DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00857/B Applicant: Mr Doug Skinner Proposal: Installation of replacement windows and roof lights and installation of two glass Juliet balconies to rear elevation Site Address: Rose Villa 7 Peveril Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1NU Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken: 07.10.2020 Site Visit: 07.10.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.10.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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. It is considered that the proposal complies with Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the Location Plan, Site Plan, Lifestyle Range Brochure showing window style, and Drawing Nos. 4559/ex 1 and 4559/p 1, all date stamped and received 30 July 2020

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The application is the residential curtilage of Rose Villa, 7 Peveril Road, a three storey detached dwelling located on the northern side of Peveril Road in Peel. Rose Villa adjoins its outbuildings on the western boundary which serves as garages and storage. To the eastern boundary of the site is another outbuilding which has its rear elevation abutting Gib Lane slopes downwards east to west and adjoins Marine Parade. - 1.2 On the front elevation, the dwelling has two bay windows either side of the main entrance door on the ground floor, with a window serving the adjoined outbuilding on the western boundary situated right of the left bay window. This window is a Georgian styled casement window and different from the other windows on the front elevation which are all 50/50 sliding sash windows. On the first floor, the property has three windows which are symmetrically positioned above the bay windows and entrance door on the ground floor. The windows on the front elevation are all timber windows. - 1.3 The rear elevation is concealed from public view due to the orientation of the building, the lowered level of Walpole Road which abuts the eastern boundary and the high boundary wall on the eastern boundary and parts of the northern boundary which rises from about 4m to 5m as you enter Gib Lane. This rear elevation has 10 windows spread over the three floors with four equally sized 50/50 sliding sash windows on the first floor, two large sized casement windows either side of two full length casement windows on the ground floor, and two casement windows located on the basement level. The windows at the rear are all timber windows like the front elevation, although the windows on the ground floor and basement are non-opening. - 1.4 On the side elevation, the windows on the first floor are all 50/50 timber sliding sash windows, while the windows on the ground floor level are single pane top hung timber casement windows. - 1.5 The streetscene is a mix of building heights, styles and era with some of the old buildings still retaining their original sliding sashes, although a good proportion of the older buildings have replaced their original windows with uPVC framed sliding sash windows and UPVC casement windows. Within the cluster of properties in close proximity to the application, the dominant window type is UPVC casement windows as both the newer buildings south of the application site and the older buildings west and north of the site have UPVC casement windows on their principal elevations. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the Installation of replacement windows and roof lights and installation of two glass Juliet balconies to rear elevation. - 2.2 The works on the front elevation will involve the replacement of the existing 50/50 timber framed sliding sashes which are currently in poor form with UPVC framed sliding sashes, save the Georgian styled fixed light timber casement window on the garage which would be replaced with UPVC fixed light casement to match the appearance of the other windows on the front elevation (without the Georgian styled bars). - 2.3 The works on the side elevations (northwest and southeast) will also be similar to the front elevation as all the windows on the first floor would be replaced with UPVC sliding sash, mirroring the appearance of the existing, while the windows on the ground floor would be replaced with single pane top hung UPVC casement windows. - 2.4 At the rear, the works would involve the following:

• 2.4.1 All the first floor windows would be replaced with UPVC 50/50 sliding sash windows to match the existing style.

• 2.4.2 The outer windows on the ground floor will be replaced with UPVC 50/50 sliding sash windows to match the appearance and opening pattern of the windows on the first floor, while the central windows would be replaced with UPVC casement windows with a different proportion as the window would open inwards to allow the use of the Juliet balconies (the current windows are non-opening).
• 2.4.3 At the basement level, the existing timber fixed light casement windows would be replaced with UPVC fixed light casement windows. PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site, like much of the centre of Peel, is designated as Mixed Use on the Peel Local Plan Order 1989, reflecting the mix of residential and commercial uses within the historic part of the town. The site, also like much of the town, is designated as a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 both require development within a Conservation Area to preserve or enhance its character or appearance. Planning Circular 1/98 provides detailed advice as follows:

• 3.2.1 Buildings in Conservation Areas 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 originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction. 3.3 Environment 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."

3.4 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;
• (d) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (e) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The application site has been the subject of two previous planning applications which are not considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that there is No Highway Interest in the letter dated 19 August 2020.

6.2 Peel Town Commissioners have indicated that they have no objection to the application in a letter dated 25 September 2020. ASSESSMENT

6.1 The Windows

• 6.1.1 The test is whether the proposed replacement windows, particularly those on the front elevation and southeast elevation (which would be publicly viewable) preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area and if not, whether there are any reasons to consider the proposal to be acceptable.
• 6.1.2 The replacement of timber frames with ones made of plastic does not result in an exact replication but retain the profile and depth of the originals. It is generally not accepted that the replacement of timber sliding sashes with ones framed in plastic would represent either an enhancement or a preservation but Planning Circular 1/98 advises that the material in the frames of the windows is not as important a consideration as the opening style and makes no statement about the unacceptability of non-timber frames providing that the pattern of glazing bars is acceptable. In this case, the replacements replicate the pattern of glazing bars and as such they are considered to meet the measures stipulated by Planning Circular 1/98. Whilst the window serving the out building would be different in appearance from the proposed, it is considered that the new window mirrors the dominant window appearance on the front elevation and as such is considered to be a fitting replacement.
• 6.1.3 With regard to the windows at the rear, the proposal seeks to replace the windows on the first floor with like for like windows in terms of appearance but the material would be UPVC, with evident changes in the opening pattern and appearance of the windows on the ground floor and basement; as their appearance would be slightly altered to mirror the windows on the first floor. Whilst this would result in a change in appearance of the property at the rear and fail to meet the requirement stipulated in Planning Circular 1/98 that "Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals…", the proposed change of the windows on the ground floor and basement would ensure there is a uniform appearance at the rear as the new windows would mirror the 50/50 sliding sash windows on the first floor. The only significant variation would be evidenced in the windows serving the Juliet balcony which would be altered to enable access to the Juliet balconies. However, these windows changes would not be publicly visible, thus limiting any impacts on the character of the Conservation Area.

6.2 The Juliet Balcony

• 6.2.1 In the case of the glass Juliet balconies, it is noted that although this would be a new feature introduced on the property with a modern appeal, the key concern would be the visual impact of the proposed balcony, particularly in relation to the Conservation Area setting and the potential for overlooking to adjacent properties. Albeit, the balcony would be of a modest scale and would be to the rear elevation of the property which is not public viewable. As such, it is not considered that the character or appearance of the Peel Conservation Area would be adversely affected by the proposed development. More so, the balconies would be relatively small, having a useable area of approximately 1.2 square metres, and would overlook the rear yard with limited or no views to the rear of Westbourne House, Walpole Road which is the neighbouring dwelling at the rear. As such it is judged that there would not be an unacceptable level of overlooking caused by the proposed balcony.

6.3 Roof lights

• 6.3.1 The replacement rooflights are unlikely to have any significant impact as the roof structures are mostly not visible due to the height of the building and the raised site level when compared to the abutting highways. As such, there will be very limited visual impact upon

either the building itself or the conservation area. Where the roof is visible, the proposed change would involve rooflights with design/size offering like for like replacements and as such it is not considered that this element of the proposal would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The application accords with the relevant planning policies and the application should be approved. 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 09.10.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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