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                                      23/01356/GB                                     Page  1  of  5

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/01356/GB Applicant : Mr Roger & Mrs Michelle Davies Proposal : Proposed widening of vehicle entrances and driveway re- alignment (in association with RB consent PA 23/01357/CON) Site Address : Crofton The Crofts Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LW

Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level :

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.01.2024 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposals meet the tests of Section 16 and 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, and the tests of General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4, Environment Policy 32 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan 2016, as the special interest of the Registered Building and Conservation Area are being preserved and protected, and the proposals respect the character of the surrounding townscape. It is therefore judged that the application is acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to drawings 01, 02, 03 and 04, tree information drawings B294-LS-01, TI- 081123, OTP-081123 and TS-271023, together with the other supporting information submitted on 18th November 2023. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

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                                      23/01356/GB                                     Page  2  of  5

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is Crofton, The Crofts (RB 261), Castletown. The property was built sometime between 1850 and 1861, for an advocate named John Moore Jeffcott. The house is constructed in local Limestone, has a distinctive and unusual design, and retains much of its historic detailing.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The application seeks approval to widen the two existing entrance gates on the Crofts boundary. It is proposed that this widening would involve moving one of each of the pillars, with related alterations to the boundary wall and its painted metalwork, and fixing the existing entrance gate to the pillar in its widened location. The gates would not be altered in themselves, and are intended to be fixed in the open position. The application is concurrent with registered building consent application 23/01357/CON.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY.

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South 2013 as predominantly residential, and within the Castletown Conservation Area. The site is not in an area at risk of flooding.

3.2 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999

S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions (3) In considering - (b) whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the relevant Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

S18 Designation of conservation areas (4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act.

3.3 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

General Policy 2 Strategic Policy 4 Environment Policy 32 Environment Policy 35

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

POLICY RB/3 POLICY RB/5

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 Reference Number: 85/00663/A Status: Permitted

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                                      23/01356/GB                                     Page  3  of  5

Proposal: Approval in principle to demolish existing building and erect dwelling with garage, Plot of land adjacent to Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown

Reference Number: 90/00998/A Status: Permitted Proposal: Approval in principle for external alterations, Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.

Reference Number: 90/01560/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Alterations to dwelling, conversion of coach house to flat & double garage and rebuilding store, Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.

Reference Number: 92/00439/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Construction of garden room, Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.

Reference Number: 94/00591/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Installation of new window, Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.

Reference Number: 95/01023/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Erection of porch and conservatory, Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.

Reference Number: 05/01332/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Installation of an electric meter box to side elevation (Conservation Area)

Reference Number: 17/01064/GB Status: Refused Proposal: Erection of a rear conservatory (in association with 17/01065/CON)

Reference Number: 17/01065/CON Status: Refused Proposal: Registered Building consent for the erection of a rear conservatory (in association with 17/01064/GB) Registered Building Nos. 261

Reference Number: 23/01126/GB Status: Permitted Proposal: Replacement of lounge window, two kitchen windows and roof lights (in association with registered building consent application 23/01127/CON)

Reference Number: 23/01127/CON Status: Permitted Proposal: Registered building consent to replace side elevation lounge window, two kitchen windows, roof lights on main roof, widening of internal opening, alteration to fire places and alteration to plan form at first floor level - RB 261 (in association with 23/01126/GB)

Reference Number: 23/01161/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Proposed renovation of existing Garden Store including replacement window and new roof light

Reference Number: 23/01162/CON Status: Permitted

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                                      23/01356/GB                                     Page  4  of  5

Proposal: Registered Building consent for installation of replacement window and new roof light to garden store - RB 261

Reference Number: 23/01261/GB Status: Permitted Proposal: Replacement of Conservatory at rear of property (in association with RB application 23/01262/CON)

Reference Number: 23/01262/CON Status: Permitted Proposal: Registered building consent for replacement of conservatory at rear of property - RB261 (in association with PA 23/01261/GB)

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The D.O.I. Highways Division have stated that they find the application to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. A S109 highway agreement will be required for the widened dropped kerb accesses. (24.11.2023).

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The pertinent issue to be assessed by this application is the impact of the proposed alterations on the special interest of the registered building and the special character of the conservation area. It is considered that the proposals meet the tests of Section 16 and 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999

6.2 The boundary wall and gates of Crofton are contemporary with the property, and are judged to make a significant positive contribution to the property's setting, and to the character of this part of the Castletown Conservation Area. The justification put forward by the applicant and their agent for the proposed alterations relates to the practicality of the entrances for modern vehicles. Both entrances are 2.5m wide currently, with the pillars sited directly at the back of the pavement line. With the width of the roadway along this part of the Crofts, the width and position of the entrances does cause issues both in terms of safely entering the property and safely exiting in terms of adequate visibility for vehicles. The solution proposed within this application is to widen each entrance by the width of one section of the wrought iron fencing, approximately 1.2m. When viewed from outside the site, the internal pillars of each entrance are proposed to be moved, while the external pillars would remain in their existing position. The existing gates that are attached to the internal pillars would be reattached to the pillars once they are reconstructed in their revised positions. Although this will result in the gates not meeting when in the closed position, the gates have been in their open position for many years and it is intended for them to remain in the open position. When visiting the site to review the proposals with the applicants and their agent, it is apparent that the narrow nature of the existing entrances is resulting in damage to the pillar's historic fabric. It is considered that the proposed alterations have been well considered, and that the solution put forward will cause minimal harm to the historic fabric. With the damage that has been caused to the pillars in their current position, the wider entrances may in fact assist to protect the historic fabric and avoid damage by vehicles. With these factors in mind, the proposed alterations are judged to preserve the special character of the registered building, conservation area and surrounding townscape.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 It is judged that the proposals meet the tests of Section 16 and 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, and the tests of General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4, Environment Policy 32 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan 2016, as the special interest of the Registered Building and Conservation Area are being preserved and protected, and the

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                                      23/01356/GB                                     Page  5  of  5

proposals respect the character of the surrounding townscape. It is therefore recommended that the application be approved.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

(a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should 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 : 11.01.2024

Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan

Acting Head of Development Management

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