1 March 2019 · Delegated - Principal Planner Sarah Corlett
Flat 1, 1, Drury Terrace, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 3hy
The proposal involved the permanent removal of one large chimney stack centrally located on the roofscape facing Princes Avenue at 1 Drury Terrace, an end-terraced Victorian property known as 'The Whitehouse' on the corner with Princes Avenue.
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The officer assessed whether the removal would preserve or enhance the Ballaquayle Conservation Area under Environment Policy 35.
Environment Policy 35
The policy permits only development within Conservation Areas that preserves or enhances the area's character and appearance, protecting special features. The officer tested the chimney removal against this, finding it would fail as the stack contributes to the uniform rhythm and Victorian detailing of the terrace roofscape. No enhancement was demonstrated, and the loss would harm the streetscene without justification.
no objection (dated 18/01/2019)
no highways interest 14/01/19
Douglas Corporation has no objections to the chimney stack removal at 1 Drury Terrace. DOI Highways Division has no highways interest.
Douglas Corporation
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objections.; It should be noted that the comments are made in relation to the Town and Country Planning Acts and does not imply approval or consent under any other relevant enactment, byelaw, order or regulation.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionNo Highways Interest; NHI on 14.01.19; Code definition: NHI - No highways interest
The original application to remove a prominent chimney stack from The White House, 1 Drury Terrace, Douglas, was refused for lack of evidence of need and failure to preserve or enhance the Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area per Environment Policy 35. The appellant argued persistent damp issues caused by the deteriorating stack, supported by builder invoices showing repair attempts costing £300-£400, and noted no issues after a prior stack removal in 2007. The planning authority defended the refusal citing the stack's contribution to the architectural rhythm and streetscene, risk of precedent, and preference for repair or replica over removal. The inspector agreed the stack makes a significant visual contribution, removal would harm the CA's character conflicting with EP35, and cost/damp issues without specialist structural evidence do not justify it. The Minister accepted the inspector's recommendation to dismiss the appeal on 22 August 2019.
Precedent Value
Emphasises strict need for documented specialist evidence (e.g. structural surveys) to justify removing historic features in CAs; repair or replica preferred over removal; each case decided on merits but prominent features in unified terraces given strong protection under EP35.
Inspector: Brian J Sims
