DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 22/00022/CON Applicant: Mr Gary & Mrs Veronica Lark Proposal: Registered Building consent for demolition elements to PA 22/00019/B Site Address: 39 Douglas Street Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1BB Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.03.2022 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

• C 2. All work of making good shall be finished to match exactly the existing building fabric in respect of type, size, colour, bond, pointing, coursing, jointing, profile, texture and roofing materials.

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the existing dwelling, site and surrounding area.

N 1. Manx National Heritage (MNH) have expressed an interest in the potential for a photographic record of the areas to be affected by the works and the applicant is encourage to speak directly with MNH in this respect outside of the planning process.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application accords with Strategic Policy 4 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and with the principles of PPS 101.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to Site Plan, Location Plan, Plan as Proposed and Plan as Existing all date stamped and received 04/01/2022. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 39 Douglas Street, Peel an existing traditional two storey detached dwelling sitting on the north-eastern side of the road and in the centre of Peel. The property has a front elevation facing directly onto the road comprising a central timber framed front porch with three windows across the ground floor and three windows across the first floor. There are also three small timber framed arched head dormers in the roof. There are two large integrated stacks at each gable of the main dwelling. - 1.2 At the rear of the dwelling is a two storey 'T' shaped extension and another single storey extension running alongside it, both extensions have integrated stacks matching the main house. - 1.3 The north side gable and part of the rear garden area bounds with a shared access lane leading. This lane leads to a number of separate properties at the rear. - 1.4 On the south side of the house is a private walled garden area. There is an existing glazed conservatory on the elevation facing into a garden and set back along the rear boundary with a lean-to outbuilding. - 1.5 The site sits within the Peel Conservation Area. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed as part of this application is the removal of the two chimney stacks at the rear of the dwelling and within the two and single storey outriggers. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There are a number of contemporaneous applications running at this site for alterations and extensions to the main house and the removal of two chimney stacks. These also include the corresponding registered building applications for the demolition works within a conservation area, these applications are:

• o PA 22/00019/B - removal of chimney stacks
• o PA 22/00022/CON - RB Consent for demolition of chimney stacks
• o PA 22/00017/B - Alterations and erection of extensions
• o PA 22/00018/CON - RB Consent for demolition elements relating to 22/00017/B.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES

4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as "Mixed Use" as identified on the Peel Local Plan 1989. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider Section 18 of the Act along with Strategic Policy 4 in the principle of the proposal and its impact on the Conservation Area, General Policy 2 in respect of the physical works on the visual and neighbouring amenity impact and Environment Policy 35 and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 in respect of the character and appearance of the existing dwelling and designated Conservation Area.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Peel Town Commissioners - no comment have been received in respect of the RB Consent application however the Commissioners did write in on 22/00019/B for the stack removal confirming 'do not oppose (19/01/2022)'.

5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - Do not oppose (20/01/2022). - 5.3 DEFA Registered Buildings Officer - no objection to chimney stacks removal (22/02/2022)

• 5.3.1 No 39 is a historic building, traditional in its form, scale, massing and detailing which makes a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area. The stacks to be demolished are located on rear outriggers to the principle street fronted dwelling, their loss would have negligible impact upon the character and appearance of the conservation area and is therefore accepted.

5.4 Manx National Heritage - no objections to chimney stacks removal (17/02/2022)

• 5.4.1 The property formed part of a wider study undertaken by the University of Liverpool in 1985 and later published in 1992. Two domestic extensions were constructed to the rear and a further agricultural addition at the far southern end and is assessed as being a small farm complex on the Peel plan published in 1784. The various wall thicknesses in the house coupled with the variety of window openings at the front suggest a more complex history of adaptation although most of these changed still remain at the rear and away from public view.

• 5.4.2 The alterations proposed are minimalist and largely preserve the exterior of the structure and particularly those elevation visible from the public highway. The front façade remains the same. The creation of new internal openings and the removal of the chimney breasts will require substantial internal interventions but these effects will not be apparent to the passing public.
• 5.4.3 Overall the works are considered to be acceptable. MNH request that the opportunity to make a photographic record of the affected areas and deposited with MNH

ASSESSMENT

6.1 The key consideration in the assessment of the application is whether or not the removal of the two rear chimney stacks would have an acceptable visual impact on the existing dwelling and on the wider character and appearance of the wider designated Conservation Area.

6.2 There are four stacks on the property in total, two on the main dwelling and two across the outriggers. It has been acknowledged by both the RB Officer and MNH that the two integrated gable stacks on the main house form an important part of the view from the public highway and which positively contribute to the existing dwelling and surrounding area. The two stacks at the rear however are less prominent and have less of a contributing factor from public perspective and as such their removal will likely have a negligible impact on the overall quality of the Conservation Area which is to be preserved. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposed rear chimney stack removal is anticipated to have a limited visual impact on the overall character and appearance of the Conservation Area which is to be preserved in line with Environment Policy 35 and those principles of Strategic Policy 4 and PPS 101.

7.2 MNH have referred to the potential for a photographic record to be taken of the affected areas, now this dwelling is not a registered building and it is not considered a reason to refuse the application should such photographic record not be forthcoming. A note however will be added to the application to encourage the applicant to engage with MNH outside of the planning process.

7.3 For the avoidance of doubt, a condition will be added to ensure that the roof is made good to match the existing roof in the interest of visual amenity. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 04.03.2022 Determining officer Signed : J CHANCE Jennifer Chance Director of Planning and Building Control

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