form.

The roofs are pitched and of modern concrete tiles though the tower is of natural slate. The sections of roof over two sides of the square are hipped at one end and linked by a lower and steeper pitched roof section over the ballroom. The seaward side of this central section of roof is the only part of the main roof that is visible. It contains four inset dormers and sits in front of 3 side-by-side hipped bays that run towards the tower and internal courtyard.

The south west projecting wing (the original tower wing being altered to its present form in the late 1800s) is hipped at one end and abuts into the more modern flat roof section at the opposite end.

02.4 DESCRIPTION • EXISTING FORM • MATERIALS (CONT.)

On the core registered building section, the rainwater downpipes for the main central section are externally located within the inner courtyard to the rear and two hoppers and pipes either side of the ballroom on the front seaside elevation

The long hipped roof side sections of the roof each have two internal rainwater pipes running from behind the roof parapets taking contorted and concealed internal routes to ground, making them difficult to track and maintain.

Repairs of varying standards of quality have been undertaken to the roof during the building's history; structural repairs to rafter ends; a relatively modern roofing membrane sits beneath a concrete interlocking tile roof which has a double Roman profile; some lead flashings and gutters have been replaced with fibreglass; and downpipes to the courtyard replaced with upvc.

02.5 DESCRIPTION • DESIGN PRINCIPLES • NATURE OF PROPOSAL

There are a number of vulnerable areas in the original construction. The configuration of the roof is complicated and the roof pitches in most areas are shallow. Minimal historical maintenance has resulted in serious issues with water ingress through the building right down to basement level.

These issues are further exacerbated by the inadequate number of rainwater downpipes, which are also undersized for the area of roof slope and the amount of rainfall experienced in an area classified as being severe exposure.

This is combined with inadequate falls to the parapet box gutters.

It is proposed that the strategy for removing the rainwater quickly and efficiently from the roof is as approved under PA 20/00582/GB and RB 20/00582/GB, ie additional and new rainwater downpipes introduced in new locations.

In conjunction with this, it is now proposed that leadwork to the parapet gutters will be replaced with a flexible and robust dark grey reinforced liquid membrane system, laid to fall towards the new downpipes. These will remain hidden behind the existing tall parapets and will not be visible. The flexible membrane system will ensure there are no joints, therefore weak points, and no welds and therefore risk from hot works. This solution will also minimise the risk of theft.

These gutters will be installed along with the structural repairs to the roof outlined and approved in 20/00582/GB and 20/00583/CON. The existing concrete tiles will be replaced with like for like new concrete tiles, colour and profile as existing.

© Glenn Whorsall • 2020

ISSUE JULY 2023

architects • designers