4 September 2014 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer (Sarah Corlett, Chris Balmer)
9, Drury Terrace, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 3hy
The site is Clifton, 9 Drury Terrace, Douglas, a corner plot in a terrace of mid-Victorian two-storey dwellings within the Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area, notable for its retention of period sliding sash windows with square and bowed heads.
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The officer determined that the proposed uPVC top-opening casement windows fail to replicate the original sliding sash opening method or the curved 'bowed' head feature prevalent on the first floor wi…
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site surroundings in terms of design and not adversely affect townscape character. Officer assessed the windows' casement style and lack of bowed heads as failing (b) and (c), harming the Victorian terrace's uniformity in a prominent location.
Environment Policy 35
Permits only development preserving or enhancing Conservation Area character, protecting special features. Proposal fails as it introduces inappropriate windows eroding period features like sliding sashes, central to the area's quality.
Windows Policy 1/98 Category b) BUILDINGS IN CONSERVATION AREAS
Requires visible replacement windows to match original opening method, glazing bars, and frame sections. Proposal's casements fail to replicate sliding sash mechanism and bowed heads on publicly visible elevations.
no objection
The original application for installation of replacement UPVC double-glazed top-opening casement windows to front and side elevations at a Victorian terrace property in the Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area was refused by the Department of Infrastructure. The appellant argued that existing timber sash windows were in poor condition, costly to repair or replace with compliant alternatives, and that matching the previously approved rear UPVC windows would harmonise the building and meet modern standards. The inspector found the proposed windows would appear bulky, out of scale, and fail to replicate the traditional sliding sash opening and curved heads, harming the terrace and conservation area despite some existing non-compliant windows. Policies requiring replication of original window features in conservation areas were upheld. The Minister accepted the inspector's recommendation to dismiss the appeal on 23 January 2015.
Precedent Value
This appeal reinforces strict enforcement of window replication policies in conservation areas, even where existing windows are poor and compliant repairs costly; prior approvals pre-dating designation carry no weight, and unsubstantiated cost claims do not override heritage protection. Future applicants must provide evidence of impossibility of policy-compliant options and propose exact replicas in opening mechanism and detailing.
Inspector: Anthony J Wharton BArch RIBA RIAS MRTPI
