Officer Report

Application No.: 24/91404/B Applicant: Mr Glenn Kinrade Proposal: Installation of external smooth render Site Address: Former Bakery 6 Christian Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1DG Principal Planner: Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.01.2025 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Prior to the commencement of any works hereby approve a preliminary assessment for nesting birds, alongside any additional surveys recommended by these assessments including any mitigation methods, shall be undertaken by a suitably qualified ecological consultancy and any report/s detailing the findings, including any mitigation/s shall be submitted to the Department in writing for approval. The approved details shall be fully adhered to. Reason: In the interest of Protected Species.

N 1. The applicants must ensure that they undertake thorough checks for nesting birds and roosting bats around the building prior to re-rendering. If nesting birds or roosting bats are discovered or suspected, all work must stop and advice sought from the Ecosystem Policy Team on 651577 or at [email protected].

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 having no significant adverse impacts upon public or private amenities and therefore acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 17.12.2024.

Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services - No Objection Local Authority - No Objection

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is a pre-1900's former bakery, currently been renovated as a single residential dwelling situated to the West of Christian Street upon a corner plot. The building has a square appearance, situated over 4 floors with standard warehouse styled fenestration. The building in finished in a mixture of exposed Manx Stone and render. - 1.2 The northern side gable end wall and the rear western wall which are of interest with this application are finished with Manx Stone. Some upper sections of stone have been replaced with brickwork where repairs have been undertaken in the past. This northern elevation faces directly towards the rear elevation of the neighbouring property Nr 73 Parliament Street, approximately 5.5m away. The western elevation faces towards the rear yards/parking areas of the properties on the rear of Parliament Street.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the installation of external smooth render to the side northern and western gable elevations, over the existing Manx stone finish. - 2.2 The existing eastern elevation (Manx stone) and southern gable elevation (render) would remain unchanged.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The following previous applications are relevant to the assessment of this application; - 3.2 Conversion of building into a single dwelling with integral garage - 22/00583/B APPROVED - 3.3 Conversion of warehouse into ground floor office and three apartments on upper floors

- 08/00596/B - APPROVED

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Mixed Use, Town Centre" on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2 (South), the property isn't within the Ramsey Conservation Area but is within a Flood Risk Zone. The Ramsey Local Plan 1998 has one policy which is relevant to this application R/TC/P3. - 4.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2 which 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:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (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;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;

• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services comment there is no highway interest (30.12.24). - 5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners comment: "I am directed by the Ramsey Town Commissioners to request that you defer any decision on the above application until such time as the Commissioners have had the opportunity to fully consider the plans. The Board meet on Wednesday 15th January, 2025, following which I will contact you again."

• 5.2.1 At the time of writing this report (20.01.25) no further comments have been received.

5.3 The Ecosystem Policy team (DEFA) comment (31.12.2024): "Additional information requested.

Detailed comments

• o The Ecosystem Policy Team do not have records of nesting swifts at 6 Christian Street. However, photos provided with the application show that there are holes in the stonework, and may be gaps under the fascia, which could suitable for nesting swifts or other birds such as house sparrows or starlings, and which will be blocked by the re-rendering of the property. The height of the property increases the suitability for nesting swifts.

• o The Ecosystem Policy Team request that an ecological assessment for breeding swifts is undertaken by a suitably qualified ecological consultancy, and a report detailing the findings be submitted to Planning prior to determination of this application.
• o Swifts are listed on Schedule 1 of the Isle of Man Wildlife Act 1990, Amber listed on the Isle
• of Man Birds of Conservation Concern 2021, Red listed as a species of highest conservation concern on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern 2021, and are the subject of a Manx Biodiversity Action Plan (Biodiversity Action Plans can be found at https://www.gov.im/biodiversity-strategy). They are therefore a species of national and local importance, protected under Environment Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan Environment Policy 4: Development will not be permitted which would adversely affect:

• (b) species and habitats of national importance: (i) protected species of national importance or their habitats;
• (c) species and habitats of local importance such as Wildlife Sites, local nature reserves, priority habitats or species identified in any Manx Biodiversity Action Plan which do not already benefit from statutory protection, Areas of Special Protection and Bird Sanctuaries and landscape features of importance to wild flora and fauna by reason of their continuous nature or function as a corridor between habitats. Potential Conditions

• o Should this application be approved without the above requested information we recommend that conditions are secured for:
• o No works to commence unless a preliminary assessment for nesting birds, alongside any additional surveys recommended by these assessments, have been undertaken by a suitably qualified ecological consultancy and a report/s detailing the findings have been submitted to Planning and approved in writing. This must also be accompanied by an ecological mitigation plan which details how the recommendations within the preliminary assessments and any additional surveys are to be implemented on site. Additional Information
• o The applicants must ensure that they undertake thorough checks for nesting birds and roosting bats around the building prior to re-rendering. If nesting birds or roosting bats are discovered or suspected, all work must stop and advice sought from the Ecosystem Policy Team on 651577 or at [email protected].

The presence of bats and birds will not stop the re-rendering from taking place, but provision must be made for their ongoing protection. The main breeding bird season is between March August inclusive. The swift nesting season is between May - July inclusive.

• o We recommended that the applicant contacts Manx BirdLife who jointly run the 'Action for Swifts' initiative on the Isle of Man in order to obtain more information about swifts and their nest sites.
• o Swifts (Apus apus) are entirely reliant on buildings to nest, but a significant number of nest sites have been, and are continuing to be, lost when buildings are demolished or refurbished. Because swifts are faithful to their nest sites, breeding in the same site year after year, their breeding success is being severely affected and their numbers are declining dramatically. Swift nest site loss can mostly be attributed to inappropriate building renovation. On the Isle of Man swifts are a rare breeder, therefore it is vital that steps are taken to ensure their continued breeding in the sites that remain."

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - Character and appearance
• - Ecology Character and appearance

6.2 The proposal would result in the loss of two elevations made up of Manx stone, which while unfortunate, it is not considered given the position of these elevation to the side and rear with limited public views is not a sufficient reason to refuse the application, especially given the character of the area is generally painted rendered buildings. The main front elevation would retain the Manx Stone which is considered beneficial. Overall, it is considered the works would be acceptable and appropriate to the character and appearance of the street scenes and the individual property. Ecology - 6.3 Additional information is sought in the form of additional survey/s. It is noted however that the comments made indicate that such works will be able to be undertaken, but when and potential mitigations are matters that can be addressed at a later stage, before any works commence. Accordingly, a condition for such surveys should be attached to any approval.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 having no significant adverse impacts upon public or private amenities and therefore acceptable.

7.2 The application is recommended for an approval.

- 8.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases);
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

8.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.

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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 23.01.2025 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Principal Planner

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