12 August 2024 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
5, Victoria Road, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 1ep
The application seeks permission for alterations and extensions to a mid-terrace dwelling in Castletown's Conservation Area, including a single-storey rear extension to the kitchen area, flat roof terraces at ground and first floor levels with glass balustrades, a cantilevered balcony over the river, and blocking up of…
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The officer concluded that the proposed works have an acceptable visual and amenity impact, noting the already varied rear elevations of the terrace with existing cantilevered balconies and extensions…
General Policy 2
Requires general standards for acceptable development including visual and neighbouring amenity (b, c, g, h, i). The officer assessed the rear extension and balcony as subordinate to the host, following terrace lines, with acceptable amenity impacts after amendment, complying overall.
Environment Policy 35
Requires preservation or enhancement of Conservation Areas. Assessed against varied rear elevations and mixed frontages; flat roofs not typical but acceptable given existing changes, cantilever balcony matching precedents, and minimal basement window impact due to boundary wall screening.
Environment Policy 4
Addresses bird habitats. Proposal compliant subject to conditioned bird decals on glazed balustrades per Birdlife International Guidance, following DEFA Ecosystems advice.
Strategic Policy 3 - To respect the character of our towns and villages
Promotes good design. Considered in context of Residential Design Guidance and local character.
Spatial Policy 5
Promotes use of local materials and character. Render matching host dwelling and GRP roofs assessed as appropriate.
Time limit
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Bird strike prevention
Within 1 month of any glazed balustrade being installed the respective decals for that part shall be fixed to the glazing in accordance with Birdlife International Guidance and retained as such thereafter. Should any decal be lost or removed replacement decals shall be fitted, unless other bird strike prevention details are first submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and the bird strike prevention shall then be installed in accordance with those details approved and retained and maintained as such thereafter. Reason: to provide suitable mitigation in the prevention of bird strike on any glazed balustrade.
No lower spiral staircase
No approval is given to the installation of any spiral staircase between the rear ground floor terrace (back yard) and rear first floor roof terrace (above kitchen) as shown on drawing number A PGFP 01 dated 12/06/2024. Reason: The application was amended to remove the lower spiral staircase in response to comments raised by the neighbour. Not all of the plans were properly updated by the agent eg. Proposed Roof Plan NTS. So notwithstanding some of the details still shown on some plans and for the avoidance of doubt this condition is added, and any future installation of a spiral staircase here would have to form part of a separate and new planning application and assessed accordingly.
no highways interest
no objection
do not oppose given the datum levels given
do not oppose subject to condition for decal details
Highway Services, DEFA Fisheries, Flood Risk Management, and Ecosystem Policy Officer provided no objection responses with some advisory conditions; neighbour representations raised objections on privacy, light, and construction impacts.
Key concern: bird collision risk from glass balustrades facing the river
Highway Services HDC
No ObjectionHighway Services HDC has no interest (NHI) in: 23/00931/B - NHI; After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking
Conditions requested: access and internal layout conditioned (for other apps, advisory); gates swinging inwards into the yard for the lifetime of the development (for other apps, advisory)
DOI Highways Development Control
No CommentHighway Services HDC have reviewed the updated information for planning application 23/00931/B dated 30 Nov and 12 Dec 2023 online and offer no further HDC comments to that provided on 1 Sep 2023.
Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No ObjectionTransparent glass windows/balustrades pose a collision risk to birds when they are in flight and could result in their injury or death.; In 2004 the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) estimated that up to 100 million birds strike glass each year in the UK
Conditions requested: no works to commence unless a plan detailing the measures that are to be put in place to prevent bird strikes on the clear glass balustrades, is submitted to Planning and approved in writing. Measures could include use of etching, ultraviolet coatings or decals.
Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No Objectionwe would be content for decals to be fitted to the glass balustrades to mitigate against bird strikes; multiple decals, placed 10-15 centimetres apart on each glass balustrade should be installed.
Conditions requested: decals (stickers) to be fitted to the external glass balustrades to prevent bird strikes. As per Birdlife International guidance, multiple decals, placed 10-15 centimetres apart on each glass balustrade should be installed.; photos could be supplied to Planning once the decals are installed to ensure that the positioning is appropriate
Department of Infrastructure Flood Risk Management Division
No CommentFRM will defer comment on this Planning Application until a Section 20 consent form has been received and assessed; require detailed plans of the cantilevered balcony including heights of the; current wall, Proposed wall, and lowest point of any structure protruding in to the River Sulby, with reference to Douglas O2 levels.
Department of Infrastructure Flood Risk Management Division
No ObjectionFlood Risk Management do not require a Section 20 Consent for works and do not oppose this Planning Application.; Following a review by FRM and the supplied datum levels to Do2
DEFA Fisheries
Conditional No ObjectionDEFA, fisheries have no objections to this development from a fisheries perspective, provided that there is no adverse effect on the adjacent watercourse.; As the proposed works are in close proximity to the watercourse, precautions will be needed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river.
Conditions requested: precautions will be needed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river
