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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS Application No. : Applicant: Proposal: Site Address: 14/00361/B Ealingham Properties Limited Installation of replacement windows and shop windows Bourne House a. Bourne Concourse Peel Street & College Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IMS IJW Case Officer: Photo Taken : Site Visit: Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Mr S Moore Officer's Report THE APPUCATION SITE The application site is the curtilage of Bourne House & Bourne Concourse, a three storey building that comprises retail and office units. The application site is located on the south eastern side of Peel Street, southern side of College Street with Chapel Lane running to the south east of the application site in Ramsey. The application site lies within the Ramsey Conservation Area. 1.0 THE PROPOSAL This application seeks planning approval for the replacement of the existing ground floor painted timber framed windows on the north east and north west elevation with white uPVC or powder coated aluminium framed windows and the replacement of the first floor windows on the north western elevation of Bourne House and ground and first floor windows on the north west centra! section of the building with white UPVC framed casements. 2.0 PLANNING HISTORY The application site has been the subject of several previous planning applications, only the following recent application is considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application. 3.0 13/91400/B Installation of replacement windows and shop windows - Application Refused PLANNING POUCY In terms of local plan policy, the application site is in an area designated as Town Centre Mixed Use under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998 Map No. 2 (South). The application site is within the Ramsey Conservation Area. The application site also falls within the Sulby River Flood Zone which has a flood return period of ZOOyears. There are no policies within Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement accompanies the Local Plan, considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application. 4.0 17 June 2014 14/00361/B Page 1 of 4

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In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application: 4.1 General Policy 2 states: "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: is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (a) (b) (c) (d) Environmental 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." In terms of Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows sets down the policies in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. (Part 6 Category b) Buildings in Conservation Areas states: 4.2 "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 original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction." REPRESENTATIONS 5.0 Ramsey Commissioners have 'no objection' to the proposal. ASSESSMENT The application is to change the windows in what are essentially three buildings. Bourne Concourse on Peel Street, a modern (1980s/90s) brickwork building with a mansard. Bourne House is a traditional two storey, painted render property with full width dormers front and back located on the corner of College Street and Peel Street and subdividing the two is a traditional, two storeyed link with pitched roof also on Peel Street. 6.0 Given the nature of the planning application it is imperative to consider whether the proposed replacement windows would preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area in accordance with Environmental policy 35. It is also important to take into account the on-going regeneration of Ramsey Town Centre. 6.1 The ground floor shop windows of Bourne House are 'bowed', multi-paned of the type and format installed anywhere between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. They are certainty not traditional to the property or its iocale. The first floor portrait format windows are slightly 6.2 14/00361/B Page 2 of 4 17 June 2014

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unusual casements on the gable elevation and more recent Georgian paned top opening PVC casements to the first floor frontage. None of these windows are historic or even in the correct sliding sash format, 6.3 The link two-storey building on Peel Street appears to retain the only potentially historic window in the whole scheme. The Georgian pattern sliding sash window to top right is more than likely the format of window that would have been found throughout Bourne House and this extension to the rear. The ground floor windows of Bourne Concourse are large, multi-paned with simple casements to first and second floor. 6.4 6.5 That proposed to the ground floor of Bourne House, is the replacement of the existing bow windows, with a simple twin paned glass window. The simplification of the fenestration will actually help the elevation which has been unnecessarily cluttered by the over division of the ground floor window. A perusal of historic photography illustrates a very simple shop front window format, subdivided into two vertically, with some form of slim top light, or perhaps signage. That proposed is a much closer approximation of the historic ground floor windows than those currently in place. The simplified 'two-over-two' format casement windows to the Peel Street elevation of Bourne House and the rear extension will introduce a less cluttered Victorian format to the buildings and are considered to be an enhancement over those windows currently in place. Again, this format of casement is represented in the historic photography, so those windows proposed, are a closer approximation to those historic windows. 6,6 The agent has helpfully provided photographs showing different window formats in the immediate vicinity and whilst each building should be considered in their own right, they do demonstrate that the large, simply divided shop windows are successful, albeit where colour is introduced. 6.7 Planning Circular 1/98 - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows sets out the policy in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. Part 6 Category b of this planning circular specifically deals with buildings within Conservation Areas. This states that replacement windows must have the same method of opening and glazing bar pattern as the originals. The proposed windows are a closer approximation to those windows that would have been in place historically (as evidenced in historic photography) and therefore the proposal is considered to comply with the provisions set out in Planning Circular 1/98 and is therefore acceptable. 6.8 CONCLUSION It is concluded that the replacement of the windows is acceptable as those here proposed are a closer approximation of the historic windows than those currently in place. As a result, these proposals are considered to enhance the character of these three buildings and the Conservation Area within which the buildings are located. 7.0 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application accords with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and Planning Circular 1/98, 7.1 RECOMMENDATION 8.0 It is recommended that the planning application is approved. PARTY STATUS Page 3 of 4 17 June 2014 14/00361/B

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The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners, is by virtue of ttie Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No. 2) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4)(e), considered "Interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status. 9.0 Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.06.2014 Conditions and Notes for Approvai / Reasons and Notes for Refusal C ; Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal 0 : Notes attached to refusals C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice. Reason: Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals. To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development This approval relates to Drawing Number: WL/13/1293/1A general arrangement drawing and Drawing Number: WL/13/1293/2 Location Plan 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. ; ...d.IlI.'.i/. Decision Made: Permitted Date: Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :... Chris Balmer Senior Plann^^ Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Head of Development Management Signed :... Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer p
’i/f- Signed :... Jennifer Chance 14/00361/B Page 4 of 4 17 June 2014