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                                      23/01332/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/01332/B Applicant : Living Hope Church Proposal : Removal of wall mounted statue to front elevation Site Address : St Josephs Church Snaefell Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 6PD

Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : 05.12.2023 Site Visit : 05.12.2023 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.01.2024 __

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. Overall whilst the removal of the statue will be noticeable it will ultimately not impact the character and appearance of the structure, in itself or within the streetscene and as such the proposal complies with General Policy 2.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 28th December 2023; o Drawing No. P01 Rev B

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties 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):

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                                      23/01332/B                                     Page  2  of  4

6 Birchley Terrace, Onchan Thie Aash, 9 Douglas Road, Ballasalla 13 Wesley Terrace, Douglas Kerroo Ain," Castletown Road, Port St Mary

As they do not satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status. __

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THERE ARE 4 OBJECTORS WITH MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is within St. Joseph's Church and its associated grounds within the centre of Williaston's residential estate in Douglas. St Joseph. The site is situated upon a central plot where Fenella Avenue splits in 2 and meets Snaefell Road.

1.2 The main building is situated within a T shape, predominantly single-storey, with the front entrance facing onto Snaefell Road. The building has a slate roof and is mainly red brick.

1.3 To the front of the site, there are large double doors, six windows on both the ground and first floor, a cross to the upper point and a statue of St Joseph above the door.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the removal of the St Joseph statue to the front elevation, which measures approximately 1.1m. The removal of the statue will also include the removal of the statue plinth.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The previous applications are not relevant in the assessment of this application.

3.2 There is one concurrent application, which is PA23/01341/D, Installation of non-illuminated signage to front elevation, PENDING.

PLANING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the East, Map 4 - Douglas. The site isn't within a Conservation Area nor a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the residential property and the land designation paragraph 8.12.1 and General Policy 2 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are most relevant to its assessment which set out the general standards towards acceptable development.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state "No Highways Interest." (24.11.23)

5.3 Onchan Commissioners have considered the application and state they have no objections. (01.12.23)

5.4 The Owner/Occupier of No.6 Birchley Terrace, Onchan has written in to object to the removal of the statue.

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                                      23/01332/B                                     Page  3  of  4

5.5 The Owner/Occupier of "Thie Aash," 9 Douglas Road, Ballasalla has written in to object to the removal of the statue.

5.6 The Owner/Occupier of No.13 Wesley Terrace, Douglas has written in to object to the removal of the statue.

5.7 The Owner/Occupier of "Kerroo Ain," Castletown Road, Port St Mary have written in to object to the removal of the statue.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issue to consider on the assessment on this application is whether the removal of the statue would impact the Character and Appearance of the building and the overall streetscene.

6.2 The existing site is situated within a residential environment with the church whilst having a prominent position within the streetscene, this is more regarding the character and appearance of the structure being different to the surrounding properties than the accessories situated upon the structure.

6.3 While it is noted that there have been some objections to the removal of statue as a religious icon on a church building, the removal of the statue is to facilitate the change in occupier which will keep the building in use. The agent has confirmed that statue will be returned to the owners who are the Catholic Church.

6.4 Notwithstanding the above it is considered that the removal of the statue will not adversely affect the wider area or the host building to such a degree that would warrant a refusal,

CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall whilst the removal of the statue will be noticeable it will ultimately not impact the character and appearance of the structure, in itself or within the streetscene and as such the proposal complies with General Policy 2.

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 __

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                                      23/01332/B                                     Page  4  of  4

I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Committee Meeting Date: 15.01.2024

Signed : V PORTER Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).

Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.