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STATEMENT OF THE PLANNING AUTHORITY Isle of Man Government ^ c i 11 If !> Ei i ii tt V i n ni u Planning statement on behalf of Department of Infrastructure Planning and Building Control Installation of replacement rear entrance door with new glazed entrance canopy Government House Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 IRR PA Reference 14/01045/B Statement prepared on behalf of DOI Planning and Building Control by Planning Officer: Mr Edmond Riley 7 October 2014 14/01045/B Page 1 of 4
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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The aim of this statement is to provide background information to the planning application and to set out the relevant policies to consider in respect of the proposed development. The site is owned by the Department of Infrastructure, and the application has been submitted on land owned by that Department, As such, the application must be considered by an Independent Inspector and the decision taken by the Council of Ministers as set out in paragraph 10(l)(b) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No 2) Order 2013, 1.2 1.3 The Department has no other interest in the proposal. 2.0 THE APPLICATION SITE The site is a parcel of land that include Government House, a building used by The Treasury and which has been proposed for Registration but for which a decision remains forthcoming, along with other associated buildings and woodland. The site lies north of Governor's Road and east of Mountain Road; large houses in large grounds line the latter highway while the land to the south is undeveloped. To the east is Wybourn Drive, which is a 1980s-style housing estate comprised here of detached dwellings. 2.1 3.0 THE PROPOSAL Full planning approval is sought for replacement of the existing rear entrance (sliding) doors and flat-roofed dormer with a new glazed door with windows either side with a pitched roof above. 3,1 The door is proposed to be half-glazed and otherwise constructed of softwood. No colour is proposed. The pitched roof above the entrance canopy would be glazed with timber frames and with a natural slate roof, either taken from the existing or reclaimed. 3.2 4.0 PLANNING POLICY The following policy documents are considered relevant in the consideration of this application; 4.1 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2007), and The Onchan Local Plan Written Statement (2000) along with its Maps. The appiication site is within an area zoned specifically as "Government House", while much of the surrounding land is zoned as "Woodland", on the Onchan Local Plan. 4.2 The site is not within a Conservation Area although, as noted. Government House itself was previously been proposed for Registration in 2007. No decision on this proposal has yet been made. 4.3 Due to the land use designation of the site and the type and scale of development proposed, the following policies are relevant for consideration: 4.4 Strategic Plan 4.5 "Genera! 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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (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; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including watercourses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape teatures, particularly trees and sod banks; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; 7 October 2014 14/01045/B Page 2 of 4
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(h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (!) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (!) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and persona! safety and secunty in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energf 4.6 Although Environment Policy 32 refers specifically to Registered Buildings and not to buildings proposed for Registration, it is considered that the general thrust of the policy might be appropriate to reflect upon. It reads: "Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted'. 4.7 "Environment Policy 34; In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred'. Onchan Local Plan Policy 0/CARB/P/l reads as follows: " Where development is proposed for any building which is identified as within an existing or proposed Conservation Area or where the building is Registered or on the list of buildings which are considered worthy of consideration for Registration, special attention will be paid to the detail of such a proposal and no development will be permitted where this detrimental to the character or appearance of the building or, in the case of buildings within an existing or proposed Conservation Area, the character or appearance of the Area as a whoid'. 7,7 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY Although the site has been the subject of previous planning applications, it is not considered that any of these are considered specifically material to the determination of the current application. The most recent of these applications was made in 2002. 5.1 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS Onchan District Commissioners, in a letter received by the Department 25“' September 2014, recommend that the application be approved. 6.1 7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 The scale of the proposal is such that the main consideration will be whether or not the proposed alteration to the entrance is acceptable for a building that has previously been considered worthy of Registration, and which may yet be Registered at a later date. 7.2 Such consideration should primarily focus on the appropriateness of physical works proposed given their scale relative to the building as a whole, with attention also paid to the proposed building materials and form, material and colours of those. In this respect, it is considered that the proposed works will enhance the visual impression of the building. Flat roofs are generally to be avoided for both visual and maintenance reasons, and it is considered that the proposed alterations will bring a welcome uniformity to the outbuilding, which itself has a pitched roof. The loss of the sliding door is perhaps a little unfortunate as this is an interesting feature, but it is a minor one and the benefits outlined above, in addition to the increase in light that will be afforded to the building internally as a result, are considered to outweigh this slight concern. 7.3 7.4 The Conservation Officer has been consulted on the proposal and has no objection thereto. 7 October 2014 14/01045/B Page 3 of 4
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p- 8.0 CONDITIONS If the Inspector is minded to recommend to the Council of Ministers that the application be approved, the Department suggest that the following condition should be attached to the approval notice: 8.1
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