Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Application No.: 09/01218/B Applicant: Port Erin Methodist Church Committee Proposal: Installation of replacement windows and door to entrance porch Site Address: - Methodist Church - Station Road - Port Erin - Isle Of Man - IM9 6BD ### Considerations Case Officer: Ms Henrietta Hopkins Photo Taken: 24.08.2009 Site Visit: 24.08.2009 Expected Decision Level: Senior Planning Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consultee: Highways Division Notes: Consultee: Port Erin Commissioners Notes: approved. Consultee: Disability Access Officer Notes:** comment

Officer's Report

The Site

The application site represents the curtilage of the Methodist Church, Station Road, Port Erin. This church is located near an established residential area.

The Proposal

The applicant seeks to replace the timber door and windows to a flat roof building attaching the Methodist Church to the Methodist Church Hall. The timber windows and doors are currently in poor condition and the applicant proposes to replace them with a white PVC-U frame. The front elevation for the door and windows shall measure 3.2m and the side elevations 1.370m. The height of the proposed PVC windows and door will be 2.130m.

Planning Status

The application site is located as a 'Church' in the Port Erin Local Plan 1990. The church is surrounded by predominantly residential use to the east; car park to the south; mixed use to the west and tourism/mixed use to the north in the Port Erin Local Plan 1990. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains a policy which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application - General Policy 2.

10 September 2009 09/01218/B Page 1 of 3

General Policy 2 states:

"Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

(a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
(c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;
(d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
(e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
(f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
(g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
(h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
(i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
(j) can be provided with all necessary services;
(k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
(l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
(m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
(n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

PLANNING HISTORY The property has had previous planning applications submitted which are considered to be relevant to this proposal: 97/01448/B - Alterations to front entrance including ramped access and new doors - Split decision (29th April 1998)

ASSESSMENT

The application site is located as a 'Church' in the Port Erin Local Plan 1990. Given the nature of the proposed development it is therefore appropriate to assess the proposal against the policy identified earlier within the report (i.e. General Policy 2).

Given that the planning application proposes to replace the existing windows and a door on the same scale and location as the existing, but using different materials from wooden windows and a door to white pvc windows and a door, it is considered that the proposed development is acceptable. The Methodist Church and Methodist Church Hall are not registered buildings or located within a conservation area. The current wooden windows and door are in a poor condition and it is considered that a replacement would to be an improvement to the building. Furthermore, there already exist PVC windows on all elevations of the Church Hall. In conclusion, it is considered that the proposed windows/doors will enhance the character of the building and will not have a detrimental impact on the surrounding area. The Access Officer has not raised on objection subject to the door being at least 850mm wide with no threshold. The applicant has confirmed in an email (dated 10th September 2009) that the double doors are to have an overall opening width of 1800mm (900mm per door).

REPRESENTATIONS The Commissioners of Port Erin recommend that the proposal should be approved. 10 September 2009

The Access Officer does not raise an objection subject to the doors being at least 850mm wide with no threshold.

RECOMMENDATION

For these reasons the proposal is considered acceptable and it is recommended that the planning application be permitted subject to conditions:

PARTY STATUS

It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, accord with the requirements of Planning Circular 1/06 and are therefore, afforded Interested Party Status:

The Commissioners of Port Erin

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.09.2009

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C: Conditions for approval
N: Notes attached to conditions
R: Reasons for refusal
O: Notes attached to refusals

C 1.

The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2.

This approval relates to the submitted Drawing Nos. 001, 002, 003 received on 23rd July, 2009.

I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular No 09/09 Delegation of functions, 10/09 Delegation of Functions (Development Procedure), GC No 11/09 (Advertisements) and GC No 12/09 (Registered Buildings) all to the Senior Planning Officer

Decision Made: Permitted

Date:

Signed:

Senior Planning Officer

10 September 2009

Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Source & Provenance