Loading document...
THIS APPLICATION DOES NOT WARRANT BEING REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE UNDER ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR 1/06. HOWEVER, IT IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED IN RESPECT OF THIS SITE, SOME OF WHICH ARE TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE AND AS SUCH, FOR CONSISTENCY AND IN ORDER FOR THE COMMITTEE TO BE AWARE OF THE EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, THE APPLICATION IS SO REFERRED.
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 10/01046/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 10/00986/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 here is the relocation of a former tennis court to the north west of the main house. The former tennis court is approximately 15 m to the north east of the proposed position and has been used as a compound whilst building and renovation works are being undertaken on the site. The court will be hard surfaced and surrounded by chain link fencing and the former court dug up and planted as part of the surrounding garden. The surface of the court will be green macadam (like the Ramsey Mooragh Park courts are finished) and a 3.5 m high fence will be erected around the court.
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 and Castletown Heritage indicate that they do not oppose the application. The owner of The Malt House raises no objection and notes that the relocation will not affect the rights of access to the tennis court enjoyed by the owners of The Malt House and 2 and 3, Bridge Street. He seeks assurance that no further changes to approved plans will be accepted.
The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority request that no surface water is to be discharged to the main sewer. New soakaways are proposed and as such there is no requirement for this condition.
Manx National Heritage raises no objection to the proposed works but requests that a watching brief be undertaken in respect of the archaeological interest of the site. They, and Castletown Heritage suggest that the relocation of the court, together with proposals for new walling all move towards the enclosure of Lorne House itself with the potential for separate use of the remaining fields.
The court and fencing will be screened from most views by existing trees. The only possible view is from the northern end of School Lane when the trees between the viewer and the court are not in leaf. The court is further from the public view than the existing and thus is considered acceptable.
The proposal should be considered in respect of Environment Policy 35 which requires that development within a Conservation Area must preserve or enhance the Area. In this case the relocation of the tennis court, which is not an original feature, will have no adverse impact and no significant impact on the character or appearance of the site.
It is disappointing that some of those who have objected to the application have objected on the same grounds (namely that the building is not Registered) and have not distinguished between the different types of development and their very different impacts.
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 move the existing Tennis Courts some 15 m to the South West from their current location. A perusal of the historic mapping appended to one of the other applications for Lorne House, indicates that there appears to be little of obvious historic interest in this area and that given the tree cover between Lorne House and the former Brewery and the fact that a tennis court
already exists in this locale, this application is acceptable. Consideration should be given to the impact of these proposals on any archaeological interest.
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 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, neither of these parties is directly affected by the proposal nor do they 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.
Castletown Heritage are not a statutory authority and are not directly affected by the proposals and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.
Manx National Heritage and The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority are statutory authorities and should be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 25.08.2010 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
This permission relates to the relocation of the tennis court as shown in drawing reference 01 received on 13th July, 2010 together with the erection of a 3.5m high chain link fence around the court as shown in the drawing.
25 August 2010 10/01039/B Page 5 of 6
C 3. 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
Decision Made : Authority Meeting Date : Signed : Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Authority an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal
