Review Submission Planning Statement

Ostick + Williams ARCHITECTS \& TOWN PLANNERS

A Submission For A Review

OF

The Initial Planning Decision

AT

39 FINCH ROAD, DOUGLAS, IOM Application No: 03/01473/B

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Ostick \& Williams Planning Supervisors 14 Edgewater Road Belfast BT3 9JQ Tel: 02890778810 Fax:02890778335 E:[email protected]

Contents

1.0 Background 2.0 Consultations 3.0 Design Commentary

Appendix 1 Sketch Design of 10 April 2003 Appendix 2 E-mail of 29th April 2003 Appendix 3 Coloured Elevations and Perspectives Appendix 4 General arrangement drawings

1.0 Background

1.1 An application was made to develop the site on 16th May 2002. 1.2 The application was refused, following a review, on 15th November 2002. 1.3 Following the refusal the developer's architect met the planning officer to discuss the reasons for refusal. It was concluded from the meeting that an acceptable proposal could be achieved on the site. The developer undertook to work up a new design in close consultation with the government planning officers.

2.0 Consultations

2.1 The developer and architect met the planning officer and the conservation officer on 28th November 2002. There was a full discussion on the background to the refusal, a constructive critique of the refused design and a discussion on how to progress a revised design which would be acceptable to the authorities. It was agreed at the meeting to consult through sketches and faxes to allow an acceptable design solution to evolve. 2.2 Initial sketches were sent to Marlene Hendy on 21st February 2003. These sketches were tracing paper overlays of the refused scheme illustrating reduced massing and increased modelling to reflect the scale of adjoining development. 2.3 A further meeting took place with the planning officer and conservation offices on 27th February 2003 to discuss the sketches. This meeting resulted in the preparation of a sketch design which was sent for comment on 10th April 2003 (see appendix 1). 2.4 A positive response was received by e-mail on 29th April 2003 (see appendix 2). Following receipt of Marlene Hendy's comments a formal design was commenced. 2.5 On 20th June 2003 a set of design drawings were issued to Mr Brian Sinden for comment prior to making a planning application. 2.6 On 1st August 2003 a set of coloured illustrations was also sent to Mr Sinden to assist understanding. 2.7 On 21st August 2003 Mr Sinden responded verbally making two comments.

1) that we may wish to re-consider our proposed asymmetrical fenestration.

2) that we should avoid expanses of blank wall at low level.

Following receipt of these comments revisions were made to the designs and a planning application complete with coloured context elevations and coloured computer perspectives was made on 9th October 2003.

3.0 Design Commentary

3.1 The site is an architectural challenge being an island site, irregular in shape and sloping steeply from back to front. 3.2 The design attempts to be both contextual and modern. A pastiche solution such as used with limited success in other buildings was considered undesirable by both designers and the authorities.

The following was proposed to keep the design in context with existing properties:- a) use of materials and colour, principally natural slate roof and coloured rendered external works. b) the vertical proportion of window openings and the balance of window to wall ratio. c) the grouping or pairing of windows to reflect the largely domestic scale of the conservation area. 3.3 It was also believed important to break up the four elevations into a series of planes and to step the building down the slope as seen in the southern and northern elevations. This creates visual interest and is in keeping with the scale of the surrounding property. 3.4 The proposed design steps down the site and is of four storey height relative to the ground level. This height is consistent with the majority of buildings in the location.

3.5 The entrance to the development is at the junction of Finch Road and Harris Terrace and is purposely located to form a focal point when approached from Well Road Hill. 3.6 Car parking is on two basement levels with two ramped accesses from Harris Terrace. This helps create a stepped walled plinth around the building defining the site boundaries and forming planted terraces at different levels around. The walled plinth is used as a design base on adjacent existing buildings. 3.7 The lift and toilet core has been carefully located at the centre of the building to avoid its expression on any of the elevations and to ensure that the lift shaft's rise within the confines of the roof pitches. 3.8 The roofscape will be visible from the elevated western end of Christian Road so care has been taken to ensure that no items of penetrating plant are expressed which will break the clear roof lines. 3.9 It is intended that the proposed building will make a positive contribution to the development of Douglas not only in the creation of high quality office accommodation but also in providing an appropriate architectural response to the many urban design factors which are inherent to this site.

The applicant disagrees with the conclusion of the Planning Committee "that the development would be intrusive and would have an adverse effect on the appearance and character of the conservation area" and requests that the initial decision is reviewed.