Officer Report

Application No.: 25/90899/GB Applicant: Ms Elizabeth Hughes Proposal: Enlargement and replacement of existing rear door in connection with a change of use from Class 2.1 to Class 4.1 Clinics or health centres (in association with RB Consent application 25/00943/CON) Site Address: 8 Finch Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2PT Technical Officer: Tom Sinden Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.11.2025

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The application is judged to meet the statutory test within section 16 of the Act as the physical alterations and proposed change of use are such that the building's special architectural and historic interest would be preserved. The proposals are also considered to accord with Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 32, 33 and 34 as the special interest of the registered building would be protected and preserved, there would be no adverse impact on neighbourhood amenity, and the replacement rear door would use traditional materials. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to drawings Q2168-01 and Q2168-02revA, together with the other supporting information submitted on 15.10.2025.

_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal

Right to Appeal: DOI Highways and Douglas City Council should not be awarded the Right to Appeal as they have not submitted comments that contain a relevant objection.

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is 8 Finch Road, Douglas - Registered Building number 95. Finch Road derives its name from the Finch family, who owned the Finch Hill estate for over two centuries. Finch Road was created in 1826 to link the newly developed part of Douglas with the Sands and Castle Mona. 8 Finch Road is understood to have been designed by William Quiggin and constructed circa 1831, along with numbers 4, 6, 12-14, and 16-18. 8 Finch Road is a neoclassical, three storey, 3 bay, semi-detached property that is attached on its southern elevation with 6 Finch Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the enlargement and replacement of the existing rear door and a change of use from Class 2.1 to Class 4.1 Clinics or health centres. The application is concurrent with Registered Building Consent application 25/00943/CON.

3.0 PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East 2020 as Mixed Use Proposal Area 4. St George's. The property is not within an area at risk of flooding according to the Department of Infrastructure's Flood Risk Viewer. - 3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;

General Policy 2 states: "Development which is in accordance with the land use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them;
• c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;

• g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• i) does not have an adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• j) can be provided with all necessary services" and

• Environment Policy 32: Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted.
• Environment Policy 33: The change of use of Registered Buildings will only be permitted if the proposed use is appropriate and any alterations associated with the change are not detrimental to its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest.
• Environment Policy 34: In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred.

3.3 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man

- POLICY RB/3 - POLICY RB/4 USE - POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS

4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS - 4.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions

(3) In considering —

• (a) whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting, or
• (b) whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the relevant Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

5.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 5.1 The Department has historically received the following applications relating to the property: 03/01230/GB - Internal and external refurbishment of office building - Permitted 06/01731/D - Erection of advertising signage (In association with 06/01738 CON) - Refused 06/01738/CON - Erection of advertising signage (In association with 06/017321D) - Refused 10/00487/CON - Registered Building consent for the installation of signage (in association with 10/00486/D) Registered Buildings Nos. 095 - Permitted 10/00486/D - Installation of signage (in association with 10/00487/CON) - Permitted 13/01001/CON - Registered Building consent for strengthening works to existing ground floor to second floor staircase (Registered Building Nos. 95) - Permitted

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 6.1 D.O.I. Highways - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the site is in a sustainable location of Douglas centre and there is parking available for staff and visitors of the proposals (21.10.2025). - 6.2 Douglas City Council - No objections (29.10.2025).

- 7.0 ASSESSMENT

Statutory Test

7.1 Section 16 of the Act requires that when considering whether to grant registered building consent, the Department must "have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses." In this instance, the application proposes enlargement and replacement of the

• existing rear door and a change of use from Class 2.1 to Class 4.1 Clinics or health centres. Although the building's rear form is substantially unaltered, the building's principal architectural special interest is derived from its Finch Road (front) elevation. With this in mind, a small enlargement of the existing rear door opening and a replacement of the existing door with a painted timber door in the same six-panelled form as the existing door is judged to preserve the building's special architectural and historic interest.
• 7.2 The application proposes to change the building's use from Class 2.1 Office to Class 4.1 Clinics or Health Centres. As mentioned in section 1.1, the building dates from circa 1831. When initially constructed, the building served as a relatively high-status dwelling and was occupied by the gentry of Victorian Douglas (as were the other historic buildings along Finch Road). During the 20th century the building was converted to office use, a fate also shared with the adjacent historic buildings. The conversion to office use was undertaken in a manner that retained the building's architectural special interest, as well as retaining a sufficient amount of the historic plan form for this element to maintain its contribution to the building's special historic interest. Given the building is no longer used for its initial purpose, it is judged that a further alteration in use to Class 4.1 Clinics or Health Centres would preserve the building's special interest.

Policy Tests

7.3 The building is within an area designated as Mixed Use Proposal Area 4. St George's. As such, the proposed use as Class 4.1 Clinics and Health Centres accords with the Development Plan. As per the assessment in sections 7.1 and 7.2, the modest physical external alteration to the building's rear door, together with the building's proposed change of use, are such that both elements are judged to preserve the building's special architectural and historic special interest. The proposed new use for the building would also contribute positively to the future upkeep and maintenance of the property, which is also something that is judged to preserve the building's special interest. - 7.4 With regard to the impact on neighbouring amenity, parking and highway safety from the proposed change of use, D.O.I. Highways have submitted comments stating that they judge the proposed site to be sustainable and the existing on site parking to the sufficient for staff and visitors. With this in mind, the proposed use as 4.1 Clinics or Health Centres in the manner proposed within the application is judged to such that it would result in not loss of amenity for neighbouring properties and no adverse impact on highway safety. CONCLUSION

8.1 The application is judged to meet the statutory test within section 16 of the Act as the physical alterations and proposed change of use are such that the building's special architectural and historic interest would be preserved. The proposals are also considered to accord with Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 32, 33 and 34 as the special interest of the registered building would be protected and preserved, there would be no adverse impact on neighbourhood amenity, and the replacement rear door would use traditional materials. The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases);
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and

• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 25.11.2025 Determining Officer Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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