DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00446/GB Applicant: Mr & Mrs David & Ann Giroux Proposal: Removal of external staircase on west elevation, structural works to wash house gable and various repairs to external walls (in association with PA 22/00328/CON) Site Address: Bishopscourt Mansion House Bishopscourt Kirk Michael Isle Of Man IM6 2EZ Technical Officer: Mr Thomas Sinden Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.06.2022

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. No works in connection with the external wall repairs shall commence unless a photographic survey detailing the location and existing construction of each area being repaired is submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Reason: To ensure that the wall finish of the protected building is suitably recorded.
• C 3. Works to the wash house roof and ceiling cannot be undertaken between the months of May to August inclusive unless a statutory method statement is sought from the DEFA Ecosystems Policy Team prior to works commencing. The identified measures within the method statement shall be adhered to and implemented in full and maintained thereafter. Reason: To safeguard a statutorily protected species.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The application meets the tests of section 16 of the Town and Country Act 1999 as the building's special interest is being preserved. The application is also judged to meet the tests of planning policy statement 1/01 as well as general policy 2, strategic policy 4, environment policy 32 and environment policy 34 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected,

preserved, traditional materials are being used and the proposals do not adversely affect the character of the surrounding landscape. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to Adam Architecture drawings 6296 PL01, 6296 PL02, 6296 PL03, 6296 PL230, 6296 PL231, 6296 PL232, 6296 PL233, 6296 PL234, 6296 PL235, 6296 PL236, 6296 PL237, 6296 PL238, 6296 PL239, 6296 PL240, 6296 PL241, 6296 PL242, 6296 PL243, 6296 PL244, 6296 PL245, 6296 PL246, BB Consulting Structural drawing 01, together with the other supporting information submitted on 21st April 2022.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is Bishopscourt, a registered building (RB 1). A large house, formerly the home of The Bishop of Sodor and Mann and thought to have been founded by Bishop Simon (Bishop from 1230 to 1248). The house and remaining estate were sold into private ownership in 1979. The oldest existing section of the building, parts of 'King Orry's Tower', is thought to date from the end of the 14th Century. The property is not located within a conservation area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks planning approval to carry out structural works to the Wash House and Kitchen, together with the removal of an external staircase on the west elevation and repairs to the external walls.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY The site is in an area with a high likelihood of surface water flooding. - 3.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions

(3) In considering —

• (a) whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting, or
• (b) whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the relevant 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.

3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

General Policy 2: 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;
• (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 and (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them.

Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;

Environment Policy 32: 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.

Environment Policy 34: In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred.

3.3 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man

POLICY RB/3 General criteria applied in considering registered building applications 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).

POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS 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.

- 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 There are a number of historic application at the property that are not judged to be relevant to the current application. In 2021 RB consent and planning approval was granted for replacement roofs to the tower, hall and west wing (21/01300/CON, 21/01301/GB, 21/01414/GB and 21/01416/CON). - 4.2 Application 22/00328/CON for Registered Building Consent included the physical works proposed within the current application, together with various internal alterations. - 4.3 An application to install a French drain around the perimeter of the chapel and coach house is still under consideration.

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division have stated that there is no highways interest in the application (12.5.2022). - 5.2 An email exchange between the DEFA Ecosystem Policy Team and the applicant regarding the protection required for roosting bats has been forwarded to the case officer and placed on the digital file for information (23.5.2022).

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The principal issues with the application are whether the proposals would affect detrimentally the building's special interest, and would affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape. - 6.2 Structural works to the wash house and kitchen have been proposed that are intended to remedy some movement and damp issues found during recent condition surveys. The works are judged to be appropriate in terms of the materials and details. As the works are generally intended to repair and protect elements of historic fabric, it is judged that they will preserve and protect the building's special interest. - 6.3 The application includes a proposal to remove an external staircase on the west elevation. The staircase is not part of the property's historic fabric, having been constructed in the latter half of the 20th century. The area of wall that would become exposed by the stairs removal is proposed to be repaired and restored with a Manx stone finish in a manner to match the other external walls on this side of the building. As the element proposed for removal is not historic, and the proposed wall finish would match the other walls in the vicinity, this element of the proposal is judged to protect the property's special interest and to have no adverse impact on the character of the surrounding landscape. - 6.4 The repairs to the existing external walls of the property proposed within the application are intended to remedy previous repair work of questionable quality and to provide a coherent wall finish around the building. In addition to the rationale mentioned, the works are designed to improve the weather proofing of the building's external envelope. Given that the building is clearly quite complexed in its phasing, with elements from as early as the 14th century and including substantial 19th century extensions, it is likely that no single wall finish would be historically appropriate for the entire building. The historic fabric on show in the external walls of the Tower portion would suggest that at least some of the building was rendered historically. The sections of the external walls that have had patch repairs in brickwork are extremely unlikely to be the originally intended finish. However, some of the brickwork does appear to be of significant age. With this in mind, whilst it is judged that the proposed repairs will preserve the building's special interest and will preserve its long term future, it may be prudent to place a condition on any approval that requires a photographic survey of the areas being repaired so that the building's historic phasing and construction can be understood in future years.

6.6 Whilst the site is noted as being at low risk of surface water flooding, the nature of the development will not change the resilience or susceptibility of the site and surrounding area from flooding and as such, this is not considered to be a reason to refuse the application in this case. - 6.7 The DEFA Ecosystems Policy Team has highlighted the presence of a bat roosting site within the wash house roof. With this in mind, it is suggested that a condition be added to any approval to ensure that any works are undertaken in such a manner that accommodates the protected species.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The application is judged to be in accordance with section 16 of the Town and Country Act 1999 as the building's special interest is being preserved. The application is also judged to meet the tests of planning policy statement 1/01 as well as general policy 2, strategic policy 4, environment policy 32 and environment policy 34 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the building is being protected, preserved, traditional materials are being used, and the proposals do not adversely affect the character of the surrounding landscape. It is therefore recommended that the application is approved. - 8.0 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 Head of Development Management 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 : 09.06.2022 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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