170706

Secretary to the Planning Department Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas

24th February 2019

Dear Sir or Madam

Re. Planning Application 19/00082/B, Castle House, 7 The Parade, Castletown.

With reference to the above application I would object to the application on the following grounds;

The applicant states the new aperture, 3.5mtrs wide, is being created “along to vertical lines in the masonry where previous doorways and apertures have existed” this is misleading as the only actual aperture is approximately a five feet high by three feet wide historic garden door, as per the pictures below.

Furthermore this wall is one of the oldest surviving within the Town and gave access from the house to the open land historically known as “the flats”. This pre dates the construction of the roadway known as Farrant’s Way and all the associated housing developed to the South West of this road from 1959 - 1960, which I remember from my childhood. Precedent should not be set by the rear access to Balcony House as the age of this wall abutting Queen Street is recent, built when the houses on the west of Queen Street were demolished. I would estimate the wall subject to the application to be easily 18th century if not earlier.

We are led to believe from the local authority, parking in this area is critical to visitor’s access to the centre of Castletown. Only last year the authority tried to relocate 11 Queen Street residents parking spaces located in the car park opposite to the application to another parking area 100yds away as they needed these spaces due to their close proximity to the town centre. We can only assume this is no longer the case as this planning application reduces not only a car parking space but also includes a coach

park area. I would suggest Castletown Commissioners confirm this in writing to the Committee prior to the application being considered.

The application suggests the boundaries are in the applicant's possession, however the land defined as access is wholly owned by Castletown Commissioners and no detail is included as to how this right of access has been secured by either purchase or wayleave and for what length of time. Should a portion of land, an asset of Castletown, have been sold it should be a matter of public record.

Yours faithfully

John Cringle.

Cc: Castletown Town Commissioners