Replacement Dwelling Justification

Penketh - Millar

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTANTS

23 West Quay Ramsey Isle of Man IM8 1DL

T: 01624 813219 / 814178 F: 01624 816436 E: [email protected]

Ref: 07 0329 CM GC

Date: 26th August 2008

Miss J Callow Secretary to the Planning Committee Department of Local Government & and the Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas Isle of Man

Dear Madam,

Ref: Proposed replacement dwelling at Ballabeg, Andreas Road, Andreas, for Mr & Mrs G Cooper.

We are pleased to enclose four copies of our drawings numbered, 07 0329 01, 02, 03, 04 & 05 showing the Existing and Proposed Floor Plans, Elevations, Section, Site and Location Plans, together with photograph sheets for consideration.

It was identified early on that the existing farmhouse would not lend itself well to alterations to the degree that our client would require due to the restrictive structural wall positions and would be difficult to change and still maintain any reference to the original farmhouse externally. It was therefore decided to involve the Planning Officer from the outset. The drawings therefore propose a Georgian style house in place of the existing farmhouse which is to be demolished as suggested by Mr Balmer during his early conversations with Mr Cooper.

It is understood that the proposals for a replacement dwelling fall outside of the planning policy (HP14) with regards to the proposed floor areas but we have been very careful to keep the scale and proportion of the proposal appropriate to Georgian country house and feel that the following factors may assist in mitigating the larger floor area:

1. The house currently sits in its own private and extensive grounds comprising over 23 acres of agricultural land with a large residential curtilage within containing existing large stable block, a large wareing storage building, a cottage together with original stone built barns and other utilitarian buildings.

1. We are able to offer up two buildings which would be demolished to attempt to reduce the gap between the floor area to be incorporated into the proposed dwelling and the existing house to be demolished. The existing cottage flanking the driveway and the large garage/storage building to the north of the proposal would be removed and equal 92 square metres of footprint in total.

1. The existing buildings and the proposed building is set well back from the public highway, is well screened by existing mature trees and high hedgerows and sits behind a number of substantial barn buildings which assist in separating and obscuring the proposals from the highway. The existing drive also screens a large part of the building as the driveway rises up from the highway access and falls again back to the dwelling site.

1. The features of the proposal are to replicate exactly a Georgian style house with attention to the correct features and materials being of paramount importance. The proposal would replicate all of the primary features applicable to the Georgian style, including hipped, slated roof set behind a raised parapet wall surrounding the new roof, chimneys to both sides of the house, symmetrical fenestration with generously proportioned rectangular 12 paned timber sliding sash windows, a portico in the middle of the roof to the front and rear elevations with fanlight and ring window.

The main entrance door would be a painted solid timber six panel hardwood door with classical fanlight over with narrow timber radiating bars and glazed side panels placed centrally within the primary elevation.

The external wall finishes would be of a smooth render with painted finish and moderate render banding with the exception of a high level decorative moulding made up of render matching the parapet capping to the bay windows. (parapet mouldings would not be sectional resulting in many visible joints)

The new external wall would accommodate a wider cavity and wider inner masonry leaf to facilitate structural aspects but additionally to add depth to the wall and allow window casings to be set further back in the reveals as an original building.

All new windows would be generously proportioned timber sliding sash windows symmetrically arranged with narrow timber glazing bars painted white and generally set to twelve pains of glass.

1. Our clients have made enquiries with the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry into substantial tree planting schemes to further enhance the already extensive and mature tree screening.

The overall aim is to provide a new building the floor area of which meets with our clients requirements and specification allowing the construction of a very high quality dwelling replicating in exact detail and materials the correct shape, form, massing and features applicable to a period Georgian building. It is of vital importance that the proposal would be viewed as an original and historic building.

As a note worth mention and with particular reference to this application it is widely acknowledged that the 50% floor area identified with Housing policy 14 is unworkable and highly restrictive in instances like this where larger buildings set within extensive grounds away from highways and with sufficient screening should be given individual consideration aside from this highly constraining ruling.

We therefore request that the preceding comments be taken into consideration in the examination of this application and if any other clarification is required, then please do not hesitate to contact this office and i shall be pleased to assist and answer any questions that you may have.

Yours sincerely

Chris Millar Dip Surv. PENKETH MILLAR