Officer Report

Application No.: 15/00002/B Applicant: Lloyds Banking Group Proposal: Removal of redundant ground floor door and reinstate brickwork plinth with timber window above to east elevation Site Address: Peveril Building Peveril Square Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2BS Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of Peveril Buildings - a four storey building which sits opposite the Sea Terminal building and turns onto both Loch Promenade and Bath Place at each end of the building. The building is used as for the provision of financial services. - 1.2 The front entrance takes the form of a recessed, splayed feature which has three doors contained within it - one in each face leading to different parts of the building. The existing plan shows doors in each of the three faces: the elevations suggest that that on the right hand side has a window installed. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the change of the door and window arrangement to a window, matching that on the right of the main door. PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan as Predominantly Offices. What is proposed is not inconsistent with that designation and as such General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan is applicable as follows:

"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:

• b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them;
• c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality".

3.2 The property also lies within the Douglas Promenades Conservation Area. As such, Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 are applicable which require that development seeks to preserve or enhance the Area. The Conservation Area appraisal document refers to Peveril Buildings only once, stating, "The Peveril Hotel, a strikingly symmetrical composition in the late-Georgian style, in due course also gave way to a new office block, which regrettably is not of comparable quality with its predecessor" (page 14).

• PLANNING HISTORY
• 4.1 The site has been the subject of many applications since its original construction under PA 87/04694/B, none of which is considered relevant to the consideration of the current application. REPRESENTATIONS
• 5.1 Douglas Borough Council indicate that they do not object to the application (22.01.15). ASSESSMENT
• 6.1 The issues in this case are whether the changes make an adverse visual impact on the character and appearance of the building. In considering this it is relevant that the building is a sizeable one and the proposal affects only a small part of this, albeit at ground floor, passerby level. It is also relevant that the changes will make more symmetrical the front entrance.

6.2 It is considered that even taking into account the Conservation Area status of the property, the proposal is acceptable. Clarification has been sought regarding the status of the right hand side of the entrance area (ie whether it is a door or a window) but no response has been received. It is not considered that this needs to be clarified as that part of the building is not the subject of this application and is a very small part of a much larger building. PARTY STATUS - 7.1 The local authority is, by virtue of the 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.

7.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services is granted interested party status under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 paragraph 6 (4) d.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:

02.02.2015

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval

• N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
• O : 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: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This approval relates to the drawings 50006400-AR04-E1-0101, 50006400-AREX04-E1-0101, 50006400-AREX-00-0901 and the site and location plans all received on 6th January, 2015.

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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 11.02.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed: Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed :…………………………………….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management