SP4

Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must:

1. Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings (1), Conservation Areas (2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;
2. protect or enhance the landscape quality and nature conservation value of urban as well as rural areas but especially in respect to development adjacent to Areas of Special Scientific Interest and other designations; and
3. not cause or lead to unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance.

4.3.8 The design of new development can make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Island. Recent development has often been criticised for its similarity to developments across the Island and elsewhere - "anywhere" architecture. At the same time some criticise current practice to retain traditional or vernacular designs. As is often the case the truth lies somewhere between the two extremes. All too often proposals for new developments have not taken into account a proper analysis of their context in terms of siting, layout, scale, materials and other factors. At the same time a slavish following of past design idioms, evolved for earlier lifestyles can produce buildings which do not reflect twenty first century lifestyles including accessibility and energy conservation. While there is often a consensus about what constitutes good and poor design, it is notoriously difficult to define or prescribe.

4.3.9 The Department recognises the need to raise the quality of the Island's architecture and built environment and is pursuing this through the development control process and the commissioning of its own schemes and environmental improvements. At the same time it appreciates that the debate about good design needs to be broadened to include those who design, construct and finance new development and the wider community as we are all affected by the end product. To this end it welcomes the Isle of Man Arts Council's National Arts Development Strategy 2005 - 2014 which has as one of its objectives, to raise the quality of the Island's architecture and built environment by encouraging debate on architectural standards, town and country planning, urban regeneration and public art. This Strategy recognises that debate will have to take place over time.

4.3.10 In the meantime, the Department considers that, while there are a number of policies in the Strategic Plan which cover various elements of the design of new development e.g. General Policy 2 (a) -(i), (m) and (n), and various Housing policies, there is a need for a further statement on the need to secure quality in the design of new development. In the preparation of Area Plans the Department will include development briefs that set out design principles for significant sites including new residential areas. Subsequent planning applications will be required to be accompanied by a Design Statement setting out the way in which the proposal has been designed to take into account its context and how the design principles have been developed.

4.3.11 At the same time as wishing to promote good design in new development the Department recognises that there are an increasing number of alternative styles of housing which draw their design principles from the wish to promote sustainability and energy efficiency. Many of these can be incorporated into both modern and traditional designs but in some cases they produce a completely different structure or form of buildings, for example underground housing. While wishing to conserve the historic landscape of the Island the Department welcomes new styles of housing as long as they take into account the landscape context and the impact on the amenities of the area in which they are sited. Merely arguing that a new building cannot be seen in public views is not a justification for the relaxation of other policies relating to the location of new development.

(1) Registered Building is defined in Appendix 1

(2) Conservation Area is defined in Appendix 1