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15/00313/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/00313/B Applicant : Amelia Ventures Proposal : Installation of replacement windows to front elevation Site Address : Merchants House 24 North Quay Douglas Isle of Man IM1 4LE
Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 21.04.2015 Expected Decision Level :
Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the building known as Merchants House, situated on North Quay in Douglas. It is a fairly imposing building of three storeys, and with a well-proportioned frontage attractively decorated with consistent render detailing around windows and doors, at eaves level and in the form of prominent pilasters. The building is in active use and a good state of repair. It has identical windows throughout, in the form of white plastic uPVC-framed sliding sash units; the transoms are quite thin, and the windows do not have decorative horns nor the glass glazing bars. The windows, despite their opening style, are perhaps the least successful element of the building.
1.2 The site is in a prominent position on North Quay and within the Conservation Area of the same name.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the replacement of the windows throughout the front elevation with white uPVC sliding sash units. These would be identical to those currently in situ in terms of glazing bar arrangement, although the transoms would - at 48mm - be more robust than those currently in place, and decorative horns are also proposed. Full scale drawings have not been provided, but small scale details of the opening mechanisms have been, while the applicant has clarified that the windows to be installed would have no glazing bars. The applicant has also stated that the finish would be 'Woodgrain white' as shown in the submitted catalogue.
2.2 In response to a request for further information, the applicant provided some historic photos of the building as it might have looked soon after construction: however, these are perhaps understandably a little vague and the original opening method of the windows cannot be discerned.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 Although the site has previously been the subject of a number of applications, none of these are considered relevant to the determination of the current application.
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15/00313/B
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4.0 PLANNING STATUS
4.1 The site's location within an area of "Mixed Use - Town Centre" on the Douglas Local Plan, as well as the North Quay Conservation Area, is such that the proposal needs to be assessed against General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan, as well as Circular 1/98 - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Douglas Borough Council offered no objection to the proposal on 21.04.2015.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 As noted, the existing building is handsome, with perhaps its weakest link being the somewhat window frames. Although they are of an appropriate opening style, their size and lack of ornamental features detracts from the building as a whole.
6.2 While it is not known what the original opening style or glazing pattern would have been, it is reasonable to assume sliding sash. Those sliding sash units proposed are of a more robust and solid appearance. They reflect a traditional opening method and, although bereft of glazing bars, would still result in a visual enhancement to the building and the Conservation Area in which it sits. The proposed decorative horns and woodgrain finish are also welcomed and would be an improvement over the existing windows.
6.3 It is therefore considered that the proposal complies with the relevant policies of the Development Plan and associated Circular.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 For the reasons outlined above, it is recommended that planning approval be granted.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material; (d) The Highways Division of the Department; and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.05.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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15/00313/B
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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.
C 2. For the avoidance of doubt, the colour / finish of the windows to be installed shall be 'Woodgrain White' as shown on page 9 of the submitted Synseal catalogue, date-stamped as having been received 1st May 2015.
Reason: In the interest of the character and amenity of the building and Conservation Area in which it sits.
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The approval hereby issued relates to the Site Plan (scale 1:500), the Elevation drawing and the four pages of Window Detail carrying the title "evolvevs", all date-stamped as having been received 20th March 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 : 08.05.2015
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
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