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                                      24/00746/CON                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 24/00746/CON Applicant : Mrs Dawn Collins Proposal : Registered Building Consent for demolition aspects to PA 24/00745/B Site Address : Ship Inn Hope Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1AS

Planning Officer: Russell Williams Photo Taken : Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level :

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.12.2024 __

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 proposal meets the statutory tests within Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, as the character of the conservation area is being preserved. It is also judged that the application meets the tests of Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 35 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the proposed development will preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following drawings and documents received by the Department on 9 July and 2 October 2024: 01 Site Location Plan 02 Ground and First Floor Existing Plans 03 Second and Third Flood Existing Plans 04 Existing Elevations 05 Rev E Ground and First Floor Proposed Plans 06 Second and Third Floor Proposed Plans 07 Proposed Elevations __

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                                      24/00746/CON                                     Page  2  of  4

Interested Person Status

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is the L shaped curtilage of the Ship Inn which sits between Hope Street and Mill Road, looking towards the harbour in Castletown. The building has two distinctly different elevations to the two highways: the elevation to Hope Street is a three storey, traditional frontage which, whilst currently in a poor state of repair, has original sliding sash windows in eight of its nine apertures (single upper and lower panes on the ground floor and Georgian six over six panes above with a single top opening casement in the second floor). There is currently a sign above the ground floor windows.

1.2 The other elevation facing onto Mill Road, however, is very different. Whilst the rear of the three storey element is similar to the front, there is a large two storey addition which is designed to mimic the front deck of a ship, complete with funnel on top (which has recently been blown off). At ground floor level there is a recessed area with an overhanging section at first floor level which contains a row of windows with a sign underneath. This frontage sits 10m from Mill Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The application seeks planning permission for the conversion of the building to a single dwelling.

2.2 The works proposed in relation to this application for Registered Building Consent application involve the demolition of the existing first floor element to the rear elevation and removal of other sections of walling to the rear.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South adopted in 2013 as Residential. The site is also within the town's Conservation Area. The building is not Registered.

3.2 The relevant policies regarding the demolition of fabric within the Conservation Area are Environment Policy 35 and 39. Policy 35 states:

"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."

And Policy 39 states:

"The general presumption will be in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area."

3.3 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man includes Policy CA/6 (Demolition which states:

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                                      24/00746/CON                                     Page  3  of  4

"Any building which is located within a conservation area and which is not an exception as provided above, may not be demolished without the consent of the Department. In practice, a planning application for consent to demolish must be lodged with the Department. When considering an application for demolition of a building in a conservation area, the general presumption will be in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the conservation area. Similar criteria will be applied as those outlined in RB/6 above, when assessing the application to demolish the building, but in less clear cut cases, for example, where a building could be said to detract from the special character of the area, it will be essential for the Department to be able to consider the merits of any proposed new development when determining whether consent should be given for the demolition of an unregistered building in a conservation area. Account will be taken of the part played in the architectural or historic interest of the area by the building for which demolition is proposed, and in particular of the wider effects of demolition on the building's surroundings and on the conservation area as a whole."

4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man is a material consideration.

4.2 Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) is relevant and states, "(4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act".

5.0 PLANNING HISTORY

5.1 19/00499/CON - Registered Building consent for the demolition elements relating the application 19/00498/B - Permitted

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS

6.1 No Statutory Consultee comments have been received.

7.0 ASSESSMENT

7.1 The key consideration in the determination of the application is whether the proposed demolition of the rear extension and other minor works will have an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

7.2 It is pertinent to note that the building is not referred to as being worthy of consideration for Registration in the Area Plan and there is no evidence indicating that despite being a building with "unusual" features, including the rear extension, that it contributes so significantly to the character of the area that would prevent demolition.

7.3 The extent of demolition is confined to the rear of the building and the first floor element that has been built to resemble the wheelhouse of a ship. This element is of no particular historic merit and its removal would not give rise to any adverse harm to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area.

7.4 The corresponding planning application for the conversion, extension and alteration of the building to form a dwelling is recommended for approval and the overall development is considered to enhance the appearance of the building generally.

8.0 CONCLUSION

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8.1 The proposed demolition and works requiring Consent are considered to be acceptable and will not give rise to any adverse imapct upon the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. The proposals comply with Environment Policy 39 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01.

8.2 It is therefore recommended that the application be approved.

9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: o Applicant (in all cases); o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10.

9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal. __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: 24.12.2024

Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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