DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 24/00792/B Applicant: Mr Juan Alan Corlett Proposal: Installation of replacement windows Site Address: Flat 2 7 Mount Bradda Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4AR Planning Officer: Toby Cowell Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 16.08.2024

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed replacement fenestration is considered to be acceptable from a design perspective without detriment to the character and appearance of the immediate streetscene and the wider Conservation Area, in compliance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following drawings and documents referenced; Location plan Site plan Site photos document Supplier quotation document Covering letter Received 03.07.24 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site relates to a mid-terraced, three storey late 19th century property situated on the western side of Mount Bradda, Douglas, almost directly opposite the junction with Eastfield to the west. The property forms one of a terrace of 10 traditional properties. The property including a ground-floor angled bay window, identical to its neighbours, together with a more modern box dormer on the roof. - 1.2 The existing windows serving the first-floor flat are identical, and all clear glazed for the upper section with side opening casements for the low section.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the replacement of the 3 no. external windows with clear glazed uPVC casement units, with the top sections being fixed and the lower sections top hung.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 95/01753/B - Replacement uPVC windows - Permitted - 3.2 96/01212/B - Installation of uPVC windows to ground floor flat - Permitted

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is identified in the Area Plan for the East as falling within an area zoned for 'predominantly residential' purposes. The site lies within the Woodbourne Road Conservation Area. - 4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;

Strategic Policy 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact

Spatial Policy

• 1 Development in Douglas General Policy
• 2 General Development Considerations

Environment Policy 35 Development within Conservation Areas 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality

4.3 Planning Circular 1/98 - The alteration and replacement of windows The following policy details the approach to replacement windows to buildings in Conservation Areas:

"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their

construction, the windows must have the same pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows."

"Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in their construction."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas City Council - No objections. (26.07.24) - 5.2 Highway Services - No highways interest (19.07.24) - 5.3 Manx National Heritage - No response received at the time of writing. - 5.4 Registered Buildings Officer - No response received at the time of writing.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The existing fenestration, and particularly the side opening lower sections of each of the windows, is non-traditional and notably not in keeping with surrounding fenestration serving neighbouring properties within the terrace which are typically sliding sash or more modern conventional casement windows. Therefore, the replacement fenestration as proposed would result in a marginal improvement to the visual appearance of the property and indeed the immediate streetscene, whilst more successfully integrating with the existing glazing within the ground-floor bay window and surrounding dwellings. - 6.2 On this basis therefore, the proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design and visual impact perspective whilst successfully preserving the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, in compliance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposed replacement fenestration is considered to be acceptable from a design perspective without detriment to the character and appearance of the immediate streetscene and the wider Conservation Area, in compliance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

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 a Principal Planner 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 20.08.2024 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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