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Application No.: 10/01059/B Applicant: Mr Roy & Mrs Susan Tilleard Proposal: Erection of boundary wall to extend existing wall Site Address: - Lorne House - Bridge Street - Castletown - Isle Of Man - IM9 1AZ ### Considerations Case Officer: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 27.04.2010 Site Visit: 27.04.2010 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee ### Written Representations - Lorne House Lodge Douglas Street Castletown Isle Of Man - Objects to the proposal - 16 St Georges Street Douglas Isle Of Man - Objects to the proposal - The Malt House Bridge Street Castletown IM9 1ET - Interest expressed - Hugh Logan Architects Bridge Court 10 Bridge Street Castletown - Objects to the proposal - 11 Queen Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1PB - Interest expressed ### Consultations - Consultee: Castletown Heritage - Notes: No objection - Consultee: Highways Division - Notes: - Consultee: Castletown Commissioners - Notes: approve. - Consultee: DCCL Manx National Heritage - Notes:** Comments received
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THERE ARE THREE LOCAL OBJECTIONS FROM PARTIES WHO ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SITE TO WARRANT BEING AFFORDED PARTY STATUS (SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION) AND THE APPLICATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The site represents the curtilage of Lorne House, a large house situated between Bridge Road, Douglas Street, Brewery Wharf apartments and School Lane which abuts Victoria Road Primary School. The entrance to the site is from Douglas Street at its junction with School Lane where there are three properties which back onto the site - Lorne House Lodge, Stable Cottage and Coach House Cottage.
Lorne House sits in its own grounds with lawns, trees and flower beds to the south west, a tennis court to the west, lawns to the rear (north east) and a kitchen garden to the south east are fields on which sheep are sometimes grazed. There is presently a compound area when the tennis courts were previously, whilst works are undertaken around the site. At the entrance to the site there is the remains of a former piggery building which has recently been demolished due to fears over its stability - a structural report was commissioned in this respect.
Lorne House dates back in its original form, to 1826 and not surprisingly has historical importance having accommodated the Lieutenant Governor in 1832. The house has been altered over time although retains its status and character as a landmark building in its own grounds although seen by relatively few due to the high stone wall which runs around the grounds. The house is visible from the upper levels of Castle Rushen.
The site lies within an area of Residential use within the grounds which are designated as Private Woodland on the Castletown Local Plan of 1991. The draft Town Plan of 2001 identifies the site as Woodland with a section to the north west of the house as Proposed Residential or Office development In Parkland. The draft Southern Area Plan which was published on 23rd October, 2009 identifies the site as Woodland with the area of Registered Trees defined and a scheduled Ancient Monument in the grounds also shown, a burial ground and possible assembly field at one time.
The site also lies within Castletown's Conservation Area. Lorne House is not Registered but is on the list of buildings worthy of investigation for such status.
The following applications have been submitted in respect of this site: PA 10/01048/B - Demolition of existing garage and erection of a replacement garage block Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/01046/B - Creation of a new vehicular access and driveway Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/01043/B - Erection of section of boundary wall (Retrospective) Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/01042/C - Change of use from existing mixed office and residential accommodation into a private dwelling Status - Pending Consideration
PA 10/01037/B - Erection of stone wall to replace existing boundary fencing adjacent to Smetana Close Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/01040/B - Demolition of existing outbuildings and erection of a gatehouse dwelling Status - Pending Consideration
PA 10/01039/B - Relocation of existing tennis court Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/00986/B - Erection of MEA sub station (retrospective) Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/0409 - Erection of a stone wall, iron railings and entrance gate (Retrospective) Status - Permitted 25th May 2010 - appeal in progress PA 05/01368/B - Erection of two houses with a single shared vehicular access from Bridge Street Status - Refused at Appeal - 3rd May 2006
PA 05/00340/B - Installation of a satellite dish on west elevation of Status - Permitted 28th April 2005 PA 97/00682/B - Erection of satellite dish, Lorne House, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 3rd September 1997 PA 92/00364/B - Installation of Cattle Grid, inside entrance to Lorne House, Castletown Status - Permitted PA 91/00626/C - Change of use of domestic accommodation to office and domestic, Lorne House West, Castletown. Status - Permitted PA 89/01784/B - Construction of dormer in roof, How-yn-Gren, Douglas Street, Castletown. Status - Permitted
PA 88/01705/B - Three-storey extension to form dining room and extra bedrooms, Lorne House, Castletown Status - Permitted PA 88/00714/B - Alterations and extensions to form new dining room and staircase, Lorne House, Castletown. Status - Permitted PA 88/00175/B - Erection of additional garage incorporating pitched roof over, How Yngren, Douglas Road, Castletown Status - Permitted PA 85/00107/B - Alterations, conversions and extensions to form additional living accommodation, How Yngren, Douglas Street, Castletown Status - Permitted
Proposed now is the construction of a stone wall, continuing an existing stone wall which finishes at a garage block which is to be demolished and a new garage erected in its place under the provisions of PA 10/1048. The wall is to be 2.7 m high, finished on both sides in Manx stone and this will form the northernmost boundary of the relocated tennis court (PA 10/1039).
The wall may be visible but only from the northern end of School Lane from where the rear annex of the existing house is visible.
An occupant of 11, Queen Street expresses concern at the number of applications submitted in respect of this property which is of historical interest and asks why the various changes are proposed (not including any reference to the change of use proposed in this application).
The occupants of 10, Bridge Street expresses astonishment that the building is not Registered and suggests that it should be and any application for it should be judged on the basis of Planning Policy Statement 1 / 01 and objects on this basis. There is no assessment of the proposal and no evidence or information as to why the proposal does not satisfy the requirements of this policy.
The Trustees of the SPT Keig Will Trust objects to the application on exactly the same basis as the occupants of 10, Bridge Street.
Castletown Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application. The owner of The Malt House on Bridge Street raises no objection to the application but seeks assurance that no extensions or changes to the approved scheme will be permitted if approval is granted.
The owner of Lorne House Lodge which physically abuts the site but is some distance from the proposed wall expresses concern as to the reason for the wall and suggests that there may be an ulterior motive, or greater plan which is not presently apparent.
Manx National Heritage request that a watching brief is employed during works due to the archaeological sensitivity of the site.
Castletown Heritage raise no objection but note that this and other applications may result in the house being separated from the remaining grounds.
The property lies within a Conservation Area where there is a duty to preserve or enhance the Area and in this case the erection of a wall will continue an existing feature within the site and will more definitively define the residential curtilage of Lorne House, whose grounds also include grazing land.
It is considered that there is no adverse impact from the proposed section of walling and as such it is considered that the development preserves the character of Lorne House and is recommended for approval. The separation of the grazing land from the formal grounds associated with the house is not uncommon and whilst this may be the "Big Picture" referred to by one of the objectors, it is not considered objectionable.
It is disappointing that some of those who are objecting to the application have not differentiated between the proposals and have objected, using the same words and phrases to all of the applications, regardless of their content.
As the property is located within the Castletown Conservation Area designated in 1990, the content of this application has been considered with particular regard to Policy CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS of Conservation Areas as set out within Planning Policy Statement 1/01- Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man.
As commented on by the Planning Officer, Lorne House has been suggested for inclusion on the Protected Buildings Register in the draft Southern Area Plan, published on the 23rd October 2009.
These proposals seek to erect a wall to link to the new garage (application 10/01048/B) to sub-divide the grounds. The proposals are not considered to be detrimental to the character of the Castletown Conservation Area as such walls would be expected to be found sub-dividing sections of the grounds around such a property and they are constructed in the locally sourced Limestone.
In similar fashion to the other applications being considered on Lorne House, consideration should be given to the impact of these proposals on any archaeological interest and I this particular case, the impact of cutting the foundations in beneath the canopy spread of the trees. If this is found to be acceptable to Manx National Heritage, the proposals are acceptable.
The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
The occupants/owners/trustees of 2 and 10, Bridge Street and Lorne House Lodge are physically adjacent to the site should be afforded party status on the basis of 2(1)(a) of Government Circular 1/06 - Determination of Interested Party Status. However, none of these parties is directly affected by the proposal and the Bridge Street objectors do not raise any specific or material objection to the application and as such, as the Circular states that parties owning or residing in land or buildings which physically adjoin the site shall "generally" be afforded party status, in this case the Committee may consider it inappropriate to afford party status to these parties.
The owner of The Malt House is associated with property which physically abuts the site and as such should be afforded party status. The owner of 11, Queen Street is not directly affected by the proposal and as such should not be afforded party status in this case. Manx National Heritage are a statutory authority and should be afforded party status. Castletown Heritage are not a statutory authority and should not be afforded party status. Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 25.08.2010 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C 1.
26 August 2010 10/01059/B Page 5 of 6
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This permission relates to the erection of a wall as shown in drawing reference 01 received on 15th July, 2010.
C 3. The application should consult the Forestry Officer of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture in respect of any work underneath or close to existing trees on site, which are all Registered by virtue of the land use designation of the site.
C 4. Prior to the commencement of works on site, the applicant must have approved by the planning authority a scheme for the monitoring of the work on site in relation to the discovery and recording of items of archaeological interest. It should be noted that a licence is required for archaeological excavation and the applicant is encouraged to consult Manx National Heritage in respect of the information required to satisfy this condition.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Authority in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005
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