Planning Officer Report

Application No.:	11/01212/B
Applicant:	Bishops Barrows Charity
Proposal:	Demolition of existing swimming pool and erection of a replacement swimming pool, sports hall and changing facilities with associated car parking revisions
Site Address:	King Williams College
King Williams College Grounds
Castletown
Isle Of Man
IM9 1TP

Officer's Report

The Site

1. The site is the curtilage of King William's College, a private educational establishment situated on the north eastern side of Castletown. The site is 38 acres (15 ha) in area and contains sports pitches, residential accommodation associated with the school, a chapel, educational and associated administrative facilities and other sports facilities including a swimming pool and changing rooms which are situated at the western edge of the main building group.

1. The buildings on site are a mixture of styles, heights and finishes with some very old buildings which are registered (see below). Planning permission has been granted for a modern addition to the main group in the form of a performing arts facility.

1. The buildings on site are clearly visible as landmarks from both the A5 Castletown Road and the A12 Derbyhaven Road.

1. The swimming pool is accommodated in a quirky building with asymmetrical roof surrounded by much more modern, long flat or shallow-pitched roofed structures. This complex also accommodates a gymnasium, administration offices, a pottery store, squash courts and a classroom.

Planning Status

1. The site lies within an area designated on the Castletown Local Plan of 1990 as Educational facilities within Playing Fields. On the draft Southern Area Plan the entire site is designated as College - Buildings for Civic Cultural or other use.

1. The main college building is Registered, as are the pavilion, the chapel and both sets of entrance gates.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the demolition of part of the existing complex and the erection of new fabric to contain a new sports hall and swimming pool. The existing gymnasium is to be retained and the new sports hall built alongside. The squash courts are to be converted to changing rooms, some of the existing offices converted to further changing rooms and a new swimming pool erected on

Case Officer :	Miss S E Corlett
Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level :	Officer Delegation

the site of the existing but turned through ninety degrees. The squash courts are to be converted into two floors of accommodation with two classrooms therein on the first floor.

1. The scheme will result in additional floor area and with a mix of some parts of the new development which is lower than the existing and some being taller.

1. The finish of the new fabric will be a mix of Manx stonework on the plinths, timber cladding, aluminium roofing, coloured render with polyester powder coated aluminium fascias, soffits and windows.

Conservation Officer'S Supplementary Report:

1. Elements of King William's College are included on the Protected Buildings Register, namely the Main School Block adjacent to the application site. Of consideration in this application therefore, is the impact that these proposals have on the setting of the Registered Building.

1. The Planning Officer sets out in their report what is intended within this application. There are perhaps three main issues regarding the impact of the proposals on the character of the Registered Main Block i.e. the demolition of the existing including the existing Pool block, the architectural language of the proposed and perhaps the most important impact on the Registered Main Block.

1. The proposed demolition has limited historical interest with perhaps the exception of the former Pool Block. The former pool, gymnasium etc have grown in almost an organic manner being added to as and when the need arose. There appears little overall master-planning of this part of the site. The removal of the bulk of the former Pool results in a low lying set of forms that now opens the view to the Main Block formerly obscured on the approach down the main drive.

1. That proposed, draws on the exterior finishes and to some extent, the built forms of the previous approval (06/01421/GB and 06/01422/CON) for the erection of an administration block, performing arts centre and accommodation unit. The mix of Manx stonework plinths, timber cladding, aluminium roofing, coloured render with polyester powder coated aluminium fascias, soffits and windows continues that design language.

Planning Policy

1. The development is on land which is designated for this form of development and as such General Policy 2 is relevant:

"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:

a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;

h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; i) does not have an adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; j) can be provided with all necessary services; k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

1. Regard should also be had to the fact that the works are to be undertaken adjacent to a Registered Building. Whilst there are no policies in respect of development close to a Registered Building (Environment Policy 36 deals with development close to but not within a Conservation Area but there is no comparable Policy for Registered Buildings).

Planning History

1. Planning permission was granted for the development of the performing arts centre under PA 08/0985 and for the creation of tennis courts under PA 08/2044 which is the most recent application. Other than that the college has been the subject of a great many applications for alterations and the creation of new facilities, none of which are relevant in the consideration of this proposal.

Representations

1. Castletown Commissioners and Highways and Traffic Division indicate that they do not oppose the application.
2. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority request that no surface water be discharged to the main foul sewer (which is not proposed in the application) and that drainage is installed in accordance with the provisions of the Sewerage Act 1999 and subsequent regulations. These are not material planning considerations as they relate to other legislation and need not be referred to in any planning conditions.

Assessment

1. The existing buildings to be removed and those which will be retained within the group are not protected nor are they of sufficient interest or merit to warrant retention or the refusal of this application. Sports halls particularly and also swimming pools tend to have distinctive forms due to their functions, which are difficult to either disguise or modify in any significant way. Nor should they be required to. The impact of the proposed works will be to bring some uniformity to the group of buildings which will become more modern but with more interesting finish materials and a better standard of construction and finish.

Recommendation

1. The outcome of these proposals is a more coherent layer to the recent development on the site which can be readily understood as being 'of its time'. It does not compete with the design language and material use of the existing Main Block instead it is clearly subservient to it and therefore places more emphasis on the scale and material use of the original building. In doing so, the scheme is deemed to be acceptable.

Party Status

1. The local authority, Castletown Commissioners is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.

1. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority do not refer to any material planning considerations and as such should not be afforded party status.

1. The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 07.10.2011

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This permission relates to the demolition and creation of new swimming pool, sports hall and associated facilities all as shown in drawings 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: 10 October 2011

Signed: Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

OR

Signed: Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

7 October 2011 11/01212/B Page 5 of 5