Planning Statement and Photos

Proposed New Studio Apartment, At the rear of 6-8 Michael Street, Peel for

Clearhomes (IOM) Ltd

Planning Statement And Photographs Of The Existing Building

Job No. 6.1622

The whole site for 6-8 Michael Street is owned by the Applicant Clearhomes (IOM) Ltd. The site area includes accommodation for a shop unit, with a duplex flat above no. 6 and two flats above No.8. At the rear of the property is a four-storey derelict building and a part-single/parttwo storey building with courtyards, accessed from Michael Street by a corridor with external door and to Douglas Street by a gated access.

The proposed development, the subject of this planning application is only for the refurbishment of the existing part-single/part-two storey building at the rear of 6-8 Michael Street Peel, to form a studio apartment over two storeys of the building. The building was previously part of the 'Cruise Club' of the former Travel Agency. The Applicant believes the reuse of an redundant building for residential purposes is compatible with the Peel Planning Circular 6/89 residential policy to positively encourage refurbishment and amalgamation of properties in the town centre area for this use. The nature and style of this courtyard development is also compatible with other recent similar residential developments where they are located in courtyards off the main streets.

The unused building has not been the subject of any known recent planning applications. The proposed new studio apartment will be refurbished to a high specification and most of the major structure will be retained and improved. It is the Applicant's intention to carry out works in a traditional style which is sympathetic to the existing building. The main rendered walls and roof coverings can be patch repaired. The existing windows which are beyond repair will be removed and replaced with upvc vertical sliding sash windows. The existing doors which are beyond repair will be replaced with upvc doors. New openings will be created in the roof to fit new heritage-style rooflights over the living accommodation.

Access to the entrance of the studio apartment will be through the courtyard to the existing alley to Michael Street. There is an alternative access via the courtyard to Douglas Street. The alley to Michael Street is to be resurfaced in clay quarry tiles with matwells. To ensure the courtyard is in keeping with the styles of other Peel alleys and courtyards, it will be resurfaced in a mixture of cobbles and natural stone paving slabs, and the existing walls will be rendered and painted.

There are sufficient services / service connections available to the site. Manx Electricity Authority, Manx Water and Manx Telecom already service the site. The site is also serviced by both mains foul and surface water drainage, with manholes locally in the road. There is nearby mains gas also, with the potential to serve the new development if desired.

The surface water drainage will be taken into the existing drains on the site and discharged via the existing drains to the main sewers in Michael Street. The discharge is the same as existing as no extra drainage area has been created by the development. The foul drainage will be connected via a new manhole over the existing sewer in the courtyard which discharges to the main sewer on Michael Street.

There is no space on the site that can be utilised as part of the development for parking. However there is the town centre car park which can be used for parking, and this is accessed from the Douglas Street entrance, and is only on the other side of the road from this development. The Applicant is aware there is an allowance for discretion on parking standards for residential development in the town centre under clause 5.13 in the Peel Planning Circular 6/89 and the Isle of Man Strategic Plan Appendix 7, and requests that discretion be applied in this case. It is the Applicant's opinion the reuse of a redundant building should outweigh the strict application of parking guidelines in this instance.

The Applicant respectfully requests the Planning Committee to grant planning approval for this application.

I. View of the existing building and courtyard. The garden wall will be rendered with new copings and the courtyard will be finished with cobbles and natural stone paving.

1. External view of the courtyard and south-east and south-west elevations. The doors and windows are to be replaced and the walls rendered as part of the refurbishment.

1. View of the interior of the first floor section which is proposed to be the first floor bedroom

1. View of the single storey area which is proposed for the lounge, dining and kitchen areas.