**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 21/00697/B — Widening of existing second floor doorway to balcony and replacement of existing steel balustrading with toughened glass **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2021-08-11 **Parish:** Rushen **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/7685-rushen-exchange-house-replacement-balcony/documents/934518 --- # DEC Officer Report **Application No.:** 21/00697/B **Applicant:** Mrs Kati Kinley **Proposal:** Widening of existing second floor doorway to balcony and replacement of existing steel balustrading with toughened glass **Site Address:** Exchange House 5 Athol Street Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5DS **Planning Officer:** Miss Lucy Kinrade **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 10.08.2021 _________________________________________________________________ ## 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. This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application accords with General Policy 2 and with the principles of Strategic Policies 3 and 5 and Environment Policy 35 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016. Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing numbers 1920-01 and 1920-02 both date stamped and received 15/06/2021. _______________________________________________________________ ## Interested Person Status Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE 1.1 The site is the footprint of an existing building property sitting on the western side of Athol Street, Port St Mary. The building and its adjoining neighbour share a large dormer across the frontage and each property has a balcony with patio doors installed overlooking the bay albeit these are of differing sizes. Google streetview indicates that the neighbour's balcony is not only wider but also projects slightly further outwards over the street. ## THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the widening of the balcony for No. 5 from 1.8m wide to 2.9m wide and installed with three bi-folding doors to provide three panel glazing. The proposal does not include any increase to the balcony projection. The balcony is to be enclosed glazed balustrades. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Planning permission was granted for the installation of a balcony under PA 92/1076 and further alterations under PA 90/0171. Approval for tourist use was granted under 11/00512/C. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is in an area designated as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the South and also within a proposed Conservation Area. Given the nature of the proposal it is relevant to consider Strategic Policies 3 and 5, General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan. Given the location of the site within the proposed Conservation Area it is also relevant to consider the 2009 Port St Mary Draft Conservation Area Character Appraisal. 4.2 Strategic Policy 3: "Proposals for development must ensure that the individual character of our towns and villages is protected or enhanced by: - (a) avoiding coalescence and maintaining adequate physical separation between settlements; and - (b) having regard in the design of new development to the use of local materials and character." 4.3 Strategic Policy 5: "New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to be supported by a Design Statement which will be required to take account of the Strategic Aim and Policies." - 4.4 General Policy 2 states (in part): "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: - 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." 4.5 Environment Policy 35: "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." - 4.6 The 2009 Port St Mary Draft Conservation Area Character Appraisal contains an extract that relates to the development of dormers overtime and where there inclusion has had a negative impact on the conservation area as a whole: "The Victorian expansion, which occurred due to the growth of the tourist trade, resulted in much larger properties, with up to four floors and increased floor-to-ceiling heights. Most properties were still built in terraced form, with occasional semi-detached or detached houses. Windows in these properties are typically two pane sashes, often set in bay windows, and rendered eves brackets were used. Roof coverings were still slate, but with steeper pitches to accommodate rooms in the roof, which often had dormer windows. Walls were usually rendered, but with a hood drip moulding replacing window architraves." "Throughout the proposed conservation area, there are properties where alterations, particularly to windows and entrance doors, have a negative effect on the area as a whole. This includes replacement of original timber windows and doors with incorrectly proportioned uPVC replacements. These often have an inappropriate wood grain. There are many examples of enlarged and oversized window openings with no consideration to appearance, but merely to improve the view out from the property. This problem is particularly prevalent with dormer and roof windows." REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Port St Mary Commissioners - no objections (15/07/2021). 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - Do not oppose (01/07/2021). - 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties. ## ASSESSMENT 6.1 Minded of the existing balcony arrangement of both the application property and its neighbour, the proposed widening of the patio doors as shown in the submitted drawings for No. 5 is not expected to make any worse the existing appearance of the property within the streetscene. The works are likely to have a negligible impact on the wider character and setting of the proposed conservation area. CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the above reasons the application is considered to be acceptable and to accord with General Policy 2 and to comply with the principles of Strategic Policies 3 and 5 and Environment Policy 35. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 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 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. 8.2 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: 10.08.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records. --- *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/7685-rushen-exchange-house-replacement-balcony/documents/934518*