| From: | Kinrade, Lucy | | --- | --- | | Sent: | 28 January 2019 11:35 | | To: | Stewart, Helen | | Subject: | RB responses | | Attachments: | The George |

Hi Helen

Please see attached Registered Building responses for

PA 18/00983/GB & 18/00984/CON, and

PA 18/01100/GB & 18/01101/CON

Lucy

Miss Lucy Kinrade Planning Officer Planning & Building Control Directorate Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture (DEFA) Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2SF

Telephone: (01624) 685252 E-mail: [email protected] Website: IOM Planning Online Services

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• ☑ My clou yn port-l shoh mannagh vel feme mooar ayd my sailliu

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| TO: | Lucy Kinrade: Planning Officer | | --- | --- | | FROM: | Ross Brazier: Registered Buildings Officer | | DATE: | 17 / 01 / 2019 |

18/01100/GB RE: Installation of a boiler flue, window alteration & 18/01101/CON and replacement of existing kitchen flue (retrospective) AT: The George Hotel, The Parade, Castletown, IM9 1LG

Recommendation Amendments required.

Scope of comments

These comments relate to the impact of the development upon a registered building /in a conservation area / within a conservation area

Legislative and Policy context

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.

S18 Designation of conservation areas

(4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act

National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must:

(a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;

Environment Policy 32: Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted.

Environment Policy 34: In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred.

Environment Policy 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development.

Planning Policy Statements:

1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man

POLICY RB/3

General criteria applied in considering registered building applications The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:-

• The importance of the building, its intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, relative to the Island as a whole and within the local context;
• The particular physical features of the building (which may include its design, plan, materials or location) which justify its inclusion in the register; descriptions annexed to the entry in the register may draw attention to features of particular interest or value, but they are not exhaustive and other features of importance, (e.g. Interiors, murals, hidden fireplaces) may come to light after the building's entry in the register;
• The building's setting and its contribution to the local scene, which may be very important, e.g. Where it forms an element in a group, park, garden or other townscape or landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including other registered buildings).

POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS

In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the 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.

Registered building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.

Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative affect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence.

POLICY RB/7 RECORDING OF BUILDINGS

In the event of the granting of registered building consent to alter, extend or demolish a registered building, written notice of a proposal to carry out the approved works must be given to the Department of Local Government and the Environment and Manx National Heritage and for a period of at least one month following the service of such notice, reasonable access to the building must be made available for the purposes of recording the same, prior to the commencement of the approved works. Hidden features of interest are sometimes revealed during works of alteration, especially in older or larger buildings: chimney pieces, fireplaces, early windows and doors, panelling, early earth-based construction or other features may come to light. If there is any likelihood that hidden features may be revealed, conditions may be attached to an approval to ensure their retention or proper recording and may require exploratory opening up work to be carried out prior to considering the full content of an application for registered building consent. An applicant may also be required to pay wholly or in part for the cost of recording the building.

POLICY CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application. Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected.

Other Policy:

Planning Circulars:

1/98:The Alteration And Replacement Of Windows

Category a) Registered buildings Policy 5

If the original windows are still in place they should be preferably repaired. If the repair is impracticable, replacement windows MUST BE THE SAME as the originals in all respects, including the method of opening, materials and detailed design. This policy will be strictly applied other than where the particular circumstances are so exceptional as to justify a relaxation.

Category b) Buildings In Conservation Areas Policy 6

If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare MUST HAVE THE SAME method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE THE SAME pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows.

Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction.

Report detail

It is disappointing that the owner of a number of the island's registered buildings has undertaken such involved works without consent and without allowing discussion to explore all possible solutions to the issued that required such an intervention. It is my view that the unauthorised works have had a greater negative visual impact upon this registered building and conservation area than the previous arrangement.

Whilst I understand that the upgrading of kitchen facilities require an upgrading to extraction and ventilation equipment, it is disappointing that advice was not sought given the visual impact, alternatives may have been possible, including hiding the flue behind the existing chimney stack that may have had lesser visual impact. Likewise new boiler flue is also now visible contrasting against the light painted colour of the render to the gable end of the return wing of the building.

The requirement of the unauthorised flues has also resulted in changes too two windows, also undertaken without consent and not in accordance with circular 1/98. Whilst I acknowledge that neither window that has been replaced were historic or of correct detailing an opportunity has been lost to consider if a more appropriate form of glazing could have been used. The rendered panel in which the flue now sits is further forward than the window frame and has greatly reduced the window recess.

i accept that the unauthorised works have not resulted in the loss of any historic fabric and are reversible but would require remedial work to achieve this; I still consider that the works have had a negative visual impact upon the property from a public vantage point and within the conservation area. It is disappointing that the applicants have made no attempt to mitigate this visual impact, by such has power coating the flue to match the existing render.

I am reluctant to support this application without attempts having been made to mitigate the visual impact as much as possible and therefore am unwilling to recommend approval.

If you are minded to approve this application a condition should be placed upon to secure the removal of the flue upon any updating of the kitchen or its redundancy form this location, this removal should include the existing window and render panel which should be replaced with a suitable window and frame the design and material of which should be approved in writing by the planning department.

Ross Brazier Registered Buildings Officer