Planning Statement

Planning & Design Statement Traie Heen, Church Road Port Lewaigue, Ramsey, Isle of Man, IM7 1AG

MAY 2025

A photograph of a white, two-story detached house with bay windows and chimneys, situated on a grassy slope with a stone boundary wall.

PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

To be read in conjunction with plan nos. 2025-208- 1 to 15 inclusive.

EXISTING

Traie Heen is a substantial detached property located at Port Lewaige in Maughold. The property is not located within an existing or proposed conservation area.

The property is of traditional rubble stone masonry construction with painted lime cement render over. The roof is of traditional cut-timber and hipped construction.

The roof coverings are of later installed modern concrete tiles. The existing gutters and rainwater pipes are of uPVC type. The existing windows are of a mixture of aluminium framed type. Many of the window apertures have been historically altered, much to the detriment of the overall appearance of the northern and eastern facades. The existing entrance doors are of modern appearance with aluminium construction and glazed panels and fanlights.

The roof covering has reached the end of its useful life and has been subject to ongoing patch repairs over the preceding years. Water ingress is ongoing; the roof coverings and ﬁxings are generally failing.

The surfaces of the exterior walls have suffered from weather related dilapidation and require repair and refurbishment generally.

Historically, many signiﬁcant alterations have been undertaken, details of which are included within the “history” section of this statement and detailed on the plans. It is intended, as far as possible, to reinstate much of the original Victorian detailing as reasonably practical.

There is only a single previous planning application related to the property, which is for the erection of a dwelling on land adjacent to Traie Heen - 08/01651/B

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PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

HISTORY

The Isle of Man Times (12.09.1885) reported “It is stated that Mr Humphrey Lloyd of Manchester, has purchased 10 acres of land at Port Lewaigue, which we understand he is about to lay out for building purposes”. Humphrey Lloyd was a cotton manufacturer and one of the original owners of the South Ramsey Estate, a syndicate composed of leading figures in the banking, legal and commercial life of the island.

Built in approximately 1887 as two large properties, it was initially advertised to be let “those new and delightfully situated dwelling houses, at Folieu, Ramsey, called Min-ydon and Glyndwr, containing all modern conveniences” (Isle of Man Times, 04.02.1888)

There were various tenants with the two properties often being rented together. When rented together they were called Min-y-don, later Min-y-don Hydro or the front part being Min-y-don 1 and the smaller rear part Min-y-don 2. In 1907 (Ramsey Courier 16.04.1907) the accommodation was described as “No 1 house - Drawing, dining, morning, breakfast rooms, good kitchen, pantries & c., 11 bedrooms, bathroom (hot and cold), large vegetable and flower garden. No 2 house - Drawing and dining rooms, 2 kitchens, pantries, &c, bathroom (hot and cold), w.c., 8 bedrooms.”

Until 1937 there were various colourful characters residing there and many dramatic circumstances - which provide interesting details about the furniture in the rooms, the food grown, the gardens and the livestock held on the land.

In 1937 the Estate of the late Humphrey Lloyd was wound up and the two “well-built residences known as Min-y-Don and Traie-Heen” (Isle of Man Examiner, 23.07.1937), were sold to a Mr Upham, formerly of Sydney, who planned to start a holiday park. Work was to commence on the expiration of some tenancies, the site “having a big frontage to the shore and providing abundant facilities for boating, swimming and fishing” (Ramsey Courier 22.10.1937). However, the properties were resold to a “Maughold Gentleman” (Ramsey Courier 21.01.1938). During a court case “an orgy of catapulting” against two boys who had been breaking windows there, the gentleman was revealed to be Mr. William Cunningham of the well-known Douglas holiday camp. (Ramsey Courier 15.07.1938).

Mr Cunningham had also planned a holiday camp for the site and on 15.04.1938 the Isle of Man Examiner had reported a “large hoarding (white lettering with a red background) at Belle Vue” … “Alight here for Min-y-Don Holiday Camp when established. And you’ll be comfy too! Boating, Fishing, Swimming, Tennis, Billiards, Dancing.” However, Mr Cunningham concentrated upon the Douglas site - possibly because his father was already deceased and his mother died in 1939, and he was the eldest son. The property was then transferred in 1962 by Williams’s wife Margaret Wyle Cunningham to John Boyd Briggs a young man at the time of around 18 years old.

At some point, either via the Cunninghams or John Boyd Briggs, the properties were altered significantly - possibly to make one family-sized home. The roof of the rear half was reduced by two storeys, and the front half was reduced by one storey, with the

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PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

merged building having a flat roof, crenelations and turrets. In 1979 the property was sold again to Simon Parkes who reverted to a pitched roof and carried out other renovations such as replacement windows. Some of the aluminium windows are currently ‘picture’, casement windows with top openers or of altered proportions. Some also appear squashed due to the history of the roofline, the loss of ‘eyebrows’, and other original detailing.

The original roof was an interesting slate roof with multiple bays, hips and valleys. The kitchens and some other rooms were in what is currently called the basement - there still being original kitchen ranges in the basement. The current attic floors were previously bedroom floors. The soil pipe for No 1 house probably ran under the southern path as it does currently (renewed and in good condition). The soil pipe to No 2 house probably ran under the basement floor to the north and is also in a good, renewed condition. A video drains survey was conducted by Clearview Drains in 2025.

The historic changes to the roof and windows have removed some of the character of the original building and the current roof and roofline is causing significant water ingress. The character can be replaced by returning to a slate roof, by improving the roofline bays and rainwater goods and by re-introducing windows back to their original proportions.

The property has been left unoccupied since around 2007, as such, the onset of dilapidation to existing roof, windows and exterior walls is evident.

It is an interesting building with an interesting history linked to colourful characters of Manx past and it deserves some help in returning a little towards its past fineness.

HISTORIC IMAGES:

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A grainy, black and white historical photograph showing a detached house situated on a hillside with a body of water in the background.

A grainy black and white photograph showing the exterior of a large, multi-story stone building with a complex roofline and multiple chimneys.

PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

A sepia-toned photograph showing a large, detached house with a complex roofline, multiple chimneys, and arched windows situated on a sloping site.

PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

PROPOSAL

Roof The existing concrete tile roof coverings are to be replaced with new Welsh Ffestiniog “County” grade natural slate in a blue/grey colour. The proposed slate size is Countess 20” x 10”. The existing roof lights are to be removed completely. Associated roof works to be undertaken include thermal upgrades, replacement facias and soffits in “Victorian” style uPVC extrusions together with “Cast Iron Style” gutters and downpipes. Elevations

Parapet detailing is to be introduced to the existing bay window structure roofs on the northern elevation in order create a balance to the elevations. The existing structures appear unﬁnished following the historical demolition of the upper ﬂoors.

The existing exterior walls and sides of chimney stacks are to be repaired and redecorated utilising lime renders and mineral paints. The proposed bay window parapet roofs shall be ﬁnished with Code 6 lead sheet coverings. A faux arch and parapet detail is to be introduced to the northern elevation in a similar fashion.

Windows & Doors Several existing windows are to be refurbished, and replacement windows identiﬁed shall be of a similar material. “Heritage” vertical sliding sash windows are to be introduced where replacement windows are identiﬁed. Solid mullion details are to be reinstated to windows on the western elevation as indicated on the plans. Several window apertures shall be reinstated to their original dimensions and proportions, with similar “Heritage” vertical sliding sash windows being installed. Proposed new window details are appended. The modern entrance doors are to be removed and replaced with reclaimed timber Victorian doors with side and top lights to provide original character of the original units. Details of the proposed units are detailed within the plans; details of an exemplar unit are appended.

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PLANNING & DESIGN STATEMENT FOR TRAIE HEEN, CHURCH ROAD, PORT LEWAIGUE, IM7 1AG

IMAGES OF EXISTING (MAY 2025) Northern elevation

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