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22/00153/B Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 22/00153/B Applicant : Mr Barry Swain Proposal : Erection of extension to rear yard and installation of replacement windows to front and rear elevations Site Address : 9 Eastfield Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4AU
Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken : 07.04.2022 Site Visit : 07.04.2022 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.04.2022 __
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.
C 2. All external facing, window and roofing materials shall remain as shown on the plans and specified within the list of external finishes on the submitted Drawing No. 1041-11 received 9 February 2022. No new types of materials shall be added to the external elevations of the development, hereby approved.
Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal meets the tests of Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999; General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, as well as Planning Policy Statement 1/01 and Policy 1/98.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision relates to Drawing Nos. 1041-10 and 1041-11 received 9 February 2022.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 9 Eastfield, Douglas, a two-storey mid-terrace dwelling with accommodation in the roof, located on the north of Eastfield. The existing windows on the first floor are timber sliding sash windows, while timber french doors are on the ground floor and situated left of the timber entrance door. There are two small pitch roofed dormers on the front elevation roof plane which have UPVC casement windows.
The property has a rear yard which is enclosed by painted masonry rendered wall with a painted timber access door to the rear service lane. The windows at the rear elevation which is finished in painted masonry render are timber sliding sash windows painted white. There is a pitched roofed extension at the rear which half of its roof situated within the application site, with the other situated within number 8 Eastfield.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal seeks planning approval for erection of extension to rear yard and installation of replacement windows to front and rear elevations. The existing painted timber sliding sash windows would be replaced with new UPVC sliding sash windows with similar proportions, while the existing painted timber French doors on the ground floor will be replaced with new UPVC French doors. There would be no changes to the dormer windows and the existing entrance door to the dwelling.
2.2 At the rear, the proposed works would include; 2.2.1 Erection of a new lean roofed extension that would fill up the gap between the kitchen and rear access door. This extension would project 2.7m from the rear of the existing dining, be 2.1m wide and 3.15m where the roof rests on the building (2.1m to the eaves). A new fibreglass roof with rolls to replicate lead roofing would be installed over the extension, with a new Velux rooflight 1180 x 780mm installed over. New UPVC French doors would serve as access from this extension to the rear yard. This extension would serve as a breakfast area.
2.2.2 Replacement of two of the existing painted timber sliding sash windows on the rear elevation of the dwelling (one on the first floor and a dormer window) with UPVC sliding sash windows that would be similar to the existing in terms of proportions and patterns of glazing bars.
2.2.3 The proposal also include repositioning the oil tank at the rear to rest on the wall of the rear yard, with trellis screen placed around the tanks within the rear yard.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY
3.1 The site lies within an area designated as Predominantly Residential in the Area Plan for the East. The site also lies within the Woodbourne Road Conservation Area. The site is not within a flood risk area or a registered tree area and there are no registered trees on site. As such, the following parts of the Strategic Plan are considered relevant:
3.2 General Policy 2 states: "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:
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(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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."
3.3 Environment Policy 35 states: "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."
3.4 Community Policy 7, 10 and 11 state that the design of new development must, as far as is reasonable and practicable, pay due regards to existing best practise such as to prevent criminal and anti-social behaviour and outbreak and spread of fire. In addition, development should also provide proper access for fire-fighting vehicles and adequate supplies of water for fire-fighting purposes."
4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) states, "(4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act".
4.2 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 4.2.1 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 area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application".
4.3 Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows Set states: Category b) Buildings in a Conservation Area "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. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows must have the same pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows. Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."
5.0 PLANNING HISTORY 5.1 Planning approval was granted for the installation of UPVC casement dormer windows to replace existing UPVC dormers windows, which are also casement windows under PA 07/00005/B. This is the only other planning application that has been submitted for the site.
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
6.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they 'Do not oppose' in a letter dated 3 March 2022.
6.2 Douglas Borough Council has no objection on this application (08 March 2022).
6.3 No comments have been received from neighbouring properties.
7.0 ASSESSMENT
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7.1 The key issue to consider in the assessment of this application are; i. Whether the proposed works on the dwelling would meet the test set out in Environment Policy 35 for preserving or enhancing the Conservation Area, and ii. Whether there would be any detrimental impacts on neighbouring amenity
7.2 IMPACTS ON CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE 7.2.1 In assessing the impacts on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area to which the property belongs, it is appropriate to first assess the impact of the proposal on the character of the existing building and the surrounding area; particularly with regard to the character of the Woodbourne Road Conservation Area.
7.2.2 Environment Policy 35 sets out the requirements in regard to development within a Conservation Area. The policy states that development would only be permitted within a Conservation Area if the development would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area as the area is protected against inappropriate development. These principles are further reinforced by Planning Circular 1/98 where development involves the replacement of existing windows as is the case with the current scheme.
7.2.3 With regard to the works proposed on the front elevation of the dwelling to replace some of the existing windows and the French doors on the ground floor, it can be argued that windows are the most important element in a façade, as they can confirm the style, age or even the purpose of a building. As such, the original windows should be replicated faithfully in opening method and glazing bar pattern, particularly in situations where the windows can be viewed from public vantage points within the streetscene. In the case of the current application, it is considered that the dominant window type on Eastfield is the traditional sliding sash windows. Therefore, what is proposed would fit seamlessly into the character of the street scene. Whilst the replacement windows proposed under this scheme would be UPVC sliding sash windows, they would have a similar appearance to the timber sliding sash windows that dominate the street scene, as the existing patterns of glazing bars also replicated here.
7.2.4 Moreover, the use of UPVC is not uncommon within the Woodbourne Road Conservation Area as a whole since newer sliding sash installations have included UPVC replacements. On assessment, it is deemed that the proposed windows would not be detrimental or harmful to the character and quality of the locality but would preserve the character of the existing streetscene and Conservation Area.
7.2.5 The replacement of the existing timber French doors on the ground floor with new white UPVC French doors is also considered acceptable as it would provide a similar appearance as the existing French doors, as it would retain the same proportions and type of glazing bars.
7.2.6 The works at the rear of the building to replace the existing timber sliding sash windows with UPVC sliding sash windows are also considered to be an acceptable development. This is hinged on the fact that the proposed windows would be double glazed and their design and finishing would be similar to the existing windows. Their change here would also reflect the guidelines stipulated in Planning Circular 1/98, and as such would have the impact of preserving the character ad appearance of the street scene and the surrounding Conservation Area.
7.2.7 With regard to the single storey rear extension, it is considered that the extension would provide an additional breakfast area for the dwelling, and is bounded by higher walls which would make the change less conspicuous. Besides, the new extension would have a roof pitch that would be similar to the main dwelling, with the external finish and new French doors retaining the character of the main dwelling. It is also considered that only the roof section of the extension would be visible from the rear lane which is not particularly of high aesthetic value as the front of the dwellings here. Based on the foregoing, it is considered that the new
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extension would have a neutral impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
7.3 IMPACTS ON NEIGHBOURING AMENITY 7.3.1 In terms of impacts on neighbouring amenity, it is considered that the position of the new door introduced at the rear of the extension will not introduce any privacy concerns for the occupants of the adjoining or nearby dwellings since it would be enclosed by the rear yard, and be at ground floor level. The position of the extension within a rear indent would also ensure that there are no overbearing impacts or loss of light resulting from the extension. It is, therefore, considered that the proposed works would not have any detrimental impacts on the neighbours.
8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 For the above reasons the application is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35, Planning Policy Statement 1/01, and Policy 1/98, and therefore recommended for approval.
9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS 9.1 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 which 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.
9.2 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 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 : Permitted
Date: 25.04.2022
Determining officer
Signed : J SINGLETON
Jason Singleton
Principal Planner
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