3 December 2004 · Minister for Local Government and the Environment
Flat 2, White House, 11, New Road, Laxey, Isle Of Man, IM4 7bb
The proposal was for part b) of application 04/01812/B: installation of brown powder-coated aluminium automatic bifold doors with full-length glazed panels to replace the existing painted timber inward-opening doors with glazed upper panels at the prominent corner entrance of White House, 11 New Road, Laxey, occupied b…
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The Planning Committee refused due to the doors being 'an inappropriate modern and functional element in what is a prominent and largely unspoiled frontage within Laxey's Conservation Area', with no i…
Time limit
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
no objection, no adverse traffic impacts
Laxey Village Commissioners strongly objected to the bifold doors due to conservation area impacts while having no objection to signage; Highways Division had no views; public representations included one support and one objection focused on access issues.
Key concern: proposed replacement doors would be entirely out of keeping with this building in the heart of the conservation area
Laxey Village Commissioners
ObjectionThe Commissioners have no objections to the proposed signage but do strongly object to the proposed doors.; It is the opinion of the Commissioners that the proposed replacement doors would be entirely out of keeping with this building in the heart of the conservation area, and their replacement would not be in line with Department guidelines on replacement of doors within a conservation area.
Department of Transport Highways Division
No ObjectionThe Highways Division of the Department of Transport has no views on the following application, the application having been considered and having no adverse traffic impacts.
The original application for automatic bifold doors at the Co-op shop in Laxey was refused by the Planning Committee due to the modern appearance being inappropriate for the prominent building in the Conservation Area. The appellant argued the doors would improve accessibility for elderly, disabled customers and those with prams without harming appearance, offering to modify glazing to match existing. The Council and Laxey Village Commissioners objected on heritage grounds, stating replacement doors must match existing details and accessibility benefits were limited by steps. The inspector acknowledged the positive contribution of existing doors but gave significant weight to accessibility improvements from automatic operation, finding the visual impact not jarring. On balance, the appeal was allowed with a standard time condition.
Precedent Value
This appeal demonstrates that functional improvements like accessibility can override strict Conservation Area design matching where visual harm is not 'jarring'. Future applicants should quantify user benefits and offer design compromises.
Inspector: Michael Hurley
