Cabinet Office

CABINET OFFICE

Government Office DOUGLAS Isle of Man IM1 3PN Direct Line (01624) 685280 Fax Number (01624) 685710 Email [email protected] CHIEF SECRETARY Will Greenhow ACMA 19th August 2014

Our Reference : DF14/0024 Planning Secretary Department Of Infrastructure Planning and Building Control Division Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas Dear Sir/Madam,

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURE) (No2) ORDER 2013

PA Ref: \quad 14 / 00544 / B Applicant: Department Of Health & Social Care Proposal: Installation of replacement windows to all elevations Address: Aingeville 93 Woodbourne Road DouglasIsle Of Man IM2 3AW I refer to the abovementioned planning application. In accordance with the Article 9 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, I herewith give notice of the decision as follows.

1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
2. No works are hereby approved or implied in respect of the existing decorative cornices on the application building.
3. The windows shall be replaced in accordance with the details shown on drawings 05/34 01: AINGEVILLE/01/02 and /03, and two untitled sheets showing the individual types, all received by the Department on 2nd May 2014.

In accordance with article 10(c) of the Order, please be advised that the decision of the Council of Ministers is binding and final (subject to the possibility of judicial review by petition of doleance)

The Planning Inspector's report, upon which the decision was determined, may be viewed by visiting http://www.gov.im/categories/planning-and-building-control/planning-developmentcontrol/department-applications/departmental-applications-decisions/ or by contacting the office of the Chief Secretary for a hardcopy (Tel 685204).

Yours faithfully,

A Johnstone Planning Appeals Administrator

Application by the Department of Health & Social Care for: Installation of replacement windows to all elevations, Aingeville, 93 Woodbourne Road, Douglas IR2 3AW.

Site Visit Monday 14th July 2014

Preamble

1. The application was referred to the Council of Ministers in accordance with Section 10(1)(b) of The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 because the application was made by the Department of Infrastructure, Estates Shared Service, with respect to a building owned by that Department.

Site and Development

2. The building is a sizeable, double bow-fronted Victorian villa, with prominent attractive dentil cornices and window frames picked out in black against white render. It stands within the Woodbourne Conservation Area and is occupied as a care home. The application seeks to replace all the windows. Arch-headed, sliding sashes would be retained on the front and sides, but in white uPVC rather than timber, while conventional casements would be retained on the rear elevation and back addition, again in white uPVC. The front window spacing on the submitted drawing is not quite correct and nor does it show the dentil features, but the intentions are clear.

3. Application 12/01205/B, similarly for replacement windows, was withdrawn prior to determination, but would have been opposed by the Planning Officer essentially because the sash tops were to be replaced by infill panels rather than arch-headed windows. The officer's report proposed an informative confirming that the outcome was without prejudice to an application showing arch-headed windows.

Gist of the Representations

4. The Planning Officer: the building is prominent and its sides visible in the street scene. The proposed replacements match existing window patterns, opening methods and glazing bar sections, including the historically accurate sashes to the front and sides. Retaining casements at the rear would perpetuate a somewhat unfortunate clash of styles; a "missed opportunity" perhaps but not a substantive reason for refusal. Similarly as regards the loss of black framing, which the applicant advises was on cost grounds, but as the existing windows could probably be repainted in any event, this too is not a substantive objection. Although omitted from the submitted drawing, there is no proposal to remove the decorative cornices.

Inspector's Assessment

5. The main issue is whether the new windows would preserve or enhance the Conservation Area in accordance with Strategic Plan Environment Policy 35 and having regard to guidance in Planning Circular 1/98 The Alteration and Replacement of Windows.

6. The Circular guidance with respect, as here, to non-Registered buildings in a Conservation Area is a preference for repair of original windows. However, it is not difficult to discern that those here have reached the end of their practical life, particularly in an institutional building. If repair is impracticable, the guidance requires that replacements readily visible from a public thoroughfare retain the original method of opening and, whatever the materials, the same pattern and section of glazing bars and frame sections. The replacements proposed for the publicly visible front and side elevations meet this guidance, crucially retaining the

Cebinet Office Reference DF14/0024 Application No 14/00544/B Inspector's report

distinctive arch-heads. The current black painted frames would be lost but all-white windows would not be at odds or detract from the building, which would retain black architectural detailing elsewhere. The back addition is plainly not original and features casement windows. It cannot be publicly seen and the replacements there would be a close match in all regards other than materials, more than meeting the guidance in this regard.

7. All told the proposals comply with the Circular guidance and would preserve the appearance and character of the Conservation Area.

Recommendations

8. I recommend that the application be approved subject to the following conditions, based on those suggested by the Planning Officer.

9. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

10. No works are hereby approved or implied in respect of the existing decorative cornices on the application building.

11. The windows shall be replaced in accordance with the details shown on drawings 05/34 01; AINGEVILLE/01/02 and /03, and two untitled sheets showing the individual types, all received by the Department on 2nd May 2014.

Alan Langton Inspector