APL Conditions Response Letter Redacted

Planning Officer DEFA First Floor, Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas IM1 2SF Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building Douglas IM1 2RF

Dear Sirs,

Re: PA 23/01057/B – Construction and replacement of existing walls for the purpose of providing flood protection, Glen Road, Laxey.

Condition 2:

The department confirm the walls will be built as outlined below:

Braeside: We intend to use precast concrete wall units, the property side to be faced with stone cladding ORNEL NERRO 688 and have a concrete flat wall coping stone, see Appendix A. The river side of the new wall will be plain concrete, although it will be partially obscured when vegetation regrows in front of it, as agreed with DEFA. The riverbank will be protected with a biodegradable erosion control blanket which will protect the bank and allow the vegetation to grow back. See Appendix C for the precast units and Appendix D for what we anticipate it will look like once the vegetation has had a chance to re-establish itself.

Rivers Courts: The existing stone wall is to be removed and replaced with a reinforced hollow concrete block wall. The wall will have a concrete flat wall coping stone. The property side is to be faced with Ornel Nerro 688 stone cladding, see Appendix A, with a smooth finish and pointing on the river side, see Appendix E, to tie into the wall for Cumberland House.

Cumberland House and Cumberland Lodge: We intend to construct a reinforced hollow concrete block wall on top of the existing concrete wall. The wall will have a concrete flat wall coping stone. The property side will be faced with Ornel Nerro 688 stone cladding, see Appendix A, with a smooth finish and pointing on the river side, see Appendix E. At present, the walls along these properties are primarily concrete due to the concrete toe.

Commissioners Land: We intend to construct a reinforced hollow concrete block wall. The wall will have a concrete flat wall coping stone. The property side will be faced with Ornel Nerro 688 stone cladding, see Appendix A, with a smooth finish and pointing on the river side, see Appendix E, tying into the wall from Cumberland Lodge.

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Digby House, Brookside, and Lewins Cottage: The proposed wall will be formed using river concrete blocks with the exposed face imprinted with a stonework finish, see Appendix B. The proposed wall will have a flat precast concrete coping stone on top. The property side will be finished as per owner’s preferences.

Scheme Overview:

Partial Wall Replacement:

The scheme does not propose to renew the entire river walls, only sections where they are of insufficient height or in poor condition. Many existing concrete walls and toes will not be disturbed during the works, and therefore, in many cases, existing concrete finishes will be retained.

Aesthetic Considerations:

In comparison with the existing appearance of the walls, we do not consider that the proposed works would be out of character, since the existing configuration is a mix of concrete and old stone walls. The use of Ornel Nerro 688 stone cladding to the property side will ensure a consistent and aesthetically pleasing finish for the home owners.

Cost and Time Impact:

The works required to install the cladding finishes on the river side will modify the design of the toes and walls, as such a bigger foundation will be required to support the cladding. These activities will have a big impact on construction programme, increasing the number of construction activities to be carried out in the watercourse. Due to the limited period for working within the watercourse, this will mean an increase in the number of seasons required to finish the project and in the overall project cost.

Therefore, we believe that the cost and time impact associated with the cladding activity will adversely affect the project and the already limited budget.

Condition 3:

The department confirm works to the watercourse bank and channel will only take place between July and September.

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Condition 4:

The department can confirm that the approved contractor will have a written method statement submitted to and approved by DEFA prior to the commencement of any works.

Condition 5 (see attachment):

Attached are the two reports regarding the Departments Environmental Management Plan.

- Laxey River - Construction Environmental Management Plan
- Laxey River - Invasive Species Management Plan

Yours sincerely,

Redacted

Nicole Marais – on behalf of Flood Management Division

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Appendix A:

A photograph showing a long, curved stone retaining wall with a light-colored coping stone, running alongside a paved path with dense green trees in the background.

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Appendix B:

A photograph showing a constructed stone channel with stepped weirs for water flow, flanked by retaining walls.

A photograph showing a large, tiered stone retaining wall constructed along a waterfront, with residential buildings visible on the upper level and construction machinery nearby.

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Appendix C:

A photograph showing a newly constructed concrete retaining wall with a drainage trench at its base, adjacent to a paved area and an earth bank.

A photograph showing a stream or river bank with dense green vegetation and rocks.

Appendix D:

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Appendix E:

A photograph showing newly constructed tiered concrete retaining walls at a construction site with blockwork above.

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

APL Conditions Response Letter Redacted

Source & Provenance