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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 22/00277/B Applicant : Mr Patrick & Mrs Julie Swales Proposal : Installation of six replacement windows Site Address : Tynwald View Main Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3NA

Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.04.2022 __

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 application meets the tests of general policy 2, strategic policy 4 and environment policy 35 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the proposed conservation area is being protected and preserved, and the proposals do not adversely affect the character of the surrounding townscape. Whilst the proposed materials are not traditional, as preferred by Environment Policy 34, they are considered acceptable in this instance given that the overall impact will be to preserve the character of the proposed Conservation Area. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the supporting information received on 25.2.2022. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

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Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is Tynwald View, a three bay, two storey cottage sited directly on the south side of the main road in St Johns. The property has a natural slate pitched roof, exposed Manx stone (slate) chimney stacks and external walls, a painted smooth render panel between the ground floor window heads and the first floor window cills, and painted smooth render surrounds to the window and door openings.

1.2 The windows on the front and side elevation of the property are generally timber framed sliding sash units, with the exception being the ground floor left hand front elevation window which is a timber framed four paned casement window with a top left opening portion.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The application proposes to replace all five existing timber windows (one casement and four sliding sash units) on the front elevation with UPVC sliding sash units. The existing side (east) elevation first floor timber sliding sash window is also proposed to be replaced with a UPVC sliding sash unit.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the St John's Local Plan 1999 as residential and within the St John's Proposed Conservation Area. The site is not in an area at risk of flooding.

3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan: 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: (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; and (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality.

Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;

Environment Policy 34: In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred.

Environment Policy 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development.

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

POLICY CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the

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area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application. Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected.

3.4 Planning Circular 1/98 provides guidance on the replacement of windows and in Conservation Areas states that whatever the frame material, the method of opening on windows readily visible from a public thoroughfare should replicate the existing, where the original windows are in place.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 Application 85/00814/B approved the installation of a dormer and the use of the garage as a joinery business and timber store.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS.

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division judge the application to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking. (17.3.2022).

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The principal issue with regard to the application is the impact of the proposed replacement windows on the special character of the proposed conservation area. Whilst the conservation area is not yet adopted so the full force of Strategic Policy 4, Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 cannot properly be applied to this development, it is important that development does not prejudice the future designation of the conservation area by allowing something that could be viewed as harmful.

6.2 The proposed replacement windows generally replicate the existing form and opening method of the current windows, and therefore the guidance in planning circular 1/98 is being followed. The exception to this is the left hand ground floor window on the front elevation. Currently this window is a centrally divided four paned casement unit with an opener in its top left panel. The size and proportions of the window suggest that it may at one time have served as a display window for a shop of some kind. With this in mind, the window's glazing pattern may have historically been altered. Regardless of any conjecture regarding the previous style and purpose of the window, the existing unit is not consistent with the others in the property. Whilst a tripartite sliding sash unit would probably be the most appropriate style, the proposed installation of a two over two sliding sash UPVC unit is judged to be appropriate given the other windows in the property and the overriding window style within the proposed Conservation Area.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 It is judged that the application meets the tests of general policy 2, strategic policy 4 and environment policy 35 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the proposed conservation area is being protected and preserved, and the proposals do not adversely affect the character of the surrounding townscape. Whilst the proposed materials are not traditional as preferred by Environment Policy 34, they are considered acceptable in this instance given that the overall impact will be to preserve the character of the proposed Conservation Area. It is therefore recommended that the application be approved.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

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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 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 : 05.04.2022

Determining officer Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

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.