14 December 2020 · Planning Committee
Railway Station, Station Road, Port St Mary, Isle Of Man, IM9 5lf
The proposal amends a prior approval (19/01117/GB) for converting the historic railway station and goods shed at Station Road, Port St. Mary, into a ground-floor café with model railway and exhibition space, plus first-floor offices, alongside associated parking.
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The officer assessed whether the additional external staircase for fire escape and picket fencing were acceptable under Environment Policies 32 and 33 and PPS RB/4 and RB/5, as all other aspects were …
Strategic Policy 4
Requires proposals to protect or enhance Registered Buildings and their settings. The officer found the amendments protect the building's fabric by placing changes on less sensitive modern addition and enabling viable reuse.
Environment Policy 32
Prohibits extensions/alterations detrimental to a Registered Building's special character. Staircase accepted as it affects only plain later addition, with minimal adverse impact.
Environment Policy 33
Permits change of use if appropriate and alterations non-detrimental to character. Museum/tea room/offices deemed suitable for securing the building's future, with changes justified.
Environment Policy 4
Requires bat safeguards. Condition enforces prior-approved bat survey and mitigation.
Transport Policy 3
New development must not compromise rail routes as tourism/leisure facilities. Proposal enhances railway patrons' provision without parking on registered platform space.
Transport Policy 7
Requires appropriate parking, relaxable for Registered Building reuse. Reduced parking accepted as benefiting historic reuse.
Business Policy 7
Permits offices exceptionally in historic buildings if most appropriate for maintenance. Office use on first floor justified as viable for building's future.
Time limit
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Parking prevention and fencing scheme
Prior to the use of the building as approved there shall be a scheme approved in writing by the Department for the prevention of car parking between the car parking shown on the drawings and the platform. This scheme shall also show the details of the picket fencing proposed alongside the platform and around the base of the stair case. The development shall be undertaken in accordance with these details. Reason: to ensure that the works have an acceptable impact on the Registered Buildings.
Bat survey and mitigation
The works must be undertaken in accordance with the Bat Survey and mitigation approved in the satisfaction of 19/01117/GB and 19/01118/CON. Reason: to accord with Environment Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan.
no objection
do not oppose the application
historical precedent for fencing; staircase on later addition with minimal visual impact, suitable for fire safety
Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society objected to the proposed amendments due to concerns over the external staircase, car parking, and fencing impacting the Registered Building, while Port St Mary Commissioners and DOI Highways Division raised no objections.
Key concern: highly-visible external staircase on Registered Building lacks justification and material details
Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society
ObjectionThe Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society remains fully supportive of new life proposed for Port St Mary Railway Station building, but OBJECTS to the amendments proposed; The application appears to claim need for this highly-visible external access, without any accompanying Fire Service or similar backup to justify the application; This is significantly in excess of the “19 or thereabouts” as specified by the Planning Committee
Port St Mary Commissioners
No ObjectionNo objections
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionDo not oppose
