Harold Tower Planning Statement

1837.01

APPLICATION FOR A NEW CONICAL ROOF At HAROLD TOWER FORT ANN DOUGLAS for MR AND MRS DOUGLAS

Brief Planning Statement

The Applicant, Mr Douglas wishes to create an observatory on the roof of the existing tower to enjoy the views out over Douglas bay. Harold Tower is Manx Baronial Gothick style, which like other similar buildings on the Isle of Man eg: the Nunnery Estate, had its style origin in Strawberry Hill House. This is the "Strawberry Hill Gothic" style of architecture. If you look at the image below for Strawberry Hill House, there is a conical roof on a tower towards the rear of the house.

In its concept the designer has taken this tower's form and scale as the basis of the proposed design. The conical roof is designed to be dressed in cut-slate with a lead cap finial when the radius is too small for slate cutting and fixing. To allow Mr Douglas to enjoy the views of the bay the designer has created arched dormer timber-framed windows at regular intervals around the circumference of the tower, which punch through the roof and are clad in lead sheet. By using these traditional materials the designer believes the design satisfies Environmental Policy 34. The intention of the design is to build the new observatory room and roof in and around the existing structure of the battlements, leaving them in place, encapsulated within the mainly timber structure. The roof structure would be built off a ring beam at flat roof level, transferring load Harold Tower planning statement.doc

down into the walls below. In essence, the new construction will be independent of the existing building construction, meaning that the proposed structure could be taken away in the future to reveal the previous structure retained in its original form. As can be seen on the elevations, and as we have shown in its historic precedent at Strawberry Hill House, the addition of the conical roof is in keeping with the Gothick style, and sits well in its context. As such, the designer believes the new roof satisfies Environmental Policy 32.

In summary the designer believes the new roof sits well in its context and has a historic precedent for this Gothick style. The designer also believes the design satisfies Environmental Policies 32 and 34. Therefore, the Applicant respectfully requests that planning approval is granted.