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25/00576/CON Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 25/00576/CON Applicant : Mr John Cameron Proposal : Registered Building Consent for installation of a sliding sash window to the front elevation - RB184 (in association with 25/90577/GB) Site Address : One Church Cottages St Marks Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3AH
Technical Officer: Tom Sinden Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.07.2025 __
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. Given the alterations to historic fabric that have already been undertaken on this property prior to registration, and the proposed position, proportions, opening method, style and materials of the proposed window, the application is considered to meet the tests of Sections 16 and 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 as the registered building's special interest and the character and appearance of the conservation area are judged to be preserved. The proposals are also judged to meet the tests of Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 32 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and Planning Policy Statement 1/01, as the building's historic form and historic special interest is being protected and preserved. Finally, it is judged that the creation of a new window in the manner proposed would comply with Environment Policy 35 as the character of the conservation area is being preserved. The application is therefore considered to be acceptable.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision relates to drawings 2023-01, 2023-02, 2023-03, 2023-04 received on 6th June 2025.
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25/00576/CON Page 2 of 4
Interested Person Status
None __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE
1.1 The site is 1 Church Cottage, St Mark's (registered building 184). Now two separate dwellings, the building was historically three separate cottages. In 1846, Reverend Clark instigated the rebuilding of the former school into two church cottages in order to generate rents to help maintain the new schoolhouse and chapel. A third cottage, south of the first two, was added in 1899 by Bishop Straton. 2 Church Cottage is formed of one of the 1846 cottages and the 1899 cottage.
1.2 Although the cottages retain much of their historic appearance, their plan form, roof finish, wall finish, doors and windows have been replaced as part of the conversion to a single dwelling in 1981. Consent was granted to convert the single dwelling in to two dwellings in 2000. The cottages form a strong grouping with the adjacent church (RB182) and school house (RB181) in the centre of the St Mark's Conservation Area.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The application seeks registered building consent to create a new window on the ground floor of the front elevation. The application is concurrent with application 25/90577/GB. The new window would be on the building's northern single-storey extension, and would be a two- over-two sliding sash unit, double glazed and with painted timber frames.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY
3.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions (3) In considering - (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.
S18 Designation of conservation areas (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.
3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;
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.
Environment Policy 34: In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred.
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Environment Policy 35: 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.
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 POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY
4.1 Application 00/01825/B approved the conversion of the single dwelling into two separate dwellings.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Malew Commissioners have stated that they have no objection to the application (3.7.2025).
6.0 ASSESSMENT
Statutory Tests 6.1 Section 16 of the Act requires that when considering whether to grant registered building consent, the Department must "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." The property retains much of its historic form, external finishes and external detailing, and it is these elements that are judged to provide the building's special interest. Although not part of the building's historic pattern of openings, the proposed window is judged to be in a position, size, proportion that respects the building's form and appearance. In addition to this, the style and materials are also judged to be appropriate, and as such the proposed window is considered to preserve the building's architectural and historic special interest.
6.2 Section 18 of the Act requires the Department to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of any conservation area in the exercise of any powers under the Act. In this instance, the application proposes to create a new window opening on the northern side of the front elevation. As per section 6.2 above, given the position, form, style and materials of the proposed window, the proposals are judged to respect the registered building, and with this in mind, it is also considered that the character and appearance of the conservation area would be preserved.
Policy Tests 6.3 The building has been the subject of various alterations both prior to and since its registration. With this in mind, the concept of the creation of a new window is judged to be acceptable. In this instance the position, proportions, opening method, style and materials are considered to respect the building and to preserve the special character of the registered building, preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area and to have no adverse impact on the character of the locality.
7.0 CONCLUSION
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7.1 Given the alterations to historic fabric that have already been undertaken on this property prior to registration, and the proposed position, proportions, opening method, style and materials of the proposed window, the application is considered to meet the tests of Sections 16 and 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 as the registered building's special interest and the character and appearance of the conservation area are judged to be preserved. The proposals are also judged to meet the tests of Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 32 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and Planning Policy Statement 1/01, as the building's historic form and historic special interest is being protected and preserved. Finally, it is judged that the creation of a new window in the manner proposed would comply with Environment Policy 35 as the character of the conservation area is being preserved. The application is therefore recommended for approval.
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 In addition to those above, the Regulation 9(3) requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application. __
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 and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 29.07.2025
Determining Officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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