179994

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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00242/B Applicant : Greyfriars Investments Ltd Proposal : Installation of four replacement windows to rear elevation Site Address : 45 Victoria Street Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3RS

Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken :

Site Visit : 05.04.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.04.2019 __

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 decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 1st March 2019: o Location Plan o Photographs of existing x3 o Proposed window design. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE 1.1 The site is 45 Victoria Street in Douglas, a 4 storey office block in the town centre with a Victorian façade on the elevations visible from Victoria Street. The rear of the building, which features a plain rendered wall and uPVC windows, is accessible from King Street, a narrow service lane. The site lies within the Athol Street/Victoria Street Conservation Area.

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2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the replacement of 4 identical top opening casement uPVC windows with similar designed alternatives. The 4 windows from a vertical line from the basement level to about 23 the way up the building and are visible from King Street. Both the existing and proposed windows are white uPVC.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are no previous planning applications which are deemed materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site is in an area designated as Predominantly Offices in the Douglas Local Plan 1998 (Centre).

4.2 As the site is within an area zoned for development the key policy relevant to this proposal is contained within The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, specifically:

4.3 General Policy 2 (Development in accordance with the land-use zoning); "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; (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. "

4.4 As the site is within Athol Street/Victoria Street Conservation Area, Environment Policy 35 (preservation of conservation areas) is relevant; "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."

4.5 It is also important to consider guidance and policy regarding development in Conservation Areas: Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) - Policy CA/2, (Conservation Areas); "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."

4.6 Finally, in relation to window replacements in Conservation Areas, Planning Circular 1/98 is a consideration: "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 their construction."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

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5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application (01.04.19).

5.2 DoI Highways have stated that there is no highways interest in the application (22.03.19).

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key consideration in the assessment of this proposal is the character and appearance of the building itself, the street scene, and the Conservation Area. This is assessed in line with the relevant policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and Planning Circular 1/98 as set out in section 4 of this report.

6.2 Planning Circular 1/98, as outlined in 4.6, is clear in the requirements regarding the replacements of original windows which are in place. In this instance, the uPVC top opening casement windows on the rear elevation are not of any traditional or aesthetic merit. Some sliding sash examples are evident on the rear elevation, however the street scene of King Street is widely varied and uPVC is the most prevalent material used. The proposed replacements have a casement method of opening and closely replicate the current windows.

6.3 Whilst the proposed windows would not add any visual interest to the rear elevation, Kind Street is a narrow 'side street' which is not known for its visual appeal. The new windows would match the existing and they would not detract from the historical character of the Athol Street/ Victoria Street Conservation Area nor the site property itself.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Environmental Policy 35 of the 2016 Strategic Plan, and Policy CA/2 in Planning Policy Statement 1/01 in preserving the special character of the Conservation Area, it also does not contradict the requirements on window replacements in conservation areas as outlined in Planning Circular 1/98. Whilst traditional windows are preferred, the proposal is acceptable and recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSONS 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. __

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 : 18.04.2019

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Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

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