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Application No.: 10/01046/B Applicant: Mr Roy & Mrs Susan Tilleard Proposal: Creation of a new vehicular access and driveway Site Address: - Lorne House - Bridge Street - Castletown - Isle Of Man - IM9 1AZ ### Considerations Case Officer: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 02.08.2010 Site Visit: 02.08.2010 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee ### Written Representations - Rushen House Bridge Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Interest expressed - The Rock Bridge Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - Lorne House Lodge Douglas Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - Solomons Corner The Quay Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - Bridge Cottage Bridge Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - 16 St Georges Street Douglas Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - Seaward Douglas Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - 8 Douglas Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1AY | Objects to the proposal - Arch House Douglas Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - Hugh Logan Architects Bridge Court 10 Bridge Street Castletown | Objects to the proposal - The Malt House Bridge Street Castletown Isle Of Man | Objects to the proposal - 11 Queen Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1PB** | Interest expressed ## Consultations Consultee : Castletown Heritage Notes: Oppose Consultee : Highways Division Notes : Consultee : Castletown Commissioners Notes: Objection
THIS APPLICATION DOES NOT WARRANT CONSIDERATION BY THE PLANNING COMMITTEE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR 1/06. HOWEVER THE APPLICATION IS ONE OF A NUMBER BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE AND THIS IS RECOMMENDED IN ORDER FOR THE COMMITTEE TO HAVE FULL CONSIDERATION OF THE SCALE OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS.
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 10/01059/B - Erection of boundary wall to extend existing wall Status - Pending Consideration PA 10/01048/B - Demolition of existing garage and erection of a replacement garage block 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 creation of an access in the existing stone boundary wall which abuts Bridge Street. The entrance would take the form of an access 3.6 m wide with two triangular capped pillars which are 1 m taller than the walling alongside with black painted galvanised metal gates. Within the site there is to be a vehicular access lane winding between the trees, constituting an excavation of the turf and reduction in the level of the ground towards Bridge Street with a compacted hardcored finish. One tree is to be removed to make way for the new access lane, the lane otherwise is close to and underneath the canopy spread of the existing trees.
The application contains evidence from Patricia Tutt Dip Arch, RIBA who has recently undertaken research on Lorne House for the publication entitled "Lorne House A Manx Survivor" published by Lily Publications in 2010. She confirms that "on balance of probability" there may have been an entrance at the proposed location, based upon physical evidence of an on-site remaining gatepost and contoured bank alongside the garden. She suggests that this entrance may originally have served Fitzgerald's House which was subsequently demolished and then the access altered to form a carriage entrance to Lorne House.
The gates are to be set back from the highway by 6 m .
There are objections to the application from the following local residents who consider that the introduction of an opening would be visually damaging to an historic and attractive streetscene and would be detrimental to road safety:
Rushen House, The Rock, Bridge Cottage, 2, 5 and 10 Bridge Street 1,8 and Seaward Douglas Street Lorne House Lodge Solomon's Corner 11, Queen Street Castletown Heritage, Castletown Commissioners and Manx National Heritage object to the application on the basis that there is no firm evidence that there was ever an access here, and that it would be detrimental to the historical context, appearance and setting of the area and Lorne House.
The proposal should be considered in respect of Environment Policy 35 which states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development".
The previous application for the erection of two dwellings alongside Bridge Street was refused for a number of reasons and reference was made in that application to the principle of creating a breach in the roadside stone wall. The Inspector's report includes the following comments:
"However, the fact that the individual designs would help preserve the appearance of the Area is completely outweighed, in my view, by the breach in the Lorne House boundary wall and the loss of a considerable number of trees, almost certainly at least 25...From my viewing of the site and its surroundings, I consider that the wall and its backdrop of woodland (and their relationship with the historic and architectural value which I consider Lorne House possesses, notwithstanding that it has not, so far been registered) contribute significantly to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. I conclude that the proposed development would not preserve this character, and would be in conflict with the purposes of the designation."
It is possible that the proposed new entrance would result in the loss of trees both in terms of the direct loss of trees which are in the way of the access and which are marked on the plan - these are minimal. Also trees may be irreparably damaged as a result of compaction of roots through the construction and use of the access. However, it is possible that appropriate steps could be taken to avoid damage through appropriate construction techniques.
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 form a vehicular access through the existing boundary wall enabling access to Lorne House from Bridge Street. Justification for the proposals is offered by Patricia a Tutt, Dip Arch, RIBA, MIA, Cert Ed, ARPS, author of the recent book "Lorne House, A Manx Survivor". The 1834 Map appears to illustrate a set of gate posts to the existing North Western entrance but the same graphic clarity is not evident to the proposed entrance i.e. there is no similar graphic representation of gate posts, or indeed an opening. The Woods 1833 map indicates two pathways although the one indicated exiting on to Bridge Street is undoubtedly a different width to the other, perhaps indicating a pedestrian access as opposed to a wider access for horse drawn carriages etc.
There is evidence of the rebuilding of the boundary wall as indicated in the photography, but in similar vein to the mapping, this is inconclusive and may relate to the loss of 'Fitzgerald's House' indicated on the map on page 1 of the proof.
Gordon Cullen, an influential English architect and urban designer who was a key motivator in the Townscape movement, includes a photograph in his May 1971 report on Castletown looking down the harbour towards the sea. The photograph clearly shows the section of boundary wall being considered within this application. Cullen comments as follows; "TO THE EAST OF THE HARBOUR there is a part of Castletown which requires no comment at this stage since it is perfectly charming." This was certainly the character of the area at the time that the Conservation Area was designated in 1990 and therefore the context within which applications are to be considered.
Historically, it is difficult to see that the Governor or the Cunningham's would mix with the working quayside that would have been Castletown historically. The existing location of the access to the North West means that the Governor and his visitors would not have to mix with either the people or the industry and its associated squalor of the quayside. The entrance shown in the maps is pedestrian only offering foot access to the town for the servants and perhaps the Governor in order to attend to his duties in the House of Keys or the Court at the Castle.
In conclusion, the creation of a vehicular access on to Bridge Road would have a detrimental impact on the character of the Conservation Area. The character of this part of the quayside is that of an uninterrupted solid wall, over which the tree canopy of Lorne House may be seen, an intrinsic part of the character of this part of the Conservation Area. This was certainly the character that Gordon Cullen recognised in 1971 and that was protected when the Conservation Area was designated in 1990. The evidence submitted in justification of the proposals is considered inconclusive as it proves nothing more than the existence of a pedestrian scaled footpath still in evidence today.
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.
Manx National Heritage are a statutory authority and should be afforded party status in this instance. The owners of property along Bridge Street are directly affected by the traffic which would be generated by the introduction of an access in this location and as such should be afforded party status.
The owner of Lorne House Lodge is directly alongside the defined site and as such should be afforded party status. However, it should be noted that this party is some distance from the proposed works and as such party status may be re-considered.
Castletown Heritage and the owners of Solomon's Corner, 8, 1 and Seaward on Douglas Street and 11, Queen Street are neither statutory authorities nor directly affected by the proposal and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of Recommendation: 25.08.2010
The creation of a vehicular access on to Bridge Road would have a detrimental impact on the character of the Conservation Area. The character of this part of the quayside is that of an uninterrupted solid wall, over which the tree canopy of Lorne House may be seen, an intrinsic part of the character of this part of the Conservation Area. This was certainly the character that Gordon Cullen recognised in 1971 and that was protected when the Conservation Area was designated in 1990. The evidence submitted in justification of the proposals is considered inconclusive as it proves nothing more than the existence of a pedestrian scaled footpath still in evidence today.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005
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