Officer Report

Application No.: 16/00599/GB Applicant: Aalish Limited Proposal: Demolition of front area side wall and replace with cast iron matching railings (in association with 16/00600/CON) Site Address: 4 Finch Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2PT Case Officer : Miss Abigail Morgan Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The site is no 4 Finch Road, Douglas a two storey, painted render office building. No. 4 is a Registered Building (RB 93). It has been registered since 1987. - 1.2 The buildings in this row were registered more for their architectural significance rather than their historical occupation.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks planning approval, for the following works (Registered Building consent is being sought under PA 16/00600/CON):

• o Demolition of front side wall and part of the wall on the other side of the car park entrance;
• o Installation of cast iron railing to match existing railings.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There are two current applications, 16/00583/CON and 16/00582/GB for alterations, renovation of front yard area and erection of flat roof over a small yard/void and creation of a new access into yard/void. These two are being considered concurrently with these applications. - 3.2 There are three previous applications for this property all relate to the car park to the rear of the premises which were approved. They are not considered relevant to the consideration of this application.

4.0 PLANNING STATUS - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan (1998) as 'Predominantly Offices'. - 4.2 As 4 Finch Road, Douglas is a Registered Building (RB 93) and the works proposed in this application affect a registered building, the relevant planning policies from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2, Environment Policies 32 and 34 and Policies RB/3 and RB/5 from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) is also considered to be relevant to determining this application. - 4.3 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan contains some relevant elements. These extracts read: '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;

• (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'.

4.4 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." - 4.5 Environment Policy 34 states: "In the maintenance, alteration or extensions of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred." - 4.6 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."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DOI Highways - do not oppose. 22/6/16. - 5.2 Douglas Borough Council, no objections. 07.07.16.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issues are the impact on the Registered Building and wider street scene balanced against increased visibility exiting the car park to the rear. - 6.2 The wall that is proposed to be removed is fairly nondescript, while usually the removal of such a feature would not be encouraged when viewing the site in the context of the wider street scene the reduction in pillars adjacent to accesses is characteristic of the area. Therefore the proposal is not considered to adversely affect the character of the surrounding townscape and complies with General Policy 2 (c) and (g). - 6.3 As the building was registered for its architectural significance it is important to consider if the proposals would detrimentally affect its architectural character. The front of the building is characterised by a yard enclosed by two walls to the side boundaries and railings along the front boundary, which has symmetry about it. This application seeks to remove the wall to the left hand side and replace it with railings to match the existing and part of the wall on the other side of the

• car park entrance. The latter appears stand alone and would be of no consequence to see it replaced with railings, in fact it could visually enhance that part of the area. In respect of the former it is not considered that it would detrimentally affect the character of the Registered Building or its setting.
• 6.4 However, no details have been provided of the proposed railings, just that they would match and as such a condition is recommended that further details/sample of the proposed railings are submitted to ensure that they match the existing.
• 6.5 In conclusion, the works proposed in this application are considered to respect the character of the Registered Building and in doing so, comply with Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2, Environment Policies 32 and 34 and Policies RB/3 and RB/5 from Planning Policy Statement 1/01.
• 6.6 There are also two other applications being considered 16/00583 & 582, which when considered together with these applications the cumulative effect upon the building's special interest is considered to be minor and not detrimentally affect the building.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 On the basis of the above the application is recommended for approval.

8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material , in this case, Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.09.2016 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.

• C 2. No works shall take place until full details of the proposed iron railings including 1:20 scale sample elevations and 1:1 scale profiles of the finials have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The works shall be implemented in strict accordance with the agreed details and retained as such thereafter.

Reason: As insufficient information has been submitted, to ensure the satisfactory preservation of this registered building and to comply with Environment Policy 32 of the Strategic Plan 2016.

• C 3. The railings shown on the approved plans shall be painted black within one month of installation and shall be retained as such thereafter. Reason: To ensure the satisfactory preservation of this registered building.

This approval relates to Location Plan, Site and drawings 4466/Ex1 and 4466/P2 all date stamped as received 24 May 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 12.09.2016 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

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