**Document:** Planning and Design Statement
**Application:** 14/00008/B — Alterations, installation of replacement windows and door and erection of an extension to rear of dwelling
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2014-02-10
**Parish:** Malew
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/34326-malew-26-hope-replacement-extension/documents/1334785

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# Planning and Design Statement

Andrew Bentley RIBA
Chartered Architect
8 Ravens Wharf
South Quay
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM1 5BT

Planning and Design Statement vi Project: Remodelling of and Extension to 26 Hope Street, Castletown Project no: 1311-KR Date: January 2014

RIBA membership number 10802696
ARB registration number 068092C
Registered with the Isle of Man Register of Architects

Remodelling of and Extension to 26 Hope Street
Castletown

Planning and Design Statement

Contents

1.0 Site, Surroundings and Existing Property
2.0 Planning History and Policy
3.0 Flood Risk and Drainage
4.0 The Proposal
5.0 Summary

1.0 Site, Surroundings and Existing Property

1.1 26 Hope Street is a very small two storey cottage with a habitable attic located in a terrace of nine vernacular cottages on the eastern side of Hope Street. The rear yards of this terrace back onto the former mill race and overlook the inner harbour of Castletown.

1.2 The site has an area of 61 square metres, most of which is taken by the footprint of the cottage and its extensions leaving a small yard (13 square meters) to the rear. There is no front garden.

1.3 The existing house layout consists of a bedroom in the attic, a bathroom and bedroom at first floor level and lounge and dining room on the ground floor. Along the northern boundary of the rear yard are two lean-to annexes which contain a small kitchen and disused outdoor WC. The kitchen annex is small and built of a single leaf of brickwork.

1.4 The property had fallen into a very poor state of repair when it was purchased by Tom Rowe and Kylie Rollins who intend to refurbish the property as their first home.

1.5 To the north of no.26 Hope Street is no.28. This property owned the land immediately to its north which has allowed them to extend their property over the full width and depth of the rear yard. The single storey extension was built following

a planning application in 1999. The annex is clad in stone and the roof has a low pitch.

1.6 To the south is no.24 Hope Street. This property has a single storey kitchen annex occupying the southern half of the rear yard leaving the northern part empty. The roof to the annex has a very low pitch. The annex's wall facing the yard is rendered and painted white while the wall facing the harbour is stone.

1.7 At present there is a 1.8m high stone boundary wall between the yards of no's 24 and 26 Hope Street. 2.0 Planning History and Policy 2.1 The property is subject to the policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and the Area Plan for the South 2012.

2.2 In accordance with map 3 of the Area plan for the South the site is located within an area zoned as "predominantly residential" and is therefore subject to general policy 2 of the Strategic Plan 2007.

2.3 The site is located within the Castletown Conservation Area and as the proposal involves both demolition and development the application with be subject to Environment Policies 35 and 39.

2.4 The proposal will see the removal of external grey PVC pipework and rainwater goods along with the demolition of the kitchen annex which is built in an unattractive brick. The new building will therefore enhance the character of the conservation area.

Existing Rear Elevation

2.5 The stone gable wall to the former external WC has been retained and used to support the roof of a small covered area in the rear yard. The retention of this material and its reuse is in accordance with the spirit of Environment Policy 39.

2.6 The owners have already reroofed the property and installed two new conservation rooflights. This matter as approved in planning application PA/91098/B.

This is the only planning application listing on the government’s planning website relevant to the site.

![A photograph showing the rear elevation of a stone terraced dwelling featuring extensions and replacement windows.](https://images.planningportal.im/2014/01/244530.jpg)

3.0 Flood Risk and Drainage

3.1 This report is being written on 5th January 2014, two days after a high tide combined with a storm surge raised the water level to approximately one foot above finished floor level within 26 Hope Street.

3.2 The property is located within the flood risk zone indicated by the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority's map of Castletown.

3.3 There is no proposal to build any lower than the existing finished floor level in the existing property.

3.4 The client is now very aware of the flood risk in the area and the weakness in the existing building's structure. The following measures will be adopted to protect the property from future flooding.

- The perimeter walls will be tanked to 450mm above finished floor level.
- The new rear wall in the yard will be built in masonry.
- Flood defence barriers will be installed at both the front and rear doors.
- Non return valves will be installed on the foul and surface water drainage.

3.5 All electrics will be installed above 450mm in accordance with document M of the Building

Regulations, which is above the level of the flood water. 3.6 The building will continue to connect to the existing drains located in Hope Street. 4.0 The Proposal

4.1 The proposed design is to build a single storey extension across the whole width of the rear elevation and this will that extend over half of the yard's depth. The remaining open space will be a terrace next to the mill race looking out over the inner harbour. The extension will have a monopitched roof of a similar pitch to those of the neighbouring properties with a flat roofed section to either side due to the complexities of building next to the neighbouring properties.

4.2 The client and architect identified two particular disadvantages with the existing building's layout.

Firstly the staircase and circulation took up a high proportion of the floor plan and secondly the kitchen was very small and of poor construction.

The solutions were to move the staircase towards the front door and to extend the kitchen across the width of the yard. By extending the kitchen across the rear elevation a single open plan space with a terrace beyond is created.

4.3 The form of the proposed rear extension has been governed by the following factors:

1. The roof line had to be kept 150mm below the fascia of the extension to no.28 Hope Street to allow flashings and soakers.
2. The roofline had to be kept 150mm below the window sills on the existing rear elevation to allow flashings and soakers.
3. The roof had to be kept as low as possible towards the south to avoid any adverse impact on the kitchen annex of no.24.
4. It was felt that a low pitch monopitch roof should be incorporated into the extension as this is would follow the rhythm of the other rear annexes in the vicinity.
5. There is a preference for the roof pitch to face south so that sunshine can enter through a roof light.

4.4 There will be a small covered area at the northern end of the rear yard where the outdoor

WC was located. This is utilise the existing stone wall that is already in place between the yard and the mill race. The removal of this wall could affect the structural stability of no.28's extension.

4.5 The method of construction has been decided by for following reasons;

1. The area of the site is small, so walls and the roof construction have to be as thin as practicable without compromising thermal or structural performance.

2. The choice of cavity blockwork rather than timber frame for the wall between the kitchen and the yard was due to the flood risk.

3. The roof timbers for the flat roofs run parallel to the boundary walls so that the new structure is independent of the neighbouring properties.

4.6 The proposed wall finish is Cedar cladding. Stone cladding was dismissed as it would have been too thick, thus reducing floor space, and would have a heavy appearance. The remaining choice for appropriate materials is therefore timber cladding or render.

Cedar cladding has been chosen as this timber will turn a grey colour with time which will complement the grey of the surrounding limestone. It is felt that this will prove to be more subtle than painted render and much more attractive than unpainted render.

4.7 At present there are two strong planes of limestone, the rear elevations of the cottages and the boundary wall to the mill race. The timber cladding will provide a softer, lighter and smaller scale material between these two strong massive elements.

4.8 Timber cladding is not an uncommon material around Castletown harbour. There is timber cladding on the Brewery Wharf development, Quayside House (6 Hope Street) and no.12 Bank Street.

4.9 The proposed roofing material is reconstituted interlocking slates. Whilst natural slate would be preferred the minimum pitch is 22.5° and this would compromise the headroom at the southern side of the kitchen. The reconstituted slate has a minimum pitch of 15° which will allow more headroom, thinner roof construction and will have a pitch similar to that of the neighbouring properties.

4.10 The proposed roof light will allow in direct sunlight from the south for most of the day. A conservation roof light has not been chosen as the intention is to maintain a contemporary look for the extension. The use of conservation roof lights on the building's main roof was due to this being part of the original structure and clearly visible across the harbour.

4.11 The bifold doors will be in black/dark grey coated aluminium. The choice of this material

was to allow much thinner frames than would be possible in timber. As each of the three doors has a width of 600mm the thicker frames would look heavy and reduce the view out and the light coming in. It was thought that the use of white frames would draw attention to the thinner sections on the door frames.

4.12 The gutter and downspout on the extension roof will be in copper as this side elevation will be visible to passers-by. The copper is a more interesting and attractive material than the ubiquitous PVC rainwater goods and it will weather in time along with the cedar cladding.

4.13 The main front and back windows to the existing house will be replaced with timber sliding sash windows. The front door will also be replaced with a painted timber door.

### 5.0 Summary

5.1 The aim of the extension is to make better use of both the existing ground floor and the rear yard of 26 Hope Street.

5.2 The client and architect have worked closely to try to create a lightweight extension in quality materials that will harmonise with the strong stone walls that surround it.

5.3 The scheme has been designed with consideration for the amenity of the residents of no.24 as a priority.

5.4 The client has very direct experience of the flood risk and will be taking measures to ensure that their property is well protected from any future events.

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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/34326-malew-26-hope-replacement-extension/documents/1334785*