Independent Inspector Report

Crown Division Government Offices Douglas Isle of Man 7 November 2014 To the Council of Ministers Case Reference DF14/0046 Planning Application 14/01045/B Application by Mr Michael Quayle on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure for planning approval for the replacement of an existing rear entrance door and flat roof dormer with a new glazed entrance screen and pitched roof at Government House, Governor’s Road, Onchan. 1. I have the honour to report that on 27 October 2014 I carried out a site visit at the above location. The case is being made by written representations. 2. Government House is owned by the Department of Infrastructure. For that reason the planning application has to be determined by the Council of Ministers, not the Planning Committee. ### Site Description And The Proposal 3. Government House lies north of Governor’s Road and east of Mountain Road. In addition to the main entrance door at the front of the building, there is a less imposing entrance on the building’s north west side. It is here that the proposed development would take place. Solid double doors in a single-storey linked outbuilding lead down to a corridor and through a sliding door into the main part of the building. 4. The proposed replacement external door would have a hardwood timber frame and a glazed upper portion. A pitched roof clad in natural slates would replace the existing flat roof over the door, and windows would be inserted into the walls on either side of the door. Within the building, the existing sliding door would be replaced by a half-glazed door in a softwood frame. ### Representations Received 5. Onchan District Commissioners have recommended that the application should be approved. ### Advice From The Department Of Infrastructure’S Planning And Building Control Division 6. The site is within an area zoned as “Government House” in the Onchan Local Plan. It is not within a conservation area, but Government House itself was proposed for Registration in 2007. No decision has yet been made on this yet. 7. Policy O/CARB/P/1 of the Onchan Local Plan seeks to protect the character or appearance of buildings considered worthy of consideration for Registration. Environment Policy 34 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (IoMSP) requires the use of traditional materials for any alterations to pre-1920s buildings. 8. The Conservation Officer has been consulted on the proposal and has not raised any objection. ### Inspector'S Assessment 9. In my view, the main consideration in the determination of this application is the effect that the proposed alterations would have on the character or appearance of Government House, bearing in mind that it has been considered worthy of Registration. 10. In my opinion, the materials, scale and design of the proposed replacement external door and its side windows would be in keeping with the rest of the outbuilding in which it is located. The proposed pitched roof over the door would reflect the pitched roof of the outbuilding, and look more in keeping than the flat roof that is there at present. The replacement of the internal sliding door with a conventional door is, to my mind, an insignificant alteration but one which, together with the half-glazed external door would bring benefits of additional natural lighting to this part of the building. 11. Overall, I have reached the view that the proposed alterations would enhance the character and appearance of Government House, and accord with policy O/CARB/P/1 of the Onchan Local Plan and Environment Policy 34 of the IoMSP. ### Recommendation 12. I recommend that planning approval be granted for the replacement of an existing rear entrance door and flat roof dormer with a new glazed entrance screen and pitched roof at Government House, Governor’s Road, Onchan, as shown on the location plan and Drwg No 01 Rev D received on 4 September 2014, subject to the following condition: > The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. Ruth MacKenzie Ruth MacKenzie BA(Hons) MRTPI Independent Inspector