22 December 2006 · Delegated - Director of Planning and Building Control (M. I. McCauley)
23, Horseshoe Avenue, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 1qt
The proposal involved installing an external stainless steel flue, approximately 250mm diameter, on the front gable wall of a new two-storey detached house in a residential area under development.
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The officer identified the key issue as the impact on visual amenities of the locality. The proposed stainless steel flue would be industrial in appearance, out of keeping with the main dwellinghouse,…
no objection
Douglas Corporation has no objection to application 06/01725/B among a list of other applications.
Douglas Corporation
No ObjectionDouglas Corporation have no objection to the proposals listed below.; It should be noted that the above comments are made in relation to the Town and Country Planning Acts and does not imply approval or consent under any other relevant enactment, byelaw, order or regulation.
The original application for erection of a stainless steel flue to serve a multi-fuel stove was refused by the Department of Local Government and the Environment on 21 December 2006, primarily due to its industrial appearance harming visual amenities. Appellants argued the flue's small size, weathering potential, economic and health benefits of solid fuel, and environmental advantages in reducing carbon emissions via renewable wood fuel. The inspector, following written representations and a site visit, found the flue's prominent position on the gable wall, industrial stainless steel appearance, and poor integration with the chimney-less new dwellings would unacceptably harm the dwelling's appearance and street scene. Other benefits raised did not outweigh the visual harm. The appeal was recommended to fail, upholding the refusal.
Precedent Value
This appeal demonstrates that visual amenity in residential street scenes trumps personal heating benefits; appellants should prioritise designs integrating with existing architecture (e.g. concealed flues) rather than external stainless steel, especially on visible elevations.
Inspector: John S Turner
