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Application No.: 21/01033/B Applicant: Mr Christopher & Mrs Anna Elvin Proposal: Installation of replacement bay windows Site Address: The Old Police Station Strand Road Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6HB Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 26.10.2021 _________________________________________________________________ Reasons for Refusal R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons R 1. By reason of the inappropriate window framing, profile detail and window opening methods the proposed windows would not protect, preserve nor enhance the visual quality of the existing building which is considered to be of heritage interest as identified in the Proposed Port Erin Conservation Area Character Appraisal. The application therefore fails Strategic Policies 4 and 5, and General Policy 2 (b, c, and g), and the principles of Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and fails Planning Circular 1/98 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of The Old Police Station, Port Erin. An existing traditional building sitting at the top end of Strand Road and a alongside the public plaza next to the railway station. - 1.2 The two storey pitched roof property has two prominent gable stacks and an overhanding eaves detail. The dwelling has a stone boundary wall enclosing a front garden area and a large projecting porch with two columns and enclosed with art deco glazing and doors all finished in timber.
1.3 The front and gable elevations are prominent from public view. All the windows across the front elevation are finished in timber with either a three or two panel design. - 1.4 To one side of the chimney stack on the north gable are two rounded bay windows both finished in timber with a 6 panels arrangement with a 70/30 glazing design. The transom splitting the windows has a continuous rounded profile matching the curve of the bay and between the vertical frames is a similar vertical detail matching the front elevation windows. The upper bay is finished with a rounded external cornicing detail. Between the ground and first floor is a rounded tile hung detail. - 1.5 The site sits within the Proposed Port Erin Conservation Area and is specifically referenced within the Character Appraisal as a positive building of interest and "positive buildings in the area should be used as exemplars for future design in the area". The same document further identifies "this building has an attractive projecting porch which has been filled in with art-deco style glazing. As an important heritage building, this should be preserved."
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the removal of both bay timber windows and their replacement with new UPVC windows. - 2.2 The proposed windows are to be 6 panel, each window panel is shown to have a 45mm frame and a 30mm transom splitting to a 70/30 design. Two of the windows are to have top opening windows creating an overall 75m frame depth. - 2.3 There is no drawing detail is provided for the existing windows only a photograph.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There have been a number of previous applications at the site relating to extensions at the rear and the buildings use as a chiropodist, part tourist and most recently in 2016 as full residential but none are considered materially relevant in the assessment of this particular case.
4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area zoned as 'Mixed Use' under the Area Plan for the South 2013, and as previously mentioned the site is within the Proposed Port Erin Conservation Area and is specifically referenced as a building of interest and merit. In terms of strategic policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of polices relating to the visual and amenity impacts of development and its need to provide a positive contribution to the Islands environment (General Policy 2 and Strategic Policy 5) and whether the works preserve or enhance the character and appearance of a Conservation Area (Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 35). In addition to these two policies consideration should also be given to Planning Circular 1/98 and PPS 1/01 which provide guidance policies in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows and works in a Conservation Area.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only. - 5.1 Port Erin Commissioners - in support (15/09/2021). - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - Do not oppose (03/09/2021). - 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties.
6.1 The character appraisal for the proposed Conservation Area clearly identifies The Old Police Station of a building of interest and one which positively contributes to the character and appearance of the area and that "as an important heritage building, this should be preserved.". - 6.2 'Isle of Man Planning Circular 1/98: Buildings in Conservation Areas - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows' states that if the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same method of opening as the originals, the same pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows. - 6.3 There is no information provided with the application to indicate why the existing windows are to be replaced nor is there any justification as to why the windows cannot first be repaired. The application contains no drawing information as to the opening method or frame sections of the existing window profiles and so it cannot be fully assessed that the proposed replacement windows would match the original framing sizes and sections. - 6.4 That aside, it is clearly evident from what information has been provided for the proposed window panels that the replacement windows would not have a rounded profile detail matching that of the 70/30 transom in the original windows and that the inclusion of two top opening windows across each bay would subsequently increase this section of the framing size beyond what currently exists and one which would negatively impact the overall visual appearance of the windows. - 6.5 While UPVC has been accepted over a number of recent years for replacement windows in some conservation areas (mostly sliding sash), in sensitive situations such as The Old Police Station, careful consideration needs to be given in respect of the existing and proposed framing sizes when changing between timber and UPVC and whether more intricate profile detail can be suitably and acceptably replicated in UPVC, or if not, the application must be provided with suitable and sufficient justification as to why the applicant/agent think an exception to policy should be made.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The windows as proposed would not protect, preserve nor enhance the visual quality of the existing building which is considered to be of heritage interest as identified in the Character Appraisal for the proposed Port Erin Conservation Area. The application is therefore considered to fail Strategic Policies 4 and 5, and General Policy 2 (b, c, and g), and to fail the principles of Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and to fail Planning Circular 1/98 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner 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: Refused Date: 26.10.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner
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