Demolition of existing boiler room and remodelling of existing pantry, construction of a new private dance studio and family room extension with balcony area and glazed link and remodelling of existing hard landscaping (in association with 14/00767/CON)

Why Was This Refused?

• ✓Detrimental impact on the character of a Registered Building due to the extension's height, mass, and design
• ✓Loss of existing trees and landscaping along the north-eastern boundary replaced by a large-scale building
• ✓Intrusive and prominent feature harmful to the visual amenity of the street scene
• ✓Conflict with Environmental Policy 32 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007
• ✓Ramsey Town Commissioners' concern that the dance studio should remain purely residential in use
• ✓character
• ✓heritage
• ✓whether the alterations and extension to the property would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest

May Hill House is a large detached two-storey property built in a modern gothic style, with steep pitches and a tower, occupying a prominent position on the eastern side of May Hill in Ramsey. It has been a Registered Building since October 2002. The proposal involved demolishing the existing boiler room, remodelling the pantry, and constructing a new private dance studio and family room extension with a balcony area and glazed link, along with remodelling of the hard landscaping. The central planning issue was whether the extension would detrimentally affect the character of the Registered Building. Officers concluded that the height, mass, and design of the proposed extension would cause exactly that harm. Beyond the heritage concern, the removal of existing trees and landscaping along the north-eastern boundary — to be replaced by a tall, long building of substantial mass running along most of that boundary — would create an intrusive and prominent feature harmful to the visual amenity of the surrounding area.

The application was refused because the proposed extension's height, mass, and design would have a detrimental impact on the character of May Hill House as a Registered Building of special architectural and historic interest. Additionally, replacing existing trees and landscaping with a tall, long building along the north-eastern boundary would introduce an intrusive feature harmful to the visual amenity of the street scene.

Policies Assessed (5)

Conditions (2)

1. 1

   Condition 1

   The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

2. 2

   Condition 2

   The dance studio hereby approved may be used only in association with the main dwelling house ‘May Hill’ and for purposes incidental to the use of the main dwelling house ‘May Hill’ as a single dwelling, for no commercial purposes and only in accordance with the internal layout on plan P-03.

Planning History (3)

Documents (64)