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27 October 2014 14/01122/B Page 1 of 4 PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 14/01122/B Applicant : Mr Robert Quirk Proposal : Creation of a window to side elevation, alterations to existing windows and creation of a French door with Juliet balcony to rear elevation, and removal of rear lower mansard roof and replace with painted render Site Address : 2 High Street Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5DR

Case Officer : Miss Laura Davy Photo Taken : 15.10.2014 Site Visit : 15.10.2014 Expected Decision Level :

Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 2 High Street, Port St Mary which is a three storey property when viewed from the High Street; there is also a lower ground floor when viewed from the side and rear.

1.2 The property is an end of terrace dwelling which fronts on to the high street. The property now has a mansard roof which accommodates the second floor. It is likely that the original property would have been two storey with a traditional pitched roof and an additional floor at basement level when viewed from the rear.

1.3 The front of the property has a tiled mansard roof at second floor there are three window openings at this level in the front elevation, there are a further three windows at first floor level and two at ground floor with a central door. The aperture of one of the windows at ground floor has been increased in size.

1.4 There are four windows in the side elevation and a door at lower ground floor.

1.5 There are three large windows in the mansard roof in the rear elevation and three further windows in the rear elevation.

1.6 The property is finished in smooth render to the front and side and painted stone work to the rear. Four windows in the front elevation are sliding sashes the remaining are casements, the windows in the side and rear is a mixture of casements and sliding sashes.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the creation of a window in the side elevation and alterations to the existing fenestration in the rear elevation.

2.2 The proposed window in the side elevation would be similar in size to the other windows in the side elevation. It would be a top hung casement with a centre transom constructed of u PVC.

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27 October 2014 14/01122/B Page 2 of 4 2.3 The alterations to the rear include the removal of the rear lower mansard roof and replacement with painted render. Removal of the three existing windows and replacing with three larger windows, these would be fixed units with no glazing sections, the central window would have a set of French doors directly below. The French doors would be secured by a Juliet Balcony. Three of the existing windows would be replaced with much larger windows altering the windows to landscape rather than portrait, two of the windows would be side opening and the third would be fixed with no glazing sections. All the windows would be constructed of u PVC.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The previous planning application is considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application:

PA 14/00537/B Installation of replacement windows and doors and enlargement of existing windows and creation of French doors and Juliet balcony to rear elevation of dwelling - approved

4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as "Mixed Use" identified on The Area Plan for the South 2013. It is also within the Proposed Port St Mary Conservation Area. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007). Also considered in the assessment of the application is Planning Circular 1/98.

4.2 General Policy 2 Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted provided that the development: b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality.

4.3 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.

4.4 Planning Circular 1/98 In an individual building, or group of buildings, whose principle elevations are readily visible from a public thoroughfare, if the original windows are in place, it may be possible to repair and renovate them. This can take place without permission, and will be encouraged by the Department. If repair is impracticable, or existing windows are not the originals, the preference will be for replacement windows in the said principal elevations to have the same method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows must have the same or similar pattern and section of glazing bars and the same or similar frame sections as the original windows.

Windows not part of the principal elevations and which are not readily visible from a public thoroughfare should preferably 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 CONSULTATIONS

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27 October 2014 14/01122/B Page 3 of 4 5.1 Port St Mary Commissioners had no objections as per the email received 16th October 2014.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of a window in the side elevation and alterations to the fenestration in the rear elevation. The main issues to consider in the assessment of the application are the impacts upon the character and appearance of the property and street scene in general and the Proposed Conservation Area.

6.2 The side elevation of the property is visible from the High Street, but this elevation is not considered to be an important view within the Proposed Conservation Area. It is considered that the installation of an additional window would have minimal impact upon the character and appearance of the property and street scene in general. The installation of casements in this elevation would be acceptable as they have 50/50 split which would be similar to the glazing sections of sliding sashes.

6.3 The rear elevation is not overly visible from the public thoroughfare, but the parts of the building which are visible are not overly attractive and do not make a positive contribution to the street scene. The existing windows in the mansard roof in the rear elevation are large but because they are installed in the mansard roof they do not have a significant visual impact. The removal of the mansard roof and the replacement with painted render would result in the larger windows appearing even more prominent that the existing.

6.4 The other alterations to the rear elevation would result in much larger windows with very little traditional elements. The rear of the properties along the High Street has predominantly portrait style windows. The development proposes to remove the portrait windows and install much larger landscape style windows.

6.5 While the mansard roof is not particularly attractive it does provide some proportion to the building and the removal of it would result in a window dominant rear elevation. The proposed alterations to the window fenestration would neither be modern or traditional.

6.6 While the rear elevation is not overly visible from the public thoroughfare the mansard roof of the rear elevation is visible from the Underway. It is considered that the proposed alterations would significantly increase the impact of the windows as viewed from the public thoroughfare.

6.7 It is judged that the proposed alterations would have an unacceptable impact upon the rear elevation which in turn would have an unacceptable impact upon the Proposed Conservation Area. The proposed works would neither preserve nor enhance the character and appearance of the Proposed Conservation Area.

6.8 For the above reasons the application is considered to be unacceptable and is recommended for refusal.

7.0 PARTY STATUS 7.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application; and the Local Authority, Port St Mary in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.

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27 October 2014 14/01122/B Page 4 of 4

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Refused

Date of Recommendation:

27.10.2014

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

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

R 1. The proposed alterations to the rear elevation would result in the loss of the minimal fenestration by replacing the three modest portrait windows with larger landscape style windows and French doors. These alterations result in the glazing appearing dominant in the rear elevation which alters the character and appearance of the property when viewed at the rear. It is considered that the proposed alterations would neither preserve nor enhance the character or appearance of the property or area in general which is contrary to General Policy c) and g) and Environment Policy 35 of The Isle of Man Strategic Plan.

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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 : Refused

Date : 29/10/14

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed :... Chris Balmer

Senior Planning Officer

Signed : Sarah Corlett

Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

Signed :... Michael Gallagher

Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed :... Jennifer Chance

Head of Development Management