**Document:** Statement on Environment Policy 39 and Demolition **Application:** 20/00229/B — Demolition of building (in association with Registered Building Application 20/00230/CON) **Decision:** Refused **Decision Date:** 2021-01-22 **Parish:** Lezayre **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/6733-lezayre-britannia-hotel-demolition/documents/1579118 --- # Statement on Environment Policy 39 and Demolition ## Statement Regarding Environment Policy 39 and the Demolition of the Britannia Hotel, Ramsey ### Planning Application Numbers 20/00229/B and 20/00230/CON Demolition and Removal of Site's Status as Public House. Britannia Hotel, Waterloo Road, Ramsey, IM8 1DR 20/229/B 20/230/Con 4 Dec 2007 Planning Application Number 04-00230 DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT PLANNING AND REPORTING ## Introduction The Britannia Hotel is a two-storey building with a generous attic space and a floor area of approximately 670sqm. The assembly appears to consist of four stages of construction. 1. The oldest part appears to be a two-storey vernacular building located on the south-eastern Chapel Lane elevation. This part of the building housed the public house cellar and store, although it may have been two houses at some point in its history (Manx National Heritage). There have been alterations to the building including the formation of a garage door and the are some significant cracks in the façade. This part of the complex has a floor area of around 160sqm over two floors. 2. The principle part of the building is the façade facing Waterloo Road. This building was built in a villa style for a Dr Clucas in 1847 and its eastern corner appears to have been built on top of the building referred to in point 1 above. This part of the building would be considered the element of greatest architectural and historical value and has a floor area of approximately 400sqm over three floors. 3. To the west the Peel Street elevation is a single storey public bar extension dating from the early 1900s. This flat roofed building covers around 50sqm and covers much of the ground floor rear and side elevations of the main part of the building. The suggestion from the objectors is that it had more decorative features in the past and that these have been removed. 4. The central yard was filled in during the early 1970s. This is not visible from the exterior and occupies around 60sqm. This area has a flat roof and has a single storey. ## Environment Policy 39 "The general presumption will be in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area." The preamble to the policy states that when considering proposals which will result in demolition of a building in a Conservation Area, attention will be paid to - The part played in the architectural or historic interest of the area by the relevant building. - The wider effects of demolition on the building's surroundings and on the Conservation Area as a whole. In addition, consideration will be given to: - The condition of the building - The cost of repairing and maintaining it in relation to its importance and the issue derived from its continued use (based on consistent long-term assumptions) - The adequacy of efforts made to retain the building in use. - The merits of alternative proposals for the site. Consideration of the building's architectural and historic interest and the effect of its demolition on the Conservation Area have been argued by Manx National Heritage, The DEFA Registered Building Officer, the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society and The Victorian Society. The objections to the demolition of the Britannia primarily concentrate on the villa style house built for Dr Clucas facing Waterloo Road. The Victorian Society, however, have raised concerns about the demolition of the single storey extension to Peel Street. ### Condition of the Building A report has been prepared by the BB Consulting Ltd regarding the structural problems encountered in the building and the costs of their rectification. There had been a serious leak under the floor in the rear single storey bar, this has been repaired, but resulted in the floor being taken up and the discovery of extensive dry rot in the area. The dry rot was removed upon discovery. ### Cost of Repairing The engineer has made an estimate of the costs of any structural intervention in the accompanying report. The cost of repairing the building is irrelevant if a future use for the building cannot be identified. The current use of the building is no longer considered viable and therefore the impact of cost will primarily be encountered in any conversion and refurbishment cost, as a result cost will be dealt with in alternative proposals below. ## Efforts to Retain the Building The applicant has dealt with problems such as the dry rot and the leak under the floor but has not carried out any structural work. The engineer has not advised of any imminent risk of collapse, however, the building's owner cannot justify expensive structural works if the building as no further use, unless there is a risk. ## Alternative Proposals for the Site The building's current use as a public house proved to no longer be viable. Declining use of public houses is a trend across the British Isles and Ramsey is no exception. In recent months, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the building's owner having to close a further two public houses in Ramsey, The Central Hotel and the Stanley hotel. ### Office The total floor area of the Britannia Hotel is 670sqm. Consultation with estate agents suggests there is very little demand for offices in Ramsey resulting in "plenty of vacant office space" and that "rents are comparatively low". Attention was drawn to the offices in Albert Street that have been vacant for over a year, these are relatively modern construction and come with parking included. The estate agent said that the owner would be "lucky" to find a tenant. A search of various estate agent's websites confirms that there is plenty of unlet office space in Ramsey. ### Retail There are currently numerous vacant shops in Parliament street, the main shopping street in Ramsey. Away from the prime retail area the situation gets worse with currently four of the units in St Paul's Square available to let. The building itself has a large ground floor area 300sqm, the principle façade is set back behind a dwarf wall facing a non-retail road and the fenestration does not lend itself to display windows. With the possible exception of the single storey extension in Peel Street which has an internal floor area of about 35sqm, the building is completely unsuitable for retail use. ### Residential House The property could revert to its original use a single dwelling with the single storey additions removed to allow rear windows and some garden, however, it is questionable how much demand there would be for a 500sqm house with potentially 6-8 bedrooms in such a location. The cost of such a conversion, including demolitions and any propping of Bourne Concourse could easily reach £500,000 on top of any purchase price. ### Residential Flats Conversion to flats is probably the most viable future use, however, the ever-higher standards required to comply with the building regulations are making flat conversions less viable. The main part of the building is divided into three parts by the two stone walls running front to back either side of the entrance hall. The floor area and window arrangement allow the possible formation of a one-bedroom flat on either side at ground, first and attic floor levels making a total of 6 flats. As a change of use the flats would be expected to have 60-minute fire separation, a sprinkler system, thermal insulation to the standards of Part L of the building regulations and acoustic separation to the standards of Part E. This part of the building has a total floor area 400sqm, an area comparable to a similar project the applicant recently tendered for a conversion of space above a public house into 6 flats (3 x one-bedroom, 3 x two bedroom). The tender price for this project was £750,000, however the scope of works was less as the Britannia would require the rear toilet area to be demolished to allow for rear windows and bin storage, as well as the £100,000 of structural work identified by the engineer. This could easily become a £900,000 project to create 6 one-bedroom flats, plus whatever works were deemed necessary to the single storey extension in Peel Street and the two storey vernacular building in Chapel Lane (which is holding up the eastern corner of the main building. The flats would be without parking. The current market rate for a one-bedroom flat in Ramsey is in the region of £650/month. ### Summary Whilst the Britannia Hotel is a building of both architectural and historical interest the options for finding a future use are limited. The most viable function for the building to find a new use is conversion to flats, however, the extent of the alterations as well as the cost of structural consolidation works and compliance with current building regulations mean that such a conversion is uneconomic. Calculations show that 6 flats at £650 per month on a £900,000 project would offer a 9% return, however, when the cost of development lending is factored in at 4.5% - 9% and the risk of working with the unknowns of old buildings, the conversion of the Britannia Hotel into flats becomes financially unviable. --- *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/6733-lezayre-britannia-hotel-demolition/documents/1579118*