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                                      23/01159/CON                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/01159/CON Applicant : Landfall Ltd Proposal : Registered Building Consent for repositioning of staircase, alteration of ground and first floor plans, and creation of mezzanine floor - RB 171 Site Address : Old School House Main Road Sulby Isle Of Man IM7 2HP

Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.11.2023 __

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. Details of the mezzanine structural steelwork are to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department prior to installation. Thereafter, the structural steelwork is to be installed in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To ensure that the special architectural interest of the registered building is preserved and protected.

C 3. Details of the materials proposed for the balustrade are to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department prior to installation. Thereafter, the balustrade is to be installed in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To ensure that the special architectural interest of the registered building is preserved and protected.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

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                                      23/01159/CON                                     Page  2  of  4

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 accord with Planning Policy Statement 1/01 as well as Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 32 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected and preserved. It is therefore judged that the application is acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings 1697.1 and 1675.2, together with the other supporting information submitted on 5th October 2023.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site is the Old School House, Sulby - registered building 171. The registration of the Old School House states the following regarding its appearance, "The Architecture has a pleasing and as yet, unspoilt, simplicity which employs materials and language very similar to its neighbour, St. Stephen's Church and former schoolhouse. Manx slate stone provides the main finishing material, with openings, verges string courses and other dressings completed in golden/brown brickwork. A notable feature is the distinctive Bell Gable placed centrally on the front elevation which again echoes its neighbour St Stephen's in this regard."

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 This application seeks registered building consent for the repositioning the staircase, alteration of ground and first floor plans, and creation of mezzanine floor within the main living space.

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

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                                      23/01159/CON                                     Page  3  of  4

4.1 There are numerous planning and registered building consent applications on the property and within its curtilage. The most relevant are considered to be 22/01532/CON and 22/01534/GB, which granted approval for 'demolition of existing rear conservatory, erection of two single storey extensions to rear, removal of first floor accommodation and alterations to ground floor layout.'

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer: Planning should be aware that there is a protected bat roost within the Old School House. A number of different Planning applications for the Old School House have been made in the past couple of years, and through these applications bat surveys and a set of avoidance and mitigation measures, including the provision of 2 dedicated bat rooms on the 1st floor of the building, have been/will be put in place for the protection of bats and their roost spaces. The applicant is also in communication with the Ecosystem Policy Team and has received a written method statement for the works. Having reviewed the new plans, we do not believe that any additional survey work or mitigation for bats is required, as there will be no further impacts on bat from what has previously been approved, and because the Proposed Plans still include the dedicated bat rooms on the first floor. (31.10.2023).

5.2 Lezayre Parish Commissioners: Approved unanimous (3.11.2023).

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

6.2 The principal proposal within this application is the creation of a mezzanine floor over the existing living room. The proposal would involve opening up the existing ceiling, which is currently at the top of the chord of the A-frame trusses. The proposal would raise the overall ceiling height to the underside of the pitched roof, enabling the historic trusses and purlins to be viewed. The mezzanine would cover the northern, front, portion of the living area. A guarding would be constructed in glass with a metal handrail. On both gables, the mezzanine would give access to bat boxes that are being provided as an element of applications 22/01532/CON and 22/01534/GB. Structure for the proposed mezzanine would be provided by the addition of steelwork either side of the existing truss chords. Whilst visualisations have been provided in support of the application to show the appearance of the steelwork and balustrade guarding, it is suggested that a condition be added to any approval that requires details of these elements to be approved by the Department before work is undertaken. The introduction of a mezzanine above the existing living room would alter the appearance of this room. It is important to note, however, that alterations to floor levels have already taken place in this area as part of the conversion to a dwelling. Whilst the historic proportions of the room would be altered by the proposals within this application, it is judged that opening up the ceiling and making the historic trusses and purlins visible will partly enhance the appreciation of the building's special architectural interest.

6.3 The application proposes to reposition the existing staircase currently sited within the main body of the building (on the western side of the historic glazed screen). The existing staircase position, and the internal plan form within this area of the building, are elements that were added when the building was converted to a dwelling. With this in mind, it is considered that alterations to these elements would cause no harm to the building's special architectural or special historic 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 accord with planning policy statement 1/01 as well as strategic policy 4 and environment policy 32 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected and preserved. It is therefore recommended that the application is approved.

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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 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 the Head of Development Management 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 : 21.11.2023

Determining officer Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

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