Planning Statement Cubbon House

Alteration, refurbishment and conversion of the former nursing home into a private dwelling Cubbon House Marathon Road Douglas IM2 4HN for EFB (IOM) Ltd

PLANNING STATEMENT

Job No. 2.1699

McGarrigle + Jackson architects and urban designers

Prepared by: McGarrigle + Jackson 19 Mount Havelock Douglas IM1 2QG Tel: 01624 628141 Fax: 629334 email: [email protected] web: www.mcgarrigle-jackson.com

January 2011

Planning Statement

1.00 The current application is for the alteration, refurbishment and conversion of the existing Residential Care Home to a private dwelling. 2.00 The existing building is a substantial 3-storey detached Victorian building, which has until recently, been used as a Residential Care Home with ancillary facilities, i.e., kitchens, office etc. 3.00 The building is generally in good condition structurally, but has over the years been altered and extended in a fairly inappropriate manner, i.e.,

• poor quality PVC windows and screens
• external fire escape
• external full height lift
• extensive soil and waste pipes servicing numerous bathrooms etc.

These were generally in association with the former use as a Residential Care Home. 4.00 The scope of the work envisaged is:-

• removal of external lift
• removal of external fire escape
• removal of redundant external pipework
• replacement of PVC windows and screens with good quality PVC-u sliding sash windows
• formation of an Orangery to the rear
• improvement of the Marathon Road driveway and formation of an extended driveway to the existing garage
• internal alterations to form a domestic layout including re-introduction of lost original features
• formation of a canopy to the Marathon Road entrance

5.00 The present access from Princes Road is poor with little manoeuvring space within the curtilage; the present entrance to the garage is also narrow. It is intended therefore, to develop the former main entrance from Marathon Road, whilst retaining the existing Princes Road entrance, which will have substantially lower movement. In developing the existing Marathon Road entrance, it is

intended to widen the gates, which can be done without tree loss, also offering the opportunity to provide parking bays and a new access drive to the existing garage. 6.00 The present garden is substantial and can be considered "mature" with extensive trees and shrubs, these, together with a stonewall 2.5 high above pavement level, provides excellent privacy screening to Marathon Road, and photographs are included in the application showing that in fact, little of the proposals are visible from street level. The proposals also do not require removal of mature trees, the new garage entrance will however, require relocation of a holly tree, fruit tree and shrubs. 7.00 The proposal to restore the building to a private dwelling will allow a reduction in bedrooms (there are presently 9 en-suite bedrooms) and therefore the overall population of the building will be reduced. It is also hoped that with the general removal of internal partitioning forming bathrooms etc, it will be possible to restore original cornices etc, without undertaking extensive structural alteration of the existing fabric. 8.00 We feel that the change to a private dwelling is an appropriate use of a building in a suburban area.