Registered Buildings Officer Report

TO: Chris Balmer, Principal Planning Officer FROM: Ross Brazier: Registered Buildings Officer DATE: 18/00532/REM RE: Reserved Matters application for the erection of a detached dwelling (relating to PA 15/00794/A) AT: land to East of Old School House Main Road, Sulby ### Recommendation Refuse/ ### Scope of comments These comments relate to the impact of the development upon registered buildings. ### Legislative and Policy context #### 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. ### National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 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 42: New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality. Inappropriate backland development and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a particular area will not be permitted. Those open or green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans. 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: - 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; - 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; - 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. Report detail The proposal is for the reserved matters for the erection of a dwelling house. The location of the dwelling house is within the historic curtilage and setting of two registered buildings, St Stephen's church and former school room (RB/170) and Sulby old school (RB/171). St Stephen's church and former school room were originally constructed in 1838 and then substantially rebuilt in 1880 by John Welch. The Old school was built in 1879 to replace the school room located within St Stephen's church. The physical and architectural relationship between the buildings is visually strong and they have a strong presence in a village which is very linear in its form. I have concerns regarding the proposals in relation to the scale, massing and design of the building. The approved footprint is located directly behind St Stephen's church and former school room. This registered building is L-shaped in plan, comprised of two sections, the principal church section being much taller than the return section which was the original school room. The development's siting is located predominantly behind the lower former school room. It is unfortunate that the applicant has not provided more detailed proposed elevations fully demonstrating the siting of the development within the context of both registered buildings (RB/170 & 172), however from those submitted it is my view that the proposals will sit higher than the existing lower school room and will therefore be visible above the ridge. The proposals also fail to demonstrate the relationship with the old school. I consider the proposals will dominate over the smaller school room wing of St Stephen's church and will cause harm to the setting of this registered building and potentially that of the old school house also. Any proposals for this site should not dominate the historic buildings which a building of this proposed scale and massing will do. I do not consider the proposals to be in accordance with the above policies due to the impact upon the setting of these registered buildings and should therefore be refused. Ross Brazier Registered Buildings Officer