186391

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                                      19/01255/GB                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/01255/GB Applicant : The Manx Co-Operative Society Limited Proposal : Alterations, installation of soil ventilation pipe (SVP) to side elevation, replacement of two rear windows and removal of existing mechanical and electrical (M&E) equipment and enclosure and installation of new M&E equipment with enclosure screen to rear of building (in association with 19/01256/CON) Site Address : Shop The Co-Operative Food Store The Parade Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LG

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.07.2020 __

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. The flat roof area may be used only for access for maintenance purposes.

Reason: the use of this part of the building for leisure or non-maintenance purposes would result in an unneighbourly impact on the living conditions of those in adjacent properties and the application has not been assessed as such.

C 3. The new fascia boards must be painted white within one month of their installation.

Reason: to ensure that the development has an acceptable impact on the outlook from the neighbouring property.

C 4. The new flat roof must be a charcoal grey colour as viewed externally.

Reason: to present an acceptable visual impact on the area.

C 5. The noise levels from the proposed heating/cooling equipment must be in accordance with the data presented in the technical brochure relating to these elements of the scheme.

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Reason: to ensure that the equipment has an acceptable impact on the surrounding area.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the location plan, mini cowl SMF datasheet, Mitsubishi Electric data brochure, drawings *F-Mx102 and 0014579160-004 all received on 8th November, 2019 and 0014579160-001A and 0014579160-005A received on 07.02.20 and 0014579160-003B received on 19.05.20. __

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

7, The Parade as they satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status (July 2018)

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Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing commercial building whose front elevation faces The Parade and whose rear fronts onto Farrant's Way. There is also a public lane running along the north western side of the site. The present operators are the Co-op grocery store and incorporating the town's Post Office.

1.2 To the south east of the site is the residential curtilage of 7, The Parade whose rear garden wraps around the southernmost part of the site.

1.3 The site accommodates a Registered Building whose interest lies in the front part of the building, the rear comprising a flat roofed annex on which there is service equipment - condensers, ventilation equipment some of which is accommodated in an enclosure situated alongside the boundary with number 7 and erected under 10/00761/GB and 10/00762/CON.

1.3 The rear elevation above the flat roof accommodates two vertically proportioned windows although fitted with casement windows rather than timber framed sliding sashes which would have been the original style of glazing. Pipework runs across the flat roof and at the front of the side, alongside the lane, is a plastic grey downpipe.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is a scheme of works, some partly replacing proposals approved under 18/01008/GB and 18/01009/CON, to re-finish the rear flat roof, remove the existing screen and surface mounted equipment, install a new black, heritage style aluminium soil vent pipe, replacing the existing grey pipework. New ventilation equipment is to be erected alongside the rear of the building, away from number 7 and screened by a new tanalised timber screen 1650mm high and 3700mm long and two new sliding sash windows are to be installed in place of the existing casements. A presumed redundant satellite dish is to be removed from the rear elevation.

2.2 A new ventilation cowl system is to be introduced where the existing, larger units sit and the whole roof is to be re-finished but not exceeding the height of the existing parapet lane wall which is not to be changed and which sits 0.5m higher than the new roof level, higher than the proposed cowl which will be a maximum of 350mm high. Further information confirms that this will operate at a quieter level than the existing (51 or 52 dB compared with 55dB as existing).

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                                      19/01255/GB                                     Page  3  of  4

2.3 The existing soil vent pipe system on the rear elevation is to be replaced by a new black heritage style aluminium system.

2.4 The applicant has submitted additional plans which show the external soil pipe being removed from the front side of the building and being re-routed internally instead existing at ground level around the existing gulley as originally approved. They also confirm that the new fascias will be timber not plastic. A "man safe system" is to be introduced on the flat roof which comprises a series of metal plates with loops through which a line is fed to allow personnel to connect harnesses when walking on the roof.

2.5 Further plans were submitted on 19.05.20 clarifying that the flat roof will be raised by a maximum of 200mm and that the elevations onto the adjacent property will be fitted with new fascia board and drip detail.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area of Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the South adopted in 2013. The site also lies within the town's Street Conservation Area. The building is also Registered (RB32) as mentioned above.

3.2 As such, there is a requirement for developments to preserve or enhance the special character and appearance of the CA as set out in Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policy CA/2.

3.3 Environment Policy 34 establishes a preference for the use of traditional materials in the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings.

3.4 Registered Buildings are also subject to policies which introduce a higher level of scrutiny and care in changes to existing fabric, as set out in EP32, Strategic Policy 4 and the Strategic Aim of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 RB/3 and RB/5.

3.5 Finally, General Policy 2 sets out general standards of development which seek to protect the character and appearance of the area and the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Planning approval has been granted for a range of alterations to this building, none of which is particularly relevant to the current proposal.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Castletown Commissioners initially objected to the inclusion of the external soil pipe and asked that it be redesigned (17.12.19 and 31.01.20). They confirm on 08.07.20 that the amended plan resolves their concerns.

5.2 The owners of 7, The Parade have been in close communication with the Department since the submission of the application, including formal submissions on 9th March and an undated letter submitted earlier. These neighbouring residents expressed concern at the lack of information on certain elements of the proposal, including the noise levels, lack of clarity on the fascia and treatment of the side of the new roof facing their property together with the height of increase of the roof. Following extensive discussion between all parties, the owners of 7, The Parade confirm that they no longer object to the application subject to conditions controlling the noise levels to those shown in the submitted technical information, the painting of the fascia facing their property, the colour of the roof (charcoal grey) and confirmation that the roof will not be used for anything other than maintenance (29.06.20).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue in this case is whether the proposed works preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area and if not, whether there is justification for supporting such

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                                      19/01255/GB                                     Page  4  of  4

a proposal and whether the works are appropriate for a Registered Building. It is also relevant whether there would be any adverse impact on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property, particularly number 7 which is right alongside.

6.2 Much of the work will not be publicly visible nor will be seen by those in number 7. Furthermore, the proposal will remove an existing screen and ventilation equipment which are close to number 7 along with the re-introduction of sliding sashes and more appropriate pipework, all of which are publicly visible. Whilst the new screen will be visible, it will be seen against a backdrop of the building and away from number 7 and with an altogether reduced impact. Whilst the impact would be slightly reduced if the roof were replaced rather than having a new roof installed on top, this would result in the store being temporarily closed which would have a detrimental impact on the town's range of shops and services (the only Post Office is contained within the building).

6.3 Whilst the building is Registered, as stated above, the interest lies in the front of the building with little, if any historical or architectural interest in the flat roofed area at the rear. As such, the works are not considered to affect fabric of interest or value.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The application is considered to accord with SP4, EPs 34, 35, General Policy 2 and PPS 1/01 and is supported subject to conditions relating to the colour and use of the roof, the painting of the fascia boards and the noise levels being in accordance with the submitted literature relating to the heating/cooling units.

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. __

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 : 10.07.2020

Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

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