Planning Officer Report

Application No.: 14/00617/CON Applicant: ICM Marketing Proposal: - Registered Building consent for the erection of five facade mounted flagpoles and two ground mounted flag poles (in association with 14/00616/GB) - Registered Building Nos. 186 Site Address: - The Douglas (former) Hotel - North Quay - Douglas - Isle Of Man - IM1 4LA Case Officer: Mr S Moore Photo Taken: Mr S Moore Site Visit: - Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Site

1. The application site comprises the former Douglas Hotel, the former I.O.M Farmers building, and the former Clarendon Hotel located on the North Quay, Douglas, within the North Quay Conservation Area. To the east and rear of the application site is a public car park. To the west of the site is a single storey building used by the Royal British Legion. The application site is located within an area zoned as predominantly shopping.

1.2

The Douglas Hotel is a substantial, four-storey, 5-bay former public house, which was originally built in 1758 and is a Registered Building (RB 186). The I.O.M Farmers building and Clarendon Hotel are three-storey, 3-bay properties. These properties are not registered buildings.

The Proposal

1. Proposed, is Registered Building consent for the erection of five facade mounted flagpoles and two ground mounted flag poles (in association with 14/00617/CON).

Planning History

1. The following previous applications are considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application:

• 11/01384/CON - Registered Building consent for the amendment to approved alterations and part demolition of the Douglas Hotel and demolition and redevelopment of the remainder of the site to create offices, Public House and basement storage (in association with 11/01383/GB) - Registered Building Nos. 186 - Application Permitted

• 11/01383/GB - Amendment to approved alterations and part demolition of the Douglas Hotel and demolition and redevelopment of the remainder of the site to create offices, Public House and basement storage (in association with 11/01384/CON) - Application Permitted

10/00964/CON - Registered Building Consent for alterations, part demolition and extension to Douglas Hotel and demolition of remainder buildings (RB no 186 in association with 10/00963GB) - Application Permitted

10/00963/GB - Alterations and part demolition of the Douglas Hotel and demolition and redevelopment of remainder of site to create offices, public house and micro brewery (in association with 10/00964CON) - Application Permitted

08/00132/GB - Alterations and retention of Douglas Hotel and the demolition and redevelopment of The Farmers and Clarendon Hotel to include creation of five self-contained apartments - Application refused on 15th August 2008

04/01754/CON - Registered building consent for alterations to, and amalgamation of three properties to form a public house and residential hotel - (in association with PA 03/01111/B) - Split Decision

03/01111/B - Alterations to, and amalgamation of three properties to form a public house and residential hotel - Application Permitted

00/01330/B - Conversion of public house to offices - Application refused at appeal

00/2389/B - Alterations and refurbishment of public house with extension into adjoining retail unit and creation of two additional living units on upper level - Application Permitted

DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES

1. The application site is located within an area of "Predominantly Shopping" it's identified as Registered Building (RB 186) and within a Conservation Area on the Douglas Central Local Plan, 1998.

4.1 As the property is located within the North Quay Conservation Area designated in 1990, the relevant planning policies from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 (20th June 2007), are Strategic Policy 4, Environmental Policies 32 and 35 and Policies RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS and CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS of Conservation Areas of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) are also considered to be relevant to determining this application.

Strategic Policy 4 states:

"Proposals for development must:

• (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings, Conservation Areas, buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas, and sites of archaeological interest;

• (b) protect or enhance the landscape quality and nature conservation value of urban as well as rural areas but especially in respect to development adjacent to Areas of Special Scientific Interest and other designations; and

• (c) not cause or lead unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance."

Environment Policy 32 states:

"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 July 2014

Environment 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."

RB/5: Alterations and Extensions states:

"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."

Policy CA/2 - Special Planning Considerations states:

"When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application.

Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected."

CONSULTATIONS:

1. Douglas Corporation considered the application with 'no objection to the proposals'.

ASSESSMENT

1. The application seeks Registered Building consent for the erection of five facade mounted flagpoles and two ground mounted flag poles (in association with 14/00617/CON).

6.1 Of significance is that at the time that this application was received, works are nearing completion for the alterations and part demolition of the Douglas Hotel and demolition and redevelopment of the former Farmers and Clarendon Hotel site to create offices, Public House and basement storage.

3 July 2014

6.2 These works will see the complete regeneration of this part of the North Quay and will bring The Douglas Hotel back into use, a Registered Building that prior to this approval, was in much need of refurbishment.

6.3 Façade mounted flag poles are something of a feature of the North Quay and certainly of the Brewery's buildings. They can be found on The Market Buildings, the building next to The British Hotel and 'Newson's' to name but a few. The addition of flag poles is therefore certainly in character with the Conservation Area.

6.4 The two floor mounted flag poles either side of the entrance to The Douglas Hotel will have the effect of helping differentiate the entrance when viewed from along the quayside. The fact that they are floor mounted means that they can be readily removed at a later date without impacting upon the character of the Registered Building.

6.5 The façade mounted flagpoles to the former Farmers Arms and Clarendon Hotel will certainly not look out of place in the Conservation Area.

1. Overall it is considered that the erection of five façade mounted flagpoles and two ground mounted flag poles would have an acceptable impact upon the character and appearance of the Registered Building and the North Quay Conservation Area within which it is located. In doing so, it is considered that the application conforms to the basis of Strategic Policy 4 and Environmental Policies 32 and 35 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 (20th June 2007) and Policies RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS and CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS of Conservation Areas of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) and is therefore correspondingly acceptable.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. For the above reasons the application is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval.

PARTY STATUS:

1. The local authority Douglas Corporation is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4) (e), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded interested person status.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.07.2014 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

3 July 2014 14/00617/CON Page 4 of 5

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 approval relates to SC1300/P/00-01 Site Plan Locality Plan, SC1300/P/10-01 Ground Floor Plan, SC1300/P/12/12-01 North Quay Elevation, SC1300/P/12/12-02 East Elevation all date stamped 20 May 2014.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 4/7/14

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : Signed : Signed : ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................