7 September 2007 · Committee
Windsor House, Promenade, Port Erin, Isle Of Man, IM9 6la
This application sought permission to demolish the Brobourne Hotel and Windsor House on the eastern side of Port Erin Promenade and replace them with a five-storey building containing 14 apartments and 23 basement parking spaces. The existing buildings are rendered Victorian-style properties with bay windows, sash windows, and slated roofs, forming part of the established promenade frontage. The Planning Committee refused the application in September 2007. While the principle of redeveloping the site for private apartments was considered acceptable, the appearance, form, and massing of the proposed building were found to be out of keeping with the promenade streetscene. The committee was concerned about the impact on the character and appearance of the village as seen from prominent viewpoints to the south-west and from the immediate pedestrian environment around the site. A second reason for refusal was that the building's height was considered excessive.
The Planning Committee refused the application on 7 September 2007. The proposed five-storey building was considered out of keeping with the character and appearance of Port Erin Promenade, harming views from prominent vantage points and from the immediate street level, particularly the side elevations. The height was also judged excessive given the promenade's gradually stepped roofline as the ground rises.
Refusal Reasons
New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality.
The proposal would thus not comply with Environment Policy 42
pment. 8.13.2 The extent of formal open space with in settlement boundaries in the South is identified on the Proposals Map (Map 3) and Inset Maps (Maps 4-7). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 42) seeks to protect these open spaces and indicates that: 8.13.3 "Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a partic ular area will not be permitted.''
In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the department will normally require that 25% of provision should be made up of affordable housing.
is the provision for affordable housing acceptable?
Housing Policy 5: In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the Department will normally require that 25% of provision should be made up of affordable housing. This policy will apply to developments of 8 dwellings or more. The term affordable housing is defined by the Department as housing which is either: directly provided by the Department; or directly provided by Local Authorities; or meets the criteria for the Department's House Purchase Assistance Scheme 2004 (and any successor schemes approved by Tynwald). 8.7 New Housing in Existing Settlements 8.7.1 Recent Local Plans and Area Plans have included development briefs guiding the design and layout of land which is zoned for residential use. Such briefs should not needlessly prescribe design, but should indicate site-specific constraints, the need for provision of public facilities or amenities (such as play areas, neighbourhood shops, or land for schooling, open space, or road improvements), and, if appropriate, the maximum or minimum density and the need for the inclusion of an element of affordable housing. Where these briefs state that an optimum density should be achieved this should not be used as an argument for higher density development which has an adverse effect on the residential amenity of adjoining properties or the character of the area.
New built residential development should be provided with two parking spaces per dwelling
the Strategic Plan also makes reference to a relaxation of this standard
