DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00577/B Applicant: Department of Education, Sport and Culture Proposal: Alterations to incorporate existing first floor external balconies into staff room area Site Address: Scoill Yn Jubilee Laureston Avenue Douglas Isle of Man IM2 3BR Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.07.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information: This decision relates to the following plans and drawings: 1756 55 P02 rev A - Plans, elevations and section as existing and proposed, site & location plans date stamped received on 20th May 2019. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site is the curtilage of Scoill Yn Jubilee, Laureston Avenue, Douglas. The application site is a primary school within a predominantly residential area of the town.

1.2 The main school building fronts onto Laureston Avenue, with a large hard surface playground area at the rear on Palatine Road. To the south east of the site there is a stepped down area of hard surfacing - a smaller playground- accessible from the main area via steps, this runs adjacent to a lane between Laureston Avenue and Palatine Road, running parallel with the rear of houses on Murrays Road. - 1.3 The first floor of the main school building features two enclosed, roofed balconies on the front (Laureston Avenue) elevation, either side of a central tower clock feature.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the incorporation of the two balconies at the front into the existing interior building, with the blocking up and rendering of the base and installation of windows to match the existing. As the balconies are currently set in to the building, the proposed extension would remain flush with the main part of the front elevation. The works would move the staff room within the building further towards the front allowing for the creation of an accessible WC.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There have been a number of past planning applications on the school site. The most relevant are the following: - 3.2 18/01198/B was approved for the removal of existing deck footbridge and steps within playground area and installation of deck ramps, landings, steps and footbridge, along with door and window alteration, to provide wheelchair access to upper playground and school building at first floor level. - 3.3 There was a previously existing, smaller, mobile classroom in the location of the one currently proposed, approved via 00/00150/B. This mobile has now been removed but was shown in situ as recently as in 2010 Google imagery. - 3.4 There is a current application on the site for a new mobile classroom (19/00576/B).

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area designated as a Primary School as zoned in the Douglas Local Plan 1998. - 4.2 Therefore, in terms of policy it is important to consider General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 in the assessment of this application. General Policy 2 states (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:

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; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

4.3 Further, Community Policy 5 is of relevance due to the nature of the site: "Permission will generally be given for proposals to improve or extend existing schools and institutions of higher education and to build new schools, subject to their being sited and

• designed in accordance with the other policies of this plan, having particular regard to the potential for community use of the buildings and the associated Open Space."
• 4.4 Additionally, regard in this instance must be had to Planning Circular 1/91: Provision for Disabled People, which states: "The built environment should be convenient for use by disabled people"

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objections to the proposal (14.06.19). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services do no oppose the application (21.06.19).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key consideration in the assessment of this application is the visual impact of the proposed extension. The relocation of the staff room incorporating part of the existing balcony would facilitate the installation of an accessible WC, in accordance with Planning Circular 1/91. - 6.2 The likely visual impact is considered to be minimal. The proposal would not likely increase the visual presence of the building itself or detract from the key feature of the central 'clock tower', nor would it be considered incongruous with the wider building. As a result, the impact on the street scene of Laureston Avenue would be considered minimal, and the proposal in accordance with General Policy 2.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the Douglas Local Plan, General Policy 2 and Community Policy of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. It is therefore considered acceptable and 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.

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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 02.07.2019

Determining officer Signed : S CORLETT

Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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