Officer Report

Application No.: 15/01210/CON Applicant: Department Of Infrastructure Proposal: Registered Building Consent for the installation of external lighting (RB no 17 in association with 15/01208/GB) Site Address: Manannan House Market Square Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1RB Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 10.11.2015 Site Visit: 10.11.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITES - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Manannan House, which is Registered Building no.17 and is located on The Parade in Castletown. It also lies within Castletown's Conservation Area. - 1.2 At the time of the site visit, it appeared that the regeneration works to the town square were proceeding well.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Registered Building Consent is sought for the installation of external lighting to the building. - 2.2 The lighting proposed here would be to accentuate certain elements of the building above ground floor using small lighting units installed above the render banding just above ground floor level. - 2.3 However, at ground floor, much longer units are proposed end-to-end below the render band detail, which would wash all the ground floor elevation with the exception of the areas below the window cills. - 2.4 It should be noted that although the submitted drawings show the lighting as having something of an egg-yolk yellow colour, the applicant is clear that the lighting will instead be to match the 'white' light recently approved elsewhere in the Conservation Area (see Planning History section). - 2.5 The plans also provide some explanatory sections showing where some of the units will go. The elevations include the locations of Channels (not to scale), which are essentially the locations of the cabling and which will be kept within the architectural details of the building as much as possible (which, considering that the lighting itself is to be located on that detailing, will be for the majority of cases).

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 As noted, planning approval and associated Registered Building Consent was issued at the Isle of Man and Lloyds Bank buildings respectively under PAs 15/00178/GB and 15/00179/CON. Those applications were considered by an independent Planning Inspector with the decision

• ultimately made by the Council of Ministers as the land fell partly within the ownership of the Department of Infrastructure, of which the Planning team was then part, when those applications were submitted.
• 3.2 The planning officer indicated that a condition requiring further details of how the wiring proposed would be fitted to the buildings in question would not be inappropriate. The Inspector concluded that such a condition would be disproportionate as the details provided were sufficient to determine that discreet wiring could be achieved - he also found assurance that the works were proposed by the same company involved in the work on the Jubilee Building in Douglas.
• 3.3 Turning to the Inspector's report, he stated that the buildings overlook what is "perhaps the most historically sensitive site on the Island; indisputably in the top handful". In respect of the merits of the applications, he concluded that:

"There can be little doubt, and there has been no dispute, that subtle lighting of the two buildings would be enhancing, bringing out their overall forms and particular details after dark. Nor is there any reason to doubt - quite the reverse - that the compact, unobtrusive luminaires proposed are highly suitable and shown well positioned to achieved this objective."

3.4 The application under consideration now has been submitted by the self-same company, with the lighting units identical to those proposed under the applications discussed above. - 3.5 The regeneration works were approved under PAs 14/00373/B ("highway improvements including realignment of vehicular access and parking bays, re-surfacing of pedestrian areas with natural stone, repositioning of the bus stop, installation of lighting columns and feature lighting to illuminate adjacent buildings and landmarks and tree planting") and 12/01243/B ("alterations including re-surfacing works and installation of seating, lighting bollards and gullies to connect to existing drainage, George's Lane"). - 3.6 Concurrent applications seeking Registered Building Consent for the Barclays Bank building (15/01209/CON) and The George Hotel (15/01211/CON) have been submitted and remain undetermined, while a single planning application covering all these three buildings plus another, un-Registered building (currently occupied by the Lloyds Pharmacy).

4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 As stated above, the site lies within a Conservation Area and as such Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policies 32 and 35 are applicable to this development, which reflect the provisions of Planning Policy Statement 1/01. - 4.2 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." - 4.3 Environment Policy 35 states "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development." - 4.4 Strategic Policy 4 states in part: "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."

4.5 The wording of three policies of PPS 1/01, which is entitled 'Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man', is worthy of note. - 4.6 Policy 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)."

4.7 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 effect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence."

4.8 Policy CA/2 - 'Special Planning' states:

"When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application.

"Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Castletown Commissioners offered no objection to the application on 10th November 2015.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 There does not appear to be a reason to reach a different conclusion to that of the Inspector and the Council of Ministers on similar proposals on The Parade earlier this year. - 6.2 By matching that already approved nearby, the lighting proposed would fit in well with the other lighting schemes on The Parade. The positive visual impact arising from the lighting proposed would remain distinctive with respect to the prominent buildings within The Parade, and would therefore very likely enhance the character and appearance of this part of the Conservation Area. - 6.3 The use of subtle lighting will very likely result in an improvement to the character and appearance of this Registered Building.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 In view of the above, it is considered that the proposal meets the relevant Development Plan policies and, consequently, it is recommended that the application be approved.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013, the following are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application;
• o Manx National Heritage, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.12.2015 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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

The works for which Registered Building Consent are hereby issued relates to the Façade Illumination Application document, carrying the Professional Lighting Design and BCA Landscape business names, date-stamped as having been received by the Department on 3rd November 2015. The works hereby granted Consent shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the details shown in that document.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Director of Planning and Building Control in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 07.12.2015 Determining officer

Signed : M GALLAGHER Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

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