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The site represents the curtilage of the Groudle Glen Railway, Cafe / Terminus, Ballamenagh Road, Baldrine, which is located northeast of the Groudle Glen. Within the application site consists a single storey detached property.
The property has been zoned under The Onchan Local Plan Order 2000 as being within an area of "Open Space"; the site is not within a Conservation Area but is within an area of High Landscape Value or Costal Value and Scenic Significance.
The following planning application is considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application:- Erection of passenger waiting room - 98/00743/B - APPROVED Construction of timber waiting room - 92/00621/B - APPROVED
The application seeks approval for the erection of an extension. The extension would be a flat roof structure with a width of 6.1 metres, a depth of 3.1 metres and a height of 2.3 metres.
The Highways Division have no objection
The Isle Of Man Victorian Society have objected to the application which can be summarised as; "...All that apart we recall writing at the time of the original application and strongly recommending that the building be clad in corrugated sheeting or the likes to better resemble the previous building on the site and to be more appropriate to the Victorian railway/seaside architecture. Alas our request fell on deaf ears and the spar dashed escapee from a McArd's estate resulted. The erection of a flat roofed extension compounds the incongruous state of affairs and by virtue of being on the landward side of the building is undoubtedly more likely to be seen by those using the railway or walking out on the headland."
The owner/occupier of Glebe Cottage, Kirk Maughold has objected to the application which can be summarised as; on what is basically a Victorian Attraction one would expect the building to have at least a modicum of Victorian embellishments.
The existing property is a fairly modern single storey detached property with a pitched roof. The proposal would add a flat roofed structure to the existing building providing toilets and a store.
The proposal would not be totally apparent by visitors/members of the public to the café/terminus when viewed from a distance from the northwest. However, would be apparent when visitors are at the café/terminus site.
The relevant policy for consideration would be O/TRT/P/4 of The Onchan Local Plan (Planning Circular 1/2000) which states:-
"The Department will not oppose proposals for the improvement of facilities associated with either the Groudle Glen or Manx Electric Railways where these are appropriate in size, scale and appearance to their location and purpose."
The principle of extending the existing property with an extension of this size is considered acceptable; however, there are concerns of the design, especially due to the flat roof design, which is considered would not be in keeping with the existing pitched roof building and would therefore have an adverse visual impact upon the appearance of the property and that of the surrounding landscape.
Overall, it is considered the proposal would be unacceptable for the reasons given previously within this report and therefore contrary with the relevant planning policies. Accordingly, the proposal would be inappropriate in this location and therefore the application is recommended for a refusal.
It is considered that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status:
It is considered that the following do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status:
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of Recommendation: 13.01.2009
C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals
R 1.
By reason of its form and design (flat roof) the proposed extension is out of keeping with the character of the existing building and the character of the surrounding area. As such the proposal represents a form of development that adversely affects the visual appearance of the existing building and that of the surrounding landscape, contrary to the provisions of policy O/TRT/P/4 of Planning Circular 1/2000.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular No 56/08 (Delegation of Functions to the Acting Senior Planning Officer), GC 55/08 for Advertisements and 69/08 for Registered Buildings.
Decision Made: Refused Date: 15/1/09
Signed: [Handwritten signature] Acting Senior Planning Officer
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