172098

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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00305/B Applicant : Mr Mike & Mrs Carol Dee Proposal : Rendering works, alteration to front facade parapet and installation of first floor window to rear elevation (with reference to PA 18/00508/B) Site Address : 4 The Crofts Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1LY

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.06.2019 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. Prior to the installation of the canopy, further, larger scale drawings of this feature must be approved by the Department and the development undertaken in full accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To ensure that the development has an appropriate impact on the Conservation Area.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This decision relates to drawing 1711-121C received on 22nd May, 2019.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject

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matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

Garey Voallit as they satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status (July 2018).

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

2, The Crofts, Manx National Heritage and the Isle of Man Victorian Society as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy.

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Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing dwelling, 4, The Crofts which is half of a pair of semi- detached houses which sit on the north western side of The Crofts, towards its north eastern end. To the south west of the property is a modern, detached dwelling, Garey Voallit and to the north east is the other half of the pair, number 2. To the north east of that is another modern property, Croft Beg.

1.2 The pair of properties, numbers 2 and 4 are different from each other in many ways: number 4 is taller and wider and whilst number 2 is a relatively simple traditional cottage, number 4 has a heavy parapet wall which hides much of the roof, two sets of two storey projecting three sided, angled bays and a painted finish which covers over heavily pointed regular coursed stonework. The front door of the application property is a solid, panelled one with a rectangular fanlight above and shielded by a flat canopy supported by two metal brackets, painted black.

1.3 The application property has two first floor windows in the south western gable which is visible from the street, the gable being finished in unpainted stonework and with a striking profile of the double pitch with a matching chimney breast on each.

1.4 The rear of the property is not publicly visible and is plainer than the front, with two single storey annexes, one being built on the boundary with number 2 and number 2 having a similar annex on the other side of its rear garden.

1.5 The rear garden of number four is in two parts: there is a small yard and narrow walkway from the vehicular access, between the rear gardens of Garey Voallit and number 2. On the north western side of the vehicular parking area, which includes a double garage, there is a much larger garden which has trees and shrubs forming the boundary with the parking area and a pedestrian gate within the wall which separates the two areas. At some point, the rear garden immediately behind number 4 has been absorbed into the rear garden of number 2. Immediately behind the small rear yard, on the boundary with the rear garden of number 2 as it wraps around the rear of number 4, is a low wall and shrubs creating a screen between the two areas.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the finishing of the property in smooth render throughout, originally including the stone faced gable but this was later removed, following concerns expressed. Also proposed

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is the raising of the height of the first floor projecting bay window by 220mm "to accommodate repair of the bay window flat roof" and the insertion of a new window at the rear at first floor level. The front porch canopy is to be replaced with a more ornate feature which closer replicates the original entrance feature which was revealed in a photograph provided through the application process, by Manx National Heritage.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South (2013) as Residential and within the town's Conservation Area. As such, the development is expected to comply with the following Strategic Plan policies:

3.1.1 General Policy 2: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

3.1.2 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."

3.2 Planning Circular 1/98 provides the following advice for the replacement of windows within Conservation Areas:

"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."

3.3 In accordance with Section 19 (3) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, Registered Building consent is required for any demolition within a Conservation Area. An application has been submitted - 18/00783/CON.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The relevant planning history for this site is set out above.

4.2 A recent application, also by the same agent, for works at properties on the harbourside, included rendering over of existing exposed stonework (16/01075/B). This was opposed by the Planning Committee but approved on appeal with a positive recommendation by the inspector who noted:

"17 I consider that the refurbishment of the appeal premises would be beneficial. In its present condition, this building has a neglected and lifeless quality, which mars the Conservation Area. Its restoration and re-occupation would plainly be an improvement. The replacement of its asbestos roof tiles with slates, of uPVC fascias with painted timber, and of uPVC rainwater goods with metal gutters and downpipes, would all be positive steps. I share the Planning

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Authority's view that the installation of roof lights as proposed would be unlikely to detract significantly from the appearance of this area.

18 I attach weight to the fact that many of the buildings in this part of the Conservation area are rendered. I accept that this treatment may help prevent water penetration. It is plainly important that residential accommodation should be damp proof. I note that photographic evidence appears to show that the front wall of the appeal premises was previously rendered. I do not consider that the application of rendering now proposed would be out of keeping with the neighbouring buildings, or detract from the character or appearance of the Conservation Area.

20 Taken as a whole, I consider that the proposed development would smarten the appearance of the Conservation Area. The dilapidated state of the existing cottages detracts from the local scene in general, and from the setting of Castle Rushen in particular. If early action is not taken to secure the rehabilitation and re-use of these premises, it seems to me that further deterioration would be likely. Accordingly I consider that the appeal should be allowed and that planning approval should be granted, subject to a condition along the lines suggested in paragraph 10 above."

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services have no highway interest in the application (11.04.19).

5.2 Castletown Commissioners have not commented.

5.3 Manx National Heritage suggest that earlier photographs indicate that the front of the property was smooth rendered with moulded and plain friezes above the first and ground floor windows respectively. As such, they would have no objection to the rendering of the front elevation with lime render which if applied well, is less likely to crack whilst at the same time, allows the building to breathe (29.04.19).

5.4 The Isle of Man Victorian Society notes the photograph provided by Manx National Heritage and suggest that the applicant should use that as a model to be followed. However, the gable shows no signs of ever having been rendered and as such, they oppose this part of the application. They also refer to the original canopy shown in the photograph and encourage the applicant to replicate this rather that what has approval (30.04.19). Finally, they endorse the amendments made in May 2019 (30.05.19).

5.5 The owners of 2, The Crofts and Garey Voallit object to the rendering of the gable as there is no evidence that it has been rendered and is an attractive feature visible from the highway. Their gable end is stone and perfectly dry. Similarly, Garey Voallit is entirely built of stone and a rendered gable alongside it would be out of keeping. This treatment of the gable would involve more regular incursions on their property to maintain it and the visual impact of the expanse of rendered gable would be highly intrusive and incongruous to their aspect as well as to those who pass and admire their garden. They suggest that there are options of damp proofing which would avoid this treatment (11.04.19).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue is whether the proposed development would preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, whether the development would be visually acceptable from the public domain and whether there would be any adverse impact on the living conditions of those living alongside, particularly those at Garey Voallit and 2, The Crofts, who have objected to the application.

6.2 The removal of the rendering over the stonework removes what would have the most significant impact in terms of change to the appearance of the building and is also the element about which the neighbour is most concerned. The other works would not have any impact on

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the living conditions of the neighbours and would remove elements (the scribed render) which is not original. The rendering would therefore enhance the character and appearance of the property.

6.3 The new canopy has been designed to replicate that shown in an image provided by Manx National Heritage and which is on file. The details are somewhat lacking but the principle of this style of feature is welcome. A condition could be attached to require the materials and larger scale drawings of the canopy for further approval.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The application would overall result in an enhancement of the character of both the property and the Conservation Area in which it sits and the application is supported.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons 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 or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

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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.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date : 18.06.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

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