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Application No.: 17/00319/B Applicant: The Secret Pizza Company Proposal: Alterations to facilitate the conversion of building into restaurant and takeaway with outdoor seating area Site Address: The Old Mortuary Farrants Way Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1NR Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 20.04.2017 Site Visit: 20.04.2017 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is an irregularly shaped parcel of land accessed off Farrant's Way but immediately abutting a commercial property that faces onto The Parade square in Castletown. The site is within Castletown's Conservation Area. - 1.2 Within the site is the Old Mortuary building, which is evidently formed of two separate elements of historic built fabric: one element has a hipped roof while the other is gable-ended. However, both are evidently pre-1920s being finished in a mixture of limestone and natural slate, along with timber windows and doors. The building is clearly of interest and attractive, but is not Registered. - 1.3 It is understood that the building is currently used for storage by its owners, Castletown Commissioners. - 1.4 Outwith the building, which is built into the boundary wall between the nearby Civic Centre and Isle of Man Bank, is an area of hardstanding that provides for six angled parking spaces. These fairly surround the building to the northeast, northwest and southwest. Also within the site is an area of hardstanding adjacent to the Civic Centre.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the conversion of the building to a pizza restaurant and takeaway. The latter is intended to be the 'first phase' of the project, which would be within the smaller, hipped roofed-element of the building and facing (end-on) onto Farrant's Way. The second phase would be to knock through to the northern element of the building to provide the restaurant, along with a single WC. - 2.2 There would be physical alterations to the building to include the replacement of the southfacing door and window and the north-facing coachhouse-style door with a pair of barn doors. These are intended to open for the entire time the business is open but otherwise would be closed. The doors would be timber and side-hung. New timber-framed windows would also be installed, which would be painted black and have glazing bars, albeit in a slightly different configuration to those currently in situ. A small wood store is proposed to the northern end of the building, which would provide fuel for the pizza oven, the associated flue of which would be black powder-coated and up to 15cm in diameter, protruding roughly 0.9m from the roof but only 0.7m above the ridgeline. Finally, it is proposed to install a small timber panel in place of a stone infill historically inserted onto the long, west elevation.
2.3 In addition, five tables each providing four covers is proposed to the exterior (northwest) of the building. These would be enclosed within a crescent-shaped line barrier formed of fabric barriers and stanchions. - 2.4 The existing parking would be removed and largely replaced with the aforementioned outdoor seating area. In addition, though, there would be an area set aside for the business' van (known as "Paolo"), which until now has been the sole 'premises' from which the business has operated, in a mobile manner. The other area of hardstanding, near to the Civic Centre, would however be given over to a pair of new parking spaces for delivery vans. - 2.5 The application has been submitted with a Planning and Design Statement, outlining some of the above but also noting additional consultations undertaken with stakeholders prior to the application's submission:
2.7 It should be noted that the above reflects what has been said in the Planning and Design Statement, and not formal representations to the application. - 2.8 Further detail was sought with respect to the proposed windows and door replacements. 1:10 scale drawings were provided and retained on file for information.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 While the Civic Centre has been the subject of a number of previous applications, none of these is considered specifically material to the assessment of this application: moreover, no applications have been submitted since at least 1982 with respect to the Old Mortuary itself.
4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 As already noted, the site falls within an area zoned as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the South, as well as falling within the Castletown Conservation Area. - 4.2 With this in mind, the proposal falls to be assessed against the following policies of the Strategic Plan:
General Policy 2 (in part):
"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:
"Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of:
"In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred."
"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."
Transport Policy 7: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards."
Appendix 7 provides a standard for town centre shops, but not restaurants. In the absence of any other standard, this is considered to be as helpful a guide as any, and it states as follows: "Space for service vehicle use."
4.3 Circular 3/91 also contains important text with regards replacement windows in Conservation Areas:
"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare MUST HAVE THE SAME method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE THE SAME pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows.
"Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services of the DOI offered no objection to the application on 11th April 2017. They noted that the submitted parking survey identified ample parking within walking distance of the facility at peak times (usually evenings). They also note that Castletown is well-served by car parks such that the proposal would not have such a detrimental impact on parking supply as to warrant refusal. - 5.2 The Conservation Officer was informally contacted for his views on the replacement windows and doors, and also the proposal in general. He verbally noted that the existing windows are of no particular merit and the proposed use of timber frames is to be welcomed, with the general principle of the proposal - to bring an historic building of merit back into use - considered to be of particular value. - 5.3 Castletown Commissioners offered strong support to the application in comments dated 4th April 2017. They consider it pleasing that there is a desire for private investment in an underutilised area of the historic town centre, noting further that they are working with key stakeholders to this end. The area between the Town Hall and the Old Town Hall has been renamed 'Barracks Square' and is judged to form a historic part of the regeneration of the Market Square. The proposal is seen to support the Commissioners' vision for the evolution of the historic town centre and should be fully supported. - 5.4 The owner or occupier of 12 Ballanoa Meadow in Santon objects to the application on grounds that there are already 12-13 eateries in Castletown when what is needed are shops, clothes shops and shoe shops, having overheard a tourist say that there was nothing in the town except places to eat. They note that the Commissioners should be looking to secure something other than yet another restaurant, which will place a large amount of pressure on other businesses that are already there, which the objector is sure are struggling to make ends meet already. Their comments were received 27th March 2017.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The reinvigoration of historic built fabric worthy of protection / conversion is clearly to be welcomed. Castletown town centre is not particularly vibrant just at the moment, and while the site lies just outside of the Market Square its being brought into use would nevertheless build upon the recent regeneration work. It may also help improve footfall along Farrant's Way given its dual frontage to both the north and south. - 6.2 While the principle is acceptable, though, the detail also requires consideration. - 6.3 Highway Services are content with the parking arrangements and there seems no reason to go against this. Removing the parking currently in place here would bring a clear benefit in making the building more apparent in the streetscene, while the net loss of parking appears to be readily addressed by the existing facilities in the town. - 6.4 The physical alterations are, generally, considered acceptable. The existing building is attractive and its windows and doors form a welcome part of its character. Generally speaking, the existing apertures would be expected to be retained. In this case, though, the works proposed form part of an overall proposal that will judged positively for the reasons already set out. The main concern is with regards the loss of an existing door-and-window at the south elevation. However, their replacement with a barn door is acceptable here: the main character provided by the window and door is in the existence of the opening itself. The opening appears to suggest a previous entrance of the size now proposed, with parking space in front of the building perhaps reflecting this. The windows proposed, in timber, are particularly welcomed while the slight alteration to the
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 The proposed conversion is concluded to be in accordance with the relevant Development Plan policies and, accordingly, is acceptable. While the physical conversion works are perhaps not entirely apposite to the style and character of this particular building, they nevertheless form a part of an overall conversion scheme that, in terms of its contribution to the town and its regeneration aims, is to be strongly welcomed. - 7.2 A condition stipulating the opening hours is recommended.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.06.2017 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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 development hereby approved relates to Drawings 100, 101 and 2 Rev F, all three datestamped as having been received 22nd March 2017, and also to Drawings 201 and 202, both datestamped as having been received 17th May 2017.
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: 08.06.2017 Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer
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