362552

==== PAGE 1 ====

                                      23/00871/CON                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/00871/CON Applicant : Isle Of Man Islamic Association Proposal : Registered building consent for replacement of existing rear fibreglass pitched roof with slate roof, together with internal alterations to create washing facilities - RB 100 (in association with application 23/00870/GB) Site Address : 20 Finch Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2PS

Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.09.2023 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

C 2. Prior to the commencement of works, a sample of the proposed roofing slate is to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Thereafter the works are to be implemented using the approved slate type.

Reason: to preserve and protect the building's special architectural interest.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application complies with section 16 of the Town and Country Act 1999 as the building's special architectural and historic interest is being preserved. The application is also judged to pass the tests of planning policy statement 1/01 as well as strategic policy 4, environment policy 32 and environment policy 34 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected and preserved, and traditional materials are being used. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

==== PAGE 2 ====

                                      23/00871/CON                                     Page  2  of  4

This decision relates to drawings JTM2325-P-01 and JTM2325-P-02, together with the other supporting information submitted on 31st July 2023. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

It is recommended that the Department of Infrastructure Highways Division and the IOM Victorian Society should not be awarded Interested Party Status as their comments do not meet the tests within paragraph 2 of the Policy. __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is 20 Finch Road, and registered building (RB 100). Finch Road stands on land that was at one time known as Finch's Estate, and was laid out in in 1830 for building purposes. Number 20 is one of a series of high status dwellings along the eastern side of Finch Road dating from the 1830s and 1840s, with period features and form that show the architectural style being employed on the island during the period. The properties also illustrate part of the development of Douglas from a small 18th century fishing port through to a bustling Victorian tourist resort and the island's capital. The property is not located within a conservation area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 This application seeks consent to replace the existing rear fibreglass mono-pitched roof over the rear porch with a slate roof. The application also proposes internal alterations to create washing facilities at ground and half-landing level.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions (3) In considering - (a) whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting, or (b) whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the relevant Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

Strategic Policy 4 Environment Policy 32 Environment Policy 34

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

POLICY RB/3 POLICY RB/5

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 Applications 05/00591/GB and 05/00591/CON permitted structural repairs to the property. More recently, applications 20/01064/GB and 20/01065/CON permitted alterations to the

==== PAGE 3 ====

                                      23/00871/CON                                     Page  3  of  4

property in association with a change of use from office to class 4.3 (other community facilities). Applications 22/00954/GB and 22/00955/CON refused the installation of UPVC windows on the property.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council have stated that they have no objections to the application (18.8.2023).

5.2 The D.O.I. Highways Division have stated that they have no objections to the proposals (11.8.2023).

5.3 The IOM Victorian Society have stated that they support the replacement of the roof with a slate roof. The society requests that a condition be added to any approval that requires a sample of the proposed slates to be approved prior to works being undertaken (26.8.2023).

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The issue here is whether the proposals would affect detrimentally the building's special interest.

6.2 The building dates from the mid-19th century, and illustrates the style and form of relatively high status dwellings being built in Douglas during the period. The existing fibreglass roof is not historic, and does not contribute to the building's special interest. The replacement of this roof with a roof finished in natural slate is considered to be entirely appropriate, and would preserve and protect the building's special interest. It is considered reasonable to add a condition to any approval requiring a sample of the proposed slates to be approved by the Department prior to works being undertaken, as suggested by the IOM Victorian Society.

6.3 The application also proposes to alter the existing plan form on the ground floor within the front side porch (the building's south western corner), and within the existing male toilets at half-landing level to provide ablution facilities. The introduction of modern stud partitions and sanitary facilities in these areas will have very little impact on the building's historic fabric, and could be entirely reversed in the future if desired. It is therefore judged that the proposed alterations to the plan form would have no detrimental impact on the building's special interest.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The application is judged to comply with section 16 of the Town and Country Act 1999 as the building's special architectural and historic interest is being preserved. The application is also judged to pass the tests of planning policy statement 1/01 as well as strategic policy 4, environment policy 32 and environment policy 34 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected and preserved, and traditional materials are being used. It is therefore recommended that the application is approved.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013, the following are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application; (c) Manx National Heritage; and (d) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated

8.2. In addition to those above, the Regulation 9(3) requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be

==== PAGE 4 ====

                                      23/00871/CON                                     Page  4  of  4

treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application. __

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: 08.09.2023

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

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.