Planning Statement and Plan List

Planning Application

29 JUN 2021

Remove rear chimney stack to property's known as 3 and 5 Allan Street Douglas.

U2200863

The properties within this terrace on Allan St were built with two distinct chimney stacks. One can be viewed from Allan St (front) reference photograph 1 and the other (rear) from Clark Street Lane reference photograph 2. Both stacks are shared between the properties 3 and 5.

The structural condition of the chimney stacks is very poor with considerable ingress of water resulting in water penetration and subsequent staining throughout the supporting walls on both the upper and lower levels of both properties.

Numerous attempts have been made to rectify this problem with little success.

Because of this, a previous application sought to remove both stacks and at the same time renew the roof of both properties, incorporating the latest appropriate level of insulation. This was rejected. Reference 21/01027/B

However, this application was supported by Douglas Borough Council, see attached dated 8th September. Both properties have remained damp and poorly insulated. The reason given was, removal of the stack would blur the boundary between units and have a negative impact on the street scene.

Chimney flues are very efficient heat pumps by their design. They cannot be sealed and must always be vented; they remove valuable heat from a property and in this case let in water. Each property has 4 such flues, originally a fire within each main room.

I appreciate your desire to retain the aesthetics of the terrace reference photograph 1 showing the chimney stacks along the properties of Allan Street but feel that the stack on the rear of the property has no such function and therefore I wish the remove it. Reference photograph 2. Viewed from Clarke Street Lane.

A number of these within the terrace having already been removed. In this way I can in part, reduce associated heat loss and the risk of water penetration. Where the rear stack is removed the roof covering will be replaced to match the existing.