Officer Report

Application No.: 14/01152/CON Applicant: Miss Amanda Milner Proposal: Registered Building consent for the installation of two roof lights (in association with 14/00977/B) Registered Building Nos. 108 Site Address: 6 Charles Street Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1AF Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Site Visit: 02.09.2014 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 6 Charles Street, a two storey mid terraced dwelling located on the southern side of Charles Street in Peel. The application site is a Registered Building as indicated on the Department of Infrastructure's protected buildings list number 108. The site also lies within Peel Conservation Area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This current planning application seeks approval for the installation of one roof light on the front roof slope and the installation of a replacement roof light on the rear roof slope. - 2.2 Both of the proposed roof lights would measure just less than 1.2 metres in length and approximately 0.7 metres in height and would have a central glazing bar.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Planning approval was granted in 2014 under PA 14/00977/B for the installation of two roof lights. Previous to this planning approval was granted for the installation of uPVC windows to replace existing to the rear of the property under PA 98/02250/B and the installation of 60 cm satellite TV dish under PA 92/00737/B.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site lies within an area zoned as Mixed Use under the Peel Local Plan 1989. As previously mentioned, the application site also lies within the Peel Conservation Area. There are two paragraphs within Planning Circular 6/89, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, which are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

Paragraph 9.15 states: "The character of the Conservation Area should be encouraged by positive schemes of action which will apply to areas and individual buildings and include the historic pattern of streets and spaces."

Paragraph 9.16 states: "Particular attention will be paid to the alteration or extension of a building within the Conservation Area which must be carried out in a manner sympathetic to the existing building and its setting."

4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains four policies that are considered materially relevant in the assessment of this current planning application:

Strategic Policy 4 states: "Proposals for development must:

(a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings, Conservation Areas, buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas, and sites of archaeological interest;
(b) 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
(c) not cause or lead unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance."

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:

(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 spaces 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 unacceptable 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."

Environment Policy 32 states: "Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted."

Environment Policy 34 states: "In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred."

4.3 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of

the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man sets down the policies in relation to the conservation of the built environment of the Isle of Man, including policy for the identification and protection of historic buildings, conservation areas and other elements of the environment. This policy statement contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this planning application:

RB/3: General Criteria Applied in Considering Registered Building Applications states: "The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:

o The importance of the building, its intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, relative to the Island as a whole and within the local context;
o The particular physical features of the building (which may include its design, plan, materials or location) which justify its inclusion in the register; descriptions annexed to the entry in the register may draw attention to features of particular interest or value, but they are not exhaustive and other features of importance, (e.g. Interiors, murals, hidden fireplaces) may come to light after the building's entry in the register;
o The building's setting and its contribution to the local scene, which may be very important, e.g. Where it forms an element in a group, park, garden or other townscape or landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including other registered buildings)."

Policy RB/5 - Alterations and Extensions states: "In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

Registered Building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.

Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative affect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Peel Town Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (24/10/2014).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The application seeks Registered Building consent for the installation of two roof lights; one on the front roof slope and one on the rear roof slope. - 6.2 An aerial photograph of Charles Street indicates that there are a number of properties along Charles Street that have roof lights on their rear roof slope. There is one roof light on the front roof slope of Nos. 1, 8, 10 and 14 Charles Street with No. 2 Charles Street having

two roof lights on the front roof slope. There are also a number of properties along Market Street and Queen Street that also have roof lights on their front roof slope.
6.3 Turning first of all to the proposed replacement of the existing rear roof slope roof light, although larger than the existing roof light on the rear roof slope, the proposed replacement roof light is considered unobjectionable. The rear of Charles Street is not visible from any public thoroughfare and the rear of the site abuts a boundary shared with a warehouse building.
6.4 In terms of the impact of the front roof light, the dwellings along Charles Street have significant architectural merit and as such their character should be preserved or enhanced. It has previously been mentioned that there are a number of dwellings along Charles Street that have roof lights to the front roof slopes.
6.5 Charles Street is narrow and as a result it is unlikely that the roof light would ever be visible in its entirety. However, merely arguing that a development would not be visible is not an automatic justification for the relaxation of other policies aimed at protecting buildings from inappropriate development.
6.6 The inclusion of a central glazing in the roof light would be typical of a conservation style roof light. Even though the roof lights would alter the appearance of the dwelling, the proposed roof lights are considered acceptable in terms of their design and are not considered to detract from the character or quality of the Registered Building or street scene in general.
6.7 The Conservation Officer, who has viewed the plans, is content with the proposal.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION: - 7.1 For the above reasons the application is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval.

8.0 PARTY STATUS: - 8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application, or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested, as their comments have been deemed material and Ramsey Town Commissioners in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation:

01.12.2014

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 works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

This approval relates to Location Plan, Site Plan and Sheet 1/1 all date stamped as received on 3rd October 2014.

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

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 1/12/14 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : Jennifer Chance Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management

Officer Report

Source & Provenance