**Document:** Dept Decision Notice
**Application:** 10/01579/CON — Registered Building consent for a stabilisation and protection scheme to pier (In association with 10/01578/GB) Registered Building Nos. 154
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2011-03-10
**Parish:** Lezayre
**Document Type:** decision / decision_notice
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/13829-lezayre-queens-pier/documents/1110079
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# Dept Decision Notice
## Chief Secretary'S Office
Oik yn Ard-Scrudeyr
Our Ref: DF10/0032 Planning Application Ref.No: 10/01578/GB
### The Town And Country Planning Act 1999
### Town And Country Planning Development (Procedure Order) 2005
| Planning Secretary | RECEIVED |
| --- | --- |
| Department Of Infrastructure | 21 MAR 2011 |
| Murray House | |
| Mount Havelock | |
| Douglas | DEPARTMENT OF |
| | INFRASTRUCTURE |
| Applicant: | Department Of Infrastructure - Harbours Division |
| --- | --- |
| Proposal: | Stabilisation and protection scheme to pier (In association with 10/01579/CON), Queens Pier Queens Promenade Ramsey Isle Of Man IM99 1PS |
In accordance with paragraph 10 of the above Order, the person appointed by the Council of Ministers to consider this application has submitted his report. In accordance with paragraph 10.3(a) and (b), a copy of the appointed persons report is enclosed. On the 10th March 2011, and after consultation, the Council of Ministers accepted the recommendation contained within that report and the application was approved subject to compliance with the conditions specified below.
Date of Issue: 17th March 2011 Chief Secretary's Office Government Offices Bucks Road Douglas
Mr A Johnstone Planning Appeals Administrator
### Schedule Of Conditions:
1. The development ('works' in the case of the Registered Building Application) shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
2. This approval relates to the Stabilisation and Protection scheme to the Queen's Pier, Ramsey, as proposed in the documents submitted on 26 October 2010 (Planning, Statement, Record Photographs and Original Drawings) and the drawings listed in the Schedule date stamped 11 November 2010.
3. The balusters, lamp standards, bench seats, hoist etc must be removed with care and stored on pallets in a suitable locked and weathertight storage facility which shall be managed and monitored in accordance with the environmental standards identified in the method statement referred to below.
No development (works) shall take place until a method statement covering the removal, inventory, transportation and storage of these items has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The development (works) shall be carried out in accordance with the details in the agreed method statement.
4. A set of well preserved cast iron components (paradigm components) are to be selected for particularly careful preservation and storage to act as templates for any replacement castings which may be required in the future. These components are to be accurately recorded and detailed scale drawings are to be prepared, copies of which shall be provided to the Planning Authority. The detailed arrangements for the paradigm components including their recording shall be covered by the method statement referred to in condition 3 above.
5. Prior to the dismantling of the toll huts and shelter an analysis of these buildings, including identification of features to be retained, shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The items to be retained shall be transported and stored in accordance with details which shall first have been submitted to an agreed in writing with the
## Chief Secretary'S Office
Oik yn Ard-Scrudeyr
Our Ref: DF10/0034 Planning Application Ref.No: 10/01579/CON
### The Town And Country Planning Act 1999
### The Registered Buildings Regulations 2005
| Planning Secretary | |
| --- | --- |
| Murray House | |
| Mount Havelock | |
| Douglas | |
| Isle Of Man | |
| Applicant: | Department Of Infrastructure - Harbours Division |
| --- | --- |
| Proposal: | Registered Building consent for a stabilisation and protection scheme to pier (In association with 10/01578/GB) Registered Building Nos. 154, Queens Pier Queens Promenade Ramsey Isle Of Man IM99 1PS |
In accordance with section 12 of the above Regulations, the person appointed by the Council of Ministers to consider this application has submitted his report. In accordance with paragraph 5(a) and (b), a copy of the appointed persons report is enclosed.
On the 10th March 2011, and after consultation, the Council of Ministers accepted the recommendation contained within that report and the application was approved subject to compliance with the conditions specified below.
Date of Issue: 17th March 2011 Chief Secretary's Office Government Offices Bucks Road Douglas
Mr A Johnstone Planning Appeals Administrator
### Schedule Of Conditions:
1. The development ('works' in the case of the Registered Building Application) shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
2. This approval relates to the Stabilisation and Protection scheme to the Queen's Pier, Ramsey, as proposed in the documents submitted on 26 October 2010 (Planning, Statement, Record Photographs and Original Drawings) and the drawings listed in the Schedule date stamped 11 November 2010.
3. The balusters, lamp standards, bench seats, hoist etc must be removed with care and stored on pallets in a suitable locked and weathertight storage facility which shall be managed and monitored in accordance with the environmental standards identified in the method statement referred to below.
No development (works) shall take place until a method statement covering the removal, inventory, transportation and storage of these items has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The development (works) shall be carried out in accordance with the details in the agreed method statement.
4. A set of well preserved cast iron components (paradigm components) are to be selected for particularly careful preservation and storage to act as templates for any replacement castings which may be required in the future. These components are to be accurately recorded and detailed scale drawings are to be prepared, copies of which shall be provided to the Planning Authority. The detailed arrangements for the paradigm components including their recording shall be covered by the method statement referred to in condition 3 above.
5. Prior to the dismantling of the toll huts and shelter an analysis of these buildings, including identification of features to be retained, shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The items to be retained shall be transported and stored in accordance with details which shall first have been submitted to an agreed in writing with the Planning Authority.
## Crown Division
Government Office
Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN
17th February 2011
The Council of Ministers
Government Office
Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN
Sirs,
### Applications: 10/01578/GB and 10/01579/CON Chief Secretary's Ref: DF10/0032 and 10/0034
### Applicant: Department of Infrastructure - Harbours Division
Applications: Applications for Planning Approval and Registered Building Consent for the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme. Queens Pier, Queens Promenade, Ramsey.
1. I have the honour to report that I have examined the proposals, set out above, under the provisions of Article 10 of the Isle of Man Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005. This report contains a description of the site and proposal, a summary of the material submitted and my assessment and recommendation. The applications are brought before the Council of Ministers because they involve property in the ownership of the Department of Infrastructure.
### The Site and Proposal
2. Queens Pier is an important landmark of Ramsey that is also a registered building. The Pier was opened in 1886 as a landing point for steamers plying the Liverpool, Fleetwood, Belfast and River Clyde routes. It was originally 679 m in length and incorporated a gauge railway to transport baggage for steamship passengers. A wooden landing stage was added to the end of the pier in 1899.
3. The pier is a simple braced frame structure with timber decking on counter joists, principal joists and wrought iron lattice girders. The lattice girders are supported on cast iron pile heads which in turn are fixed to wrought iron riveted piles seated in the clay stratum. The piles are stabilised by vertical cross bracing and head rail struts in the direction transverse to the pier. In the longitudinal direction the piles are restrained at deck level via a system of horizontal cross bracings which effectively span to extended stiffening bays where the pier widens out. These bays are located at approx 100 m centres and are decked out to provide patrons of the pier with seating/rest areas. Cast iron balusters and handrails as well as lighting columns are located on both sides of the pier.
4. Toll huts on the first bay of the pier have been altered from their original form with pyramidal roofs replaced by flat roofs. A relatively modern entrance has
been constructed from the promenade with rendered masonry. At the seaward end of the pier was a café but this was destroyed by fire in 1991 and replaced by a shelter. Also at the seaward end, on the north side, a staircase leads down to sea level.
5. Due to the deterioration of the timber decking, public access to the pier was withdrawn in 1991.
Applicants' Justification and Description of Works
6. The majority of the pier's pile legs are in acceptable condition. The lattice girders have however exceeded their practical life and cannot be economically or practically repaired. Many of the cross bracings and head rails are in a structurally acceptable condition but there are a significant number of missing or severely corroded members where repair is not practical. Replacement of these members is necessary to maintain the stability of the structure. The existing timber members to the structure including joists, decking and walling beams are all beyond practical repair. A replacement deck incorporating new steel members will be required. Many of the architectural features including the hand rail balusters, the lamp standards and cast iron seat frames are in fair condition and can be refurbished for re-use in a future scheme. The timber framed buildings on the pier deck are in very poor condition and would have to be removed in order to facilitate replacement of the structural deck in any future scheme.
7. Conscious of the deteriorating condition of the pier, which in its current state represents a danger to the public, options ranging from full refurbishment to a de-minimis option were reported to Tynwald in 2010. This followed a structural condition survey of the pier from sea and beach level by BWB Consulting Ltd. Approval was given to the implementation of the de-minimis scheme which is now referred to as the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme. A further inspection of the fabric of the pier was carried out in September 2010.
8. The scheme proposes the following works whose aim is to maintain the stability of the pier structure and protect it from further deterioration whilst reducing health and safety risks to the public at beach and sea level:
i. Damaged and missing diagonal bracing tie rods, horizontal struts and their associated screw couplings will be replaced. ii. Loose or rotten timber decking, counter joists and timber side walling beams will be removed or made secure where necessary. iii. Toll huts close to the entrance and the shelter at the seaward end of the pier will be dismantled in a controlled manner and stored.
iv. The cast iron balusters will be carefully unbolted from the timber walling beams and stored along with lampposts, seating and other metalwork of historic value. The items removed will be recorded,
tagged and secured in good quality shipping containers off site, in a location at Jurby to be agreed with the Director of Properties of the Department of Infrastructure.
v. Decking on the north side of the pier close to the entrance which in the past had been extended to form a tram storage area and is in poor condition, posing a risk to the public, would be removed and the profile of the decking would be returned to the original construction line.
vi. Basic repairs would be made to the entrance building and it would be made secure. Whilst it is recognised that the building is not in keeping with the nature of the Victorian pier, it provides a degree of protection and security necessary to prevent access until a restoration scheme is completed. Future proposals for the pier may well include the removal of this building.
## Conclusion
9. The proposal seeks to stabilise and protect the structure of the pier until a refurbishment scheme can be financed. It is not proposed that structural elements are removed from the pier other than those which are to be replaced under the currently proposed works, together with loose decking timbers.
10. The removal of the toll huts and shelter components along with features such as the balusters, lampposts, seating and other metalwork is necessary to ensure that they are safeguarded and are available for use in a future restoration. In any event their removal would be a necessary precursor for full restoration.
11. Arrangements will be put in had to ensure the careful recording of items of historic value that are to be removed and their storage under suitable conditions.
12. In the current financial climate the provision of to fund the proposed works confirms the Department's intention to retain the pier for future refurbishment. In so doing the Department is reflecting the will of Tynwald which in May 2010, decisively voted against an amendment to demolish the pier.
### Policy Background
13. Environment Policy 30 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan indicates that there will be a general presumption against the demolition of a registered building and in considering proposals which would result in demolition or substantial demolition consideration will be given to the condition of the building, the cost of repair and maintenance in relation to its importance, the adequacy of efforts made to retain the building in use and the merits of alternative proposals for the site.
14. Environment Policy 32 of the Strategic Plan indicates that extensions or alterations to a registered building which would detrimentally affect its character will not be permitted.
15. Policy RB/5 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 'Conservation of the Historic Environment' deals with alterations and extensions to registered buildings. This indicates that in the determination of applications for registered building consent regard shall be had to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses. Among other things it indicates that applicants must be able to justify their proposals and show why works which would affect the character of a registered building are desirable or necessary.
## Consultation Responses
The Planning Authority
16. The historic pier which closed in 1991 is constructed with a timber deck supported on timber joists set on top of an iron structure. The timber fascia and 'walling beam' at the perimeter of the timber decking that supports the balustrading, lampposts and in the widened sections of the pier, seating, is failing due to wet rot. This is causing the items to become loose, unsafe and in danger of falling to the beach below. In order to stabilise the fabric, the removal of sections of the decking and the various features such as seating and lamp posts will be required. These would be recorded and where items were capable of re-use they would be securely stored. In addition, some of the diagonal bracing and horizontal strutting members between the pier legs are either missing, or in poor condition. Their replacement is necessary to ensure the stability of the structure and this would be undertaken as part of the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme.
17. The timber toll booths and the shelter at the seaward end of the pier are also in poor condition. The shelter is the site of a café destroyed by fire in 1991 and is of limited historic significance. On the two toll booths the former pyramidal roofs have been replaced by flat roofs. The removal and storage of these features will ensure that they are protected and available for reinstatement following refurbishment.
18. The boarding up of the entrance building and the basic repairs to make it wind and weather tight are considered acceptable as this will protect the building from further deterioration pending the formulation of any plans for the refurbishment of the entire structure.
19. The information forming the application package is considered to be comprehensive with perhaps the omission of large scale records of the seating, lamp standards and balustrading, a matter that can be covered by condition.
20. Whilst the proposal will involve the removal of items of the fabric of the registered building it will stabilise the structure and prevent further deterioration enabling possible full restoration works in the future. Conditions
can be imposed to ensure that features of interest are removed with care and appropriately stored.
21. It is considered that the proposal will ensure the immediate future of the pier and will reduce health and safety concerns for members of the public at beach and sea levels. As such it is not considered that the proposal would conflict with the relevant policies of the Strategic Plan or Planning Policy Statement 1/01. It is the view of the Planning Authority that registered building consent and planning permission should be granted.
Other Consultees and Representations
Ramsey Commissioners
22. Are concerned that the removal of components such as the balustrading, seating and lampposts would amount to demolition of the pier by stealth ultimately making it unviable to restore the pier to a satisfactory condition.
Manx National Heritage
23. Welcome the scheme to stabilise the pier structure and protect the deck level components whilst preserving the potential for future repair and restoration. It is imperative that care is taken to recover and store for future use the toll huts and the cast iron components above deck level. The removal and storage of the cast iron components will require considerable care and investment and MNH conservation staff are available to advise on suitable environmental conditions and means of achieving them. A set of paradigm well-preserved cast iron components should be selected for particularly careful preparation and storage and these could be used as templates for any replacement castings.
Department of the Environment Food and Agriculture
24. The Queen's Pier falls within the proposed Ramsey Bay Marine Nature Reserve. Of most relevance to this proposal is the eelgrass meadow to the south of the pier. Eelgrass is a protected species under Manx law and may be present at sites closer to the pier. DEFA Marine Biodiversity Officers can advise on means of minimising the environmental impact of the works. Advice should also be sought in the event that nesting birds are found on the site.
Friends of Queen's Pier
25. They give their unequivocal approval to the plans and indicate support for the application. They rely on the Planning and Building Control Division to monitor the works to ensure strict compliance at all times in order that the long term survival of Queen's Pier is in no way jeopardised.
National Piers Society
26. They support the application for the stabilisation works to this protected building which they understand is being mothballed pending further funding becoming available in the future for full or partial restoration. The structure is in the top league of surviving piers around the UK coast and is as important to the Isle of Man as the Laxey Wheel and the preserved railways. From recent inspections it appears that the pier is structurally sound below decking level and its full restoration would benefit the town of Ramsey and provide valuable local employment opportunities.
Miss P S Newton
27. In terms of the structure the applications solely seek to replace missing and damaged struts and do not guarantee the replacement of the various features it is indicated will be removed. Separate approval would be required in the future to reaffix the missing parts and doubt has to be cast as to whether this would ever happen.
28. The proposal in effect would grant approval for a pier with incomplete decking and no surface/safety features. This would be contrary to Policies RB/5 and RB/6 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01.
29. It is incomprehensible why the necessary analysis of the toll huts and shelter cannot be undertaken now.
30. No reference is specifically made to the wagon way/tramway on the pier and its original method of operation to which other structural elements around the balustrade and seating areas may relate and there is no reference to the seating areas.
31. The registered building application should include a method statement of how the architectural features are to be taken off and replaced. It is unsatisfactory to have an application that includes only removal of the features. This application is following in the footsteps of PA 02/02102/B which similarly proposed removal of key features of the pier in respect of which she is not aware of a decision having been made.
I and E Bleasdale
32. With the elements of the pier to be removed and put into storage there is a danger that they will be forgotten, neglected and eventually thrown away. Unless the materials are put under lock and key in a dedicated building with someone explicitly responsible for their care they would strongly object to the applications.
33. The entrance building is an unattractive feature out of keeping with the Victorian structure and hides the remnants of the original conical pay booths. The loss of this feature would be welcome but if it is to stay it should be given a coat of paint of a more cheerful colour.
34. Queens Pier, Ramsey is a good example of Victorian seaside architecture that is an important local landmark with historical associations. It is a registered building and there is consequently a presumption in favour of its preservation.
35. In view of its condition the pier has been closed to the public since 1991 and it has further deteriorated since this time. In its current state the structure represents a danger to the public and if the situation is not checked the deterioration will continue to the point where there would be no prospect of restoration.
36. Whilst full restoration is not possible in the current financial climate, Tynwald voted to proceed with the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme which is the subject of these applications.
37. The proposal would stabilise the structure and remove the danger that is currently presented to users of the beach. The cost would be in the region of .
38. The scheme includes the replacement of damaged and missing rods, struts and couplings crucial to the continued integrity of the structure, the removal or securing of loose or rotten timber decking components and the removal of features such as cast iron railings and balustrading, lampposts and seating. Some of these components are in danger of falling from the pier because of the rotted edge beams to which they are attached. In addition it is proposed to dismantle and remove the former toll booths and the shelter at the seaward end of the pier.
39. It is made clear that the items removed that are of historic interest and capable of re-use would be carefully recorded, tagged and stored in controlled conditions at Jurby and would be available for re-use in the future.
40. I am satisfied that the replacement of certain of tie rods and bracing struts in steel would not affect the special architectural or historic interest of the pier. I also consider that the work is necessary to ensure its future stability.
41. Whilst the removal of sections of deck and the various cast iron features is regrettable, this will enable artefacts of architectural interest to be protected from further deterioration and with careful recording and storage they would be available for use in a future restoration scheme. In any event their removal would be a necessary precursor for full restoration. Furthermore the removal of these features would address the real risk of injury to persons on the beach from items falling from the pier.
42. In relation to the entrance building I would agree this is an inappropriate feature in the context of the Victorian pier. However the proposal to make it wind and weathertight will enable the security of the pier to be maintained until a restoration scheme can be implemented. It may well be decided that this feature should be removed as part of any eventual restoration scheme.
43. Whilst the concern of Ramsey Town Commissioners that the removal of the various features amount to demolition by stealth with no guarantee that restoration would take place is appreciated, the Government's investment of £1.8M in the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme is an indication of the degree of commitment to the future of the pier.
44. Subject to conditions to ensure that items of interest to be removed from the pier are carefully dismantled, recorded, transported and stored, I consider that planning permission and registered building consent should be granted for the Stabilisation and Protection Scheme.
Recommendation
45. I recommend that planning permission and registered building consent be granted, each subject to the conditions listed at Annex A.
I have the honour to be, Sirs,
Your obedient servant
Neil A C Holt TD BArch(Hons) DipTP DipCons RIBA MRTPI
Independent Inspector
## Annex A
### Conditions
1. The development ('works' in the case of the Registered Building Application) shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
2. This approval relates to the Stabilisation and Protection scheme to the Queen's Pier, Ramsey, as proposed in the documents submitted on 26 October 2010 (Planning Statement, Record Photographs and Original Drawings) and the drawings listed in the Schedule date stamped 11 November 2010.
3. The balusters, lamp standards, bench seats, hoist etc must be removed with care and stored on pallets in a suitable locked and weathertight storage facility which shall be managed and monitored in accordance with the environmental standards identified in the method statement referred to below.
No development (works) shall take place until a method statement covering the removal, inventory, transportation and storage of these items has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The development (works) shall be carried out in accordance with the details in the agreed method statement.
4. A set of well preserved cast iron components (paradigm components) are to be selected for particularly careful preservation and storage to act as templates for any replacement castings which may be required in the future. These components are to be accurately recorded and detailed scale drawings are to be prepared, copies of which shall be provided to the Planning Authority. The detailed arrangements for the paradigm components including their recording shall be covered by the method statement referred to in condition 3 above.
5. Prior to the dismantling of the toll huts and shelter an analysis of these buildings, including identification of features to be retained, shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. The items to be retained shall be transported and stored in accordance with details which shall first have been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority.
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*Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).*
*Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/13829-lezayre-queens-pier/documents/1110079*