DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 23/00950/CON Applicant: Mr & Mrs Karen Kirby Proposal: Registered building consent for internal and external alterations and renovation works, including erection of replacement rear extension & formation of doorway between Harbour House & The Granary - RB 47 & RB 48 (in association with application 23/00947/GB) Site Address: Harbour House & The Granary The Quay Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LD Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.01.2024

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

• C 2. No roofing works including the installation of scaffolding shall take place on the roof of The Granary during the swift nesting season (May - August inclusive).

Reason: In the interest of Ecosystems and in safeguarding nesting swifts reported on The Granary.

• C 3. There shall be no modification, alteration, replacement or change to any purlin within the existing roof as a result of the approved conservation roof-lights (including their recessed flashing kit) being installed.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt as to not harmfully impact any original building materials of the Registered Building, and as per the agent confirmation that there would be no changes to any of the existing purlins to accommodate any roof-light.

• C 4. The works hereby approved shall be carried out in full accordance with details shown and annotated on below drawing numbers and retained as such thereafter:

• o DWG 1B
• o DWG 2
• o DWG 3C
• o DWG 4
• o DWG 5A
• o DWG 6A

Reason: The application has been assessed on this specific detail only and for the avoidance of doubt.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The consent works within this application are considered to have an acceptable visual and amenity impact on the existing property and on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area without harming the overall architectural and historic interests of the Registered Building. The application accords with General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4, and Environment Policies 32, 34 and 35, and Policies RB/3 and RB/5 from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and S16 and S18 of The Act and Planning Circular 1/98.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the below information and drawings:

• o DWG 2
• o DWG 4
• o Interior and Exterior Photographs
• o Capstone Fire Strategy

• - all date received 11/08/2023

• DWG 1B o DWG 3C o DWG 5A o DWG 6A

• - all date received 27/10/2023 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following organisation should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

The Isle of Man Victorian Society as they do not own or occupy property that is within 20m of the application site and the development is not automatically required to be the subject of an EIA by Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan, in accordance with paragraph 2B of the Policy and they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy,

• as is required by paragraph 2D of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status. _____________________________________________________________________________

- 1.0 THE SITE

Officer’s Report

1.1 The site for this application relates to both No. 7 'Harbour House' and No. 8 'The Granary', Castletown. Two existing traditional terraced properties in the centre of Castletown facing over the harbour. Both properties are Registered Buildings RB No 47 and 48.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This 23/00950/CON application runs alongside a separate GB planning application for development works to No. 7 only minded that internal works do not require planning approval but in this case a CON application is required due to the RB status. - 2.2 All the works proposed to the two properties are summarised below:

• a) Replacement windows to front elevation with new timber sliding sash
• b) Installation of conservation roof lights
• c) Remove cement render and application of new lime render and breathable paint
• d) Erection of replacement rear extension with part slate and part glazed conservatory roof, and balcony at first floor
• e) Replacement failed roof slates with new welsh slates
• f) New lead valleys and flashing throughout roof
• g) Repair and/or replace existing cills - use of natural stone where replacement required
• h) Installation of connecting internal door (No. 7 and No. 8)

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 No. 7 has been subject to a number of previous refusals for dormers under PA's 04/01431/GB and 05/00386/CON, and PA's 06/00880/GB and 06/01407/GB were refused for replacement roof-lights on the front elevation both addressed in more detail at 6.0 of this report.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site is within a wider area designated as 'Mixed use' on the Area Plan for the South 2013 is within the Castletown Conservation Area and is a Registered Building. The site is not recognised as being at risk of flooding. - 4.2 Relevant policies and material documents in the assessment of the application are: - 4.3 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 -

• o S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions
• o S18 Conservation Areas

4.4 THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016:

• o General Policy 2 - general standards towards acceptable development
• o Strategic Policy 4 - protect fabric of interest including RB's
• o Environment Policy 32 - extension or alterations to RB's
• o Environment Policy 34 - use of traditional materials
• o Environment Policy 35 - preserve or enhance conservation area

4.5 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man:

• o POLICY RB/3
• o POLICY RB/5

4.6 Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows: o Category a) REGISTERED BUILDINGS - Policy: If the original windows are still in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows MUST BE THE SAME as the originals in all respects, including method of opening, materials and detailed design.

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Comments were sought from the following people although no response received at the time of writing the report 21/12/2023:

• o Department of Infrastructure Highway Services
• o Castletown Commissioners
• o Manx Utilities
• o DEFA Registered Buildings Officer

5.2 DEFA Ecosystems - Comments 01/09/2023 and 23/11/2023- low risk in terms of bats but applicants should be aware of Wildlife Act 1990 and protected species, but that reports of nesting swifts have been recognised on the front side of The Granary. Whilst works to the Granary are limited to the internal doorway there is potential for roofing works to Harbour House to deter swifts and so a condition to mitigate this and prevent reckless disturbance that no works or installation of scaffolding to take place on the roof of the Granary in the Swift nesting season (May-August) inclusive. - 5.3 Comments were received from a representative of the IOM Victorian Society IOMVS (dated 31.10.2023, 28.09.2023, 11.09.2023) indicating it's a well-considered and throughout scheme but raising matters around proposed window openings and glazing patterns and lack of details to clarify sliding sash but on receipt of response from agent and amended drawings received IOMVS. confirmed no objection or further comment.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 This application seeks RB Consent for all the works to the two properties both internally and externally, the external works also assessed as part of the concurrent GB app are included below and this application now seeks to also consider the internal works and whether these respect the special architectural or historic interest of the RB and do not undermined its Registration. - 6.2 There is currently no Principal Registered Buildings Officer in post and so in lieu of that, the following assessment seeks to understand what the features of interest may be so as to best determine the application and its impact. - 6.3 In this case there are no specific details on the registration document to understand the extent of No. 7's registration other than "by reason of its architectural or historic interest" dated 24th Feb 1984 and includes one photograph of the building with no roof-lights. Looking

at Manx National Heritage i-museum photographs 'The Granary' appears on images as early as 1810 and pre-dates Harbour House which doesn't feature until early 19th century and was known as 'Crown Arms Hotel'.

6.4 Externally Harbour House (which forms key part to the works proposed) has a typical traditional form with rendered elevation and a slate pitched roof. Its front elevation has a three bay arrangement with vertically aligned windows to the upper floors but with a slightly altered alignment at ground floor with two wider windows with glazing bars either side of central front door. All the windows are timber sliding sash and the front entrance is made up of two smaller inward opening timber panel doors on the outside and then another port holed decorative, barn style timber door with stained glass featuring a ship opening into the house. Photographs with the application show that internally there has already been some stripping out work undertaken but there remains what appears to be the original staircase from ground through to the second floor and another stair to the attic. The original property appears built in stone with a later addition brick extension to the rear with a lean to roof with a small dormer and with haphazardly placed rooflights. Its general traditional form and its relationship with other older town centre buildings of similar quality and collectively forming the narrow streets and historic character of Castletown and the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

• External Works Rear Extension
• 6.5 The existing rear extension whilst perhaps inoffensive it is of little visual merit to the original host building and its proposal for replacement with a more contemporary alternative would not result in such an unacceptable change or impact on the host building in this case to warrant an unacceptable level of development having no worse an impact on the overall architectural or historic interest of the host dwelling from the rear aspects, and also minded that this would not be seen from any public thoroughfare and so the overall character and appearance of the conservation area would also remain unchanged in this respect. The extension will remain having views over the rear yard under ownership of the applicant along with a number of other properties outlined in blue on the location plan. Floor plans of neighbouring property Rocket House 05/01220/CON indicate no rear external space and those windows facing the rear are mostly circulation or bathroom windows and that coupled with the angles it is not considered that there would be any unacceptable levels of overlooking in any already close knit situation as to warrant a concern or refusal in this case. Replacement Roof, Windows and Render
• 6.6 Those works more visually prominent from the streetscene are works to replace the windows and roof covering, replacement render and new roof-lights to the front elevation roof slope.
• 6.7 Render works are expected to result in an external finish no different to the existing and so no visual changes are expected, similarly the replacement of the windows and roof with new timber sliding sash (maintaining glazing bar pattern) and slates is expected to have an overall negligible impact compared to the existing sliding sash windows and slate roof arrangement and preserving the character and appearance of the property and conservation area in line with the aforementioned policies in 4.0. New lead flashings and valleys are considered to be acceptable and appropriate and the replacement cast iron effect rainwater goods are accepted minded that the existing are not considered key features contributing to the interest of the building specifically and so their replacement with cast iron effect accepted in this case in order to preserve the overall appearance.
• 6.8 Where additional assessment is required is the replacement roof-lights especially minded of the previous roof-light refusals in 2006. PA 06/00880/GB was refused for the replacement of one middle rooflight with a much larger roof light measuring 600mm (w) x 1100mm (h). This was refused for "the property is a prominent one within the Castletown Conservation Area and is Registered. The introduction of a rooflight which is not the same in size as the others on each side of it would create an imbalanced appearance and would be detrimental to the appearance of the property".
• 6.9 PA 06/01407/GB was refused at appeal for the replacement of all three front roof-lights with new 700(w) x 1100 (h) rooflights as they would be significantly larger than the existing (430mm x 570mm) and they would be visible from the swing bridge and Bridge Street and their size and position would harm the character and appearance of the Castletown Conservation Area being more conspicuous than the existing harming the roofscape and thus Conservation Area. The harm arising in two ways the harm visually on the Conservation Area and second, the inevitable encouragement it would give to similar roof lights proposals elsewhere in the area the proliferation of which seriously harming the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
• 6.10 Since then there have been other roof light applications approved in the area, most recently on a prominent harbour side house on the other side of the Castle approval at appeal under 16/01075/B which has resulted in rooflights being installed running the entire ridge line

• of the properties these are visible within the streetscene and harbour area. It is clear that more radical roof changes have been accepted elsewhere in the area.
• 6.11 In this case existing roof-lights in the attic are shown between the existing original purlins (photo 37) and shown on drawings to measure 440mm (w) x 600mm (h). Proposed is their increase to 550mm (w) x 780mm (h). After speaking with the agent they confirmed that the roof lights would remain within the original purlins and there would be no changes to any of the original purlins to accommodate them. Each roof-light is to be the same and along the same roof line. Their proposed size is not considered to be unreasonable or to result in any adverse harm beyond the existing roof lights nor considered to set an unacceptable precedent given three roof lights already exist and there being other larger installations elsewhere along the harbour area. The proposal is considered acceptable in this case and a condition ensuring no change to the purlins is necessary for the avoidance of doubt. Replacement Cills
• 6.12 Drawings indicate the potential for some external cills to be replaced with matching cills in natural stone where required and on this basis considered should any replacements be required these would have acceptable impact on overall historic and architectural appearance of the property and would not undermine its overall contribution in the streetscene or its registration. Installation of interconnecting door between No. 7 and No. 8.
• 6.13 This proposal comes from the properties being in the same ownership and seeking access between the two without having to go outside. The proposal has potential for disrupting the separate character of the two property with one No.8 being a historic warehouse, and No.7's history lending itself to being a public house and hotel where internal connection between the two would have unlikely occurred. Aside from this, minded of the location internally of the proposed doorway being within living space of No.7 and perhaps not so out of character given the residential occupation nature, and the connection internally to No. 8 at a point where there is an existing hallway, that the proposal whilst resulting in some loss of traditional stonework, that in this specific case the installation of the doorway in the selected position would not result in any significant or obtuse harm on the overall character of each of the buildings to warrant a refusal and the blocking up of this doorway in the future could return each property to their separate states.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall whilst there may be some works resulting in minor harm to the registered building, such as the creation of the new opening and interconnecting door between the two properties which results in a small degree of harm given the loss of historic fabric and the introduction of a non-historic circulation route. However, in this instance, the works involved are to a large degree reversible, and it is considered that this harm is offset by the wider restoration and renovation works included within the application as assessed above which will safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of this protected building for many years to come. - 7.2 On this basis the application is considered to be acceptable and to accord with those Strategic Plan Polices General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4, and Environment Policies 32, 34 and 35, and Policies RB/3 and RB/5 from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and Planning Circular 1/98, and acceptable in respect of S16 and S18 of The Act.

- 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013 (As Amended), the following are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o Manx National Heritage, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The Decision maker must determine whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status. - 8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 18.01.2024 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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