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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00579/B Applicant : Mrs Aileen Fermur Proposal : Installation of two replacement windows Site Address : Granary Cottage Charles Street Close Peel Isle of Man IM5 1DT

Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken : 19.06.2019 Site Visit : 19.06.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.07.2019 __

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This approval relates to the Location plan and photographs date stamped and received 20 May 2019.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Granary Cottage, Charles Street, Peel. The existing property is a two storey dwelling located on the southern side of Charles Street. It has an external stair leading to the upper floor at the front of the property. The walls are part rendered masonry walls painted white with some sections decorated with stones.

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1.2 The affected elevation accommodates a front door to the first floor and a window, while the ground floor has two windows; both serving the dwelling's kitchen. The window on the upper floor has been changed to UPVC top hung casement windows, while those on the ground floor are all timber casement windows.

1.1 The surrounding area is characterised by a mix of uses including residential; retail use; financial and professional services; community uses; leisure; tourism and open space; offices and a number of public houses.

1.2 The views to the property are not very clear from any of the associated streets since the dwelling is concealed from the street views when approaching from any of the street connected to the property. Access to the property is through a gated alley which opens into an enclosed courtyard serving the property and its neighbours.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 This application seeks approval for the replacement of the 2 windows on the dwelling.

2.2 The windows to be replaced are on the rear elevation of the property. The existing windows are double casements and casement, and the materials appear to be white uPVC. Both windows are on the ground floor of the building and serve the kitchen space. The glazing sections of the proposed casements would be similar to the existing which is to be replaced.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The application site is located within an area identified as being mixed use by the Peel Local Plan and is within the Peel Conservation Area. Given the nature of the application, it is appropriate to consider Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2016). It is also appropriate to consider Planning Circular 1/98.

3.2 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." 3.3 These views are reinforced by the Peel Local Plan, 1989 (Written Statement). Policy 9.16 which is set out within the Peel Written Statement 1989 (Planning Circular 6/89), is considered specifically material to the assessment of this planning application. This states that: "Particular attention will be paid to the alteration or extension of a building within the Conservation Area which must be carried out in a manner sympathetic to the existing building and its setting".

3.4 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man. Policy CA/2 states that: "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".

3.5 Planning Circular 1/98, the Alteration and Replacement of Windows Category (b) Buildings in Conservation Areas states that: "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.

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Windows not readily visible from 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 construction.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The application site has been the subject of a previous planning application, which is not considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application. There have been other applications in the vicinity. However, they bear no material effect on the proposed development.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that there is no highways interest in the letter dated 21 June 2019.

5.2 Manx National Heritage although consulted on 30 May 2019, has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application.

5.3 Peel Town Commissioners although consulted on 30 May 2019, have not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The application site is located within an area of mixed use within the Peel Conservation Area. Given the nature of the proposed development it is appropriate to assess the impact of the proposal on the character of the existing building, the surrounding area, and particularly with regard to the character of the Peel Conservation Area.

6.2 The existing windows are timber casements, but it is likely that the original windows would have been painted timber sliding sashes, since this is the dominant window type within the vicinity of the dwelling; which means that the existing windows have been installed at a previous time.

6.3 The rear elevation is not readily visible by the public and as such there is a level of flexibility in the type of replacement windows that can be installed here. The existing windows here are not original and their replacement with similar windows is not expected to bring any harm to the overall character of the conservation area. If the original windows were still in place then it would be unlikely that permission would be granted for casement windows. However, this is not the case here. Although the proposed windows are upvc windows, the changes will match the existing windows on the upper floors which have been changed at an earlier date to upvc, in addition to improving the energy efficiency of the dwelling. Their replacement as proposed is considered to be acceptable.

CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall, for the reasons indicated it is considered that the proposal would comply with the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and Planning Circular 1/98 therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.

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;

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(c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, in this case Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (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. __

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.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 01.07.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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