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Application No.: 20/00822/B Applicant: Mrs Margaret Cowley Proposal: Installation of replacement windows and doors Site Address: Dorian 33 Albany Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3NE Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 18.09.2020 _________________________________________________________________ R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons Reasons for Refusal R 1. The proposed windows by reason of the material, opening methods and pattern neither preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the streetscene or the surrounding Conservation Area and consequently fail Environment Policy 35, General Policy 2 (b, c and g) and Planning Circular 1/98.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 'Dorian' a one and half storey property situated on the corner of Selborne Drive and Albany Road, Douglas. The property is set back from each highway with a small front garden; a low level wall runs along the Selborne Drive and Albany Road boundaries. - 1.2 The dwelling has an 'L' shaped layout around the corner with a mixed hipped and pitched roof arrangement. There is an existing flat roof attached garage on the southern gable the driveway of which joins Selborne Drive. The dwelling is mostly finished in smooth painted render with some stone cladding detail around windows and doors and across the base. - 1.3 Windows throughout the elevations are timber framed and installed with detailed lead glazing. The windows comprise a mix of fixed and top third opening casements. There are two curved bay windows on each elevation comprising 6 timber frames and openings. There are
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application proposed the replacement of the existing timber windows with new UPVC black framed windows with alternative opening methods and glazing pattern. The bay windows also to have the number of windows reduced from 6 windows to 5. - 2.2 The application also proposes the replacement of two existing doors across the front elevations with new UPVC/composite doors; one solid with a small glazed window, and the other with a glazed top half and a solid two panel base.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There have been three previous applications (replacement shed, erection of rear conservatory and the erection of a flag pole) but none are considered materially relevant in the assessment of this case.
4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area zoned as 'Predominantly Residential' under the Douglas Local Plan 1998 Map No. 2 and as previously mentioned the site is within the Selborne Drive Conservation Area. In terms of strategic policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains two polices relating to the visual and amenity impacts and whether the works preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area (General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35). In addition to these two policies consideration should also be given to Planning Circular 1/98 which provides guidance policies in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. - 4.2 General Policy 2 states:
"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:
4.3 Environmental Policy 35 states:
"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."
4.4 Isle of Man Planning Circular 1/98: Buildings in Conservation Areas - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows states:
"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare MUST HAVE THE SAME method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE THE SAME pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows.
Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only. - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council - No objection (11/08/2020). - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No Highways Interest (13/08/2020). - 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties.
6.0 ASSESSMENT Windows - 6.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of replacement windows and doors to an existing dwelling within the Selborne Conservation Area. The application has been a difficult one to consider, the dwellings in the Selborne area are mostly two storey late Victorian/Edwardian properties with some features of repetition such as the use of sliding sash windows, curved eaves soffits, square bayed windows and peaked gables. The application property 'Dorian' visually stands apart from its immediate neighbours being only a one and half storey dwelling with little or no common features. - 6.2 Prevalent throughout the Conservation Area is the influence of the Arts and Craft movement and this is highlighted in the Conservation Character Appraisal. The existing windows of 'Dorian' reflect this Arts and Craft period and form a significant and key feature of the existing property linking it with the character of the surrounding area. If these windows were to be lost or replaced with poor or unacceptable alternatives the dwelling would stand further apart from its neighbours and likely draw negative attention to it and consequently away from those properties that better contribute to the positive character of the area. - 6.3 The windows proposed as part of this application are UPVC finished with a black external frame. The opening methods comprise a mix of top and side hung and while lead design is proposed this is to be through coloured film installed on the outer panes of the top lights within the two bays windows only, the rest installed with clear glazing. The bay design also being reduced to 5 windows compared with the existing 6. The proposed replacement windows neither preserve nor enhance the character and appearance of the existing dwelling nor the surrounding streetscene and Conservation Area contrary to Environment Policy 35, and are considered to contravene the general principles of Planning Circular 1/98 which requires windows that are readily visible from a public thoroughfare to have the same material, openings, frame sections and pattern as the originals. - 6.4 While UPVC has been accepted over recent years for replacement windows in the other conservation areas (mostly sliding sash), in sensitive situations such as 'Dorian', careful consideration needs to be given in respect of the framing size changes between timber and UPVC, with UPVC generally having a bigger frame and further potential to detract from the appearance of the property even should the opening methods and glazing patterns be made to match the existing. It's unclear from the information submitted as to fully determine the impact of the change to framing sizes but given the unacceptable visual impacts set out in 6.2 the replacement windows are considered to be unacceptable. Doors - 6.5 The existing doors on the property have a fairly unadventurous appearance and fall into the background of the existing windows; the doors do not appear to be original. The proposed replacements take two different approach to style, one a cottage style door with a small glazed
window which would likely have a negligible impact on the streetscene compared with the door it is to replace, however the other is a half glazed door with two solid panels to the base which neglects the unique character of the area, although it could be argued given the poor appearance of the existing door that it too results in almost a negligible appearance on the property within the general streetscene.
7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 indicates that development within Conservation Areas will only be permitted if it 'preserves' or 'enhances' the character or appearance of the area, and to ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development. - 7.2 Although the proposed doors may not be considered to be so adverse as to cause visual harm to the area, by reason of the unacceptable replacements windows proposed the application is recommended for refusal. The proposed windows are neither preserve nor enhance the character and appearance of the streetscene or the surrounding Conservation Area and as such fail Environment Policy 35, General Policy 2 (b, c and g) and Planning Circular 1/98.
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:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
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.
Decision Made : Refused Date: 21.09.2020 Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner
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