Officer Report

Application No.: 17/01013/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Steven Ormond Smith Proposal: Replacement of existing front elevation patio doors and first floor windows with new UPVC units Site Address: 7 Eastfield Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4AU Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 23.10.2017 _________________________________________________________________

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. For the avoidance of doubt the application hereby approved requires the installation of an external stuck vertical and horizontal bars to the ground floor French door and first floor sliding sash windows all matching the existing and retained thereafter. Reason: To ensure the satisfactory preservation of the Conservation Area

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 26th September 2017. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following persons should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

Owners/occupants of Glebe Cottage, Maughold

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application forms the residential curtilage of 7 Eastfield, Douglas, a two and a half storey, mid-terraced property located on the northern side of Eastfield in upper Douglas.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks Planning approval for replacement of existing front elevation patio doors and first floor windows with new UPVC units on a like for like basis.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are four previous applications on this property: - 3.2 Installation of replacement windows to rear elevation - 16/00906/B- APPROVED

3.2 Installation of replacement windows to second floor dormer - 07/02028/B - APPROVED - 3.3 Installation of uPVC windows to replace existing - 99/00791/B - SPLIT DECISION - 3.4 Installation of replacement rooflight - 99/02288/B - APPROVED

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The site is identified as 'Predominantly Residential' on Map No.2 (South) of the Douglas Local Plan 1998. - 4.2 As Eastfield, Douglas is located within the Woodbourne Road Conservation Area designated in 2003 and the application seeks replacement of the windows, the relevant planning policies from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are General Policy 2, and Environment Policies 34, and 35. - 4.3 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."

4.4 Environment Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council has considered the application and 'have no objections hereto' (09.10.2017). - 5.2 Highway Services do not object (19.10.2017).

5.2 The owners/occupiers of Glebe Cottage, Maughold have no objection to the proposals as long as the plastic windows match the existing (02.10.2017). - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The application seeks Planning approval for the replacement of existing painted timber sliding sash windows (first floor) and French doors (ground floor) with uPVC sliding sash windows/door and to match the existing opening style and pattern to the front elevation.

6.2 The main issue to be considered in the assessment of this application is the impact of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the individual property.

6.2 The Planning Authority has a duty to determine whether such proposals are in keeping with not only the individual building, but the special character and quality of the area as a whole. With this in mind it is very relevant to consider Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (adopted June 2016). This policy indicates that development within Conservation Areas will only be permitted if they would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development. - 6.3 The alterations to the front elevation are the most important, being the elevation which is most publically viewable. The proposal would retain the existing methods of opening and following discussions with the applicants they are happy to include the vertical glazing bars to the first floor windows. Further all vertical and horizontal glazing bars would be externally stuck.

6.5 Overall, it is considered the proposed works would preserve the character and appearance of the existing property and therefore also the Conservation Area and therefore the proposal would comply with Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. - 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons the application is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), 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
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. _____________________________________________________________________

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 26.10.2017 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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