DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00897/CON Applicant: Suzanne Parkinson On Behalf Of King Williams College Proposal: Registered Building consent for alterations to existing internal doors Registered Building Nos. 185 Site Address: King Williams College King Williams College Grounds Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1TP Registered Buildings Officer: Mr Ross Brazier Photo Taken: 10.09.2020 Site Visit: 10.09.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.10.2020 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposals are considered to be in accordance with the Strategic Plan Policies, Policies RB/3 RB/5, CA/2 and CA/4 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following: Drawings and all additional information all date stamped 10th August 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

- 1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is King William's College which sits between the A5 Douglas Road between Castletown and the Isle of Man Airport - and the A12 Derbyhaven Road. To the immediate north and east of the site lie the airport's principal runways and taxiways and to the west is the public sector housing estate of Janet's Corner with a small number of private dwellings in the south western corner. - 1.2 The application concerns internal works within the Science Department located within the main school building.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks registered building consent for the removal and replacement of 15 internal doors all located within the science department.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions

(3) In considering —

• (a) whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting, or
• (b) whether to grant registered building consent for any works,

the relevant Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

- 3.2 THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

Environment Policy 32: Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted.

3.3 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man

POLICY RB/3 General criteria applied in considering registered building applications The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:-

• o The importance of the building, its intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, relative to the Island as a whole and within the local context;
• o The particular physical features of the building (which may include its design, plan, materials or location) which justify its inclusion in the register; descriptions annexed to the entry in the register may draw attention to features of particular interest or value, but they are not exhaustive and other features of importance, (e.g. Interiors, murals, hidden fireplaces) may come to light after the building's entry in the register;
• o The building's setting and its contribution to the local scene, which may be very important, e.g. Where it forms an element in a group, park, garden or other townscape or landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including other registered buildings). POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS

In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

Registered building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.

Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals

• on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative effect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 4.1 The site has been subject to a number of applications, most recently changes to windows and roofing in this part of the main building were approved - 19/00517/GB and 19/00518/CON and installation of ventilation flues, internal works and refurbishment that were approved -20/00080/CON and 20/00079/GB.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services indicate that there is no highway interest in the application (26.08.20). - 5.2 Manx National Heritage and Castletown Commissioners were consulted (18.08.20) No responses have been received.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issue for the application is the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

• 6.2.1 The proposals will result in the replacement of 15 doors and frames within the Science department. The issue therefore is whether the loss and replacement of the doors and frames will cause harm to the special interest of the building.
• 6.2.2 The applicant has identified and assessed the provenance of the doors which are proposed to be lost. The applicant has also identified and explored the options available including using and upgrading the existing doors. The loss of these doors must be considered against the benefit brought by the proposals to create a safer Science department where fire protection is a very real concern. It is considered that the doors are no earlier than 1901 and more likely to be from 1926 or possibly the 1950's given their provenance the doors contribution to the special interest of the registered building as a whole is limited .The benefits therefore of ensuring the Science Department has adequate fire protection that will also protect area of greater historic interest, are outweighed by the loss of the existing doors.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 The works will enable the college to continue to function for its original purpose and in a way which enables it and its students to benefit from a safer working environment which is a particular issue within the Science department. The application is therefore considered to be acceptable, in accordance with the relevant Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policies and is supported.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013 (As Amended), the following are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o Manx National Heritage, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The Decision maker must determine whether there are other persons to those listed above 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: 09.10.2020 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Principal Planner

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