DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00925/B Applicant: Mr Michael Lightfoot Proposal: Installation of replacement windows and door, replacement of existing roof tiles with slate Site Address: 14 Milner Terrace Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1AJ Planning and Enforcement Assistant: Miss Vanessa Wilson Photo Taken: 02.10.2019 Site Visit: 02.10.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.10.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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, date stamped received on 20th August 2019:

• o Site/Location Plan
• o Drawing No. 1855-01 - General Arrangement _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 14 Milner Terrace, Castletown which is a three storey mid-terraced property situated to the North of Milner Terrace. To the rear of the property is a rear lane which services both Milner Terrace and Athol Terrace. - 1.2 Many of the properties, including the application property have had their original sliding sash windows replaced with more modern plastic framed windows. All have an eaves level dormer on the front elevation. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval in several parts. - 2.2 To the front elevation the proposal seeks to replace the current windows to uPVC casement windows. The dormer window will be replaced with a side opening casement window, the two windows to the first floor will be changed to bottom opening casement windows and to the ground floor the main window will be altered to a six panel top middle opening casement window. Also to the front elevation is the change from stable type front door to a four panelled half-moon window front door. - 2.3 To the rear elevation the proposal seeks to replace the currently windows to uPVC casement windows. To the first floor the two windows will be changed to bottom opening casement windows with the window to the ground floor being changed to a side opening casement window. There is also a replacement door and window to the rear extension. The door is proposed to be changed to a four panelled door with the two upper panels being glass and the window is to be a top opening casement window. - 2.4 The proposal also seeks to replace the current cement roof with a slate roof and install two velux rooflights to the rear sixed 78x98. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The previous planning application is not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the South, Castletown Map. The property is also within a Conservation area. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35 and Planning Circular 1/98.

4.2 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 General Policy 2 states "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;

4.3 Environment Policy 35 which states: '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'. Planning Poloicy Statement C/02 echoes these objectives. - 4.4 Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows which states; Category b) Buildings in a Conservation Area "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." REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have No Highways Interest in this application (02.09.2019).

5.2 No comments have been received from Castletown Commissioners at the time of writing this report. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) the impact of the proposed development on the character of the Milner Terrace and (ii) whether the proposed works preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Castletown Conservation Area.

6.2 Windows

• 6.2.1 The windows to the front are currently single light uPVC windows. The replacement of these windows to bottom opening casement windows whilst against Planning Circular 1/98 will provide a more cohesive appearance to the front of the property by matching the properties surrounding it, and the form of subdivision of each aperture, which will ultimately improve the Conservation Area.
• 6.2.2 The windows to the rear of the property are currently sliding sash to the first floor and a split window top opening to the ground level. Whilst it would be an advantage to keep the sliding sash windows for the Conservation Area, they are in a state of repair. The surrounding properties have already changed to uPVC casement windows and the rear can only be seen by the public walking through the rear lane as such the impact of changing to uPVC casement windows is minimal.
• 6.3 Doors

• 6.3.1 The proposed door to the front of the property is to match the neighbour to the north of the property which is in direct symmetry to No. 14 Milner Terrace. Whilst the inclusion of the semi circular fanlight is not a traditional feature, neither is the current stable door arrangement and as such the proposed door is considered to preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
• 6.3.2 The proposed door to the rear has no impact on how the streetscene is viewed due to the high walling of the property in the rear as such the door can only be seen from the second floor windows of the properties adjacent.

6.4 Roof

• 6.4.1 The proposed slate roof will match several of the properties along Milner Terrace and is an acceptable roof alteration within a Conservation Area. Due to the height of the property and the street the roof can be seen from the forecourt across the road and from Alexandra Road as such this alteration will improve how the property looks within its general streetscene and the Conservation area as a whole.
• 6.4.2 To the rear of the property the proposal wants to install two velux rooflights measured 78x98. Currently there is one rooflight to the rear, due to the rear backing onto a small service

lane between Milner Terrace and Athol Terrace the installation of the rooflights on the overall streetscene and the Conservation Area is minimal.

CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable. 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: 08.10.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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