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Application No.: 25/00943/CON Applicant: Ms Elizabeth Hughes Proposal: External and internal alterations to facilitate a change of use, including enlargement of rear door and replacement of internal doors - RB 95 (in association with 25/90899/GB) 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
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.
Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.
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 and Environment Policies 32, 33 and 34 as the special interest and character of the registered building would be protected and preserved, and the physical alterations would use traditional materials. The application is therefore judged to be acceptable.
This decision relates to drawings Q2168-01 and Q2168-02revA, together with the other supporting information submitted on 15.10.2025.
_________________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status
Douglas City Council are automatically awarded Interest Party Status by virtue of Section 9(4) of the Regulations. No other representations have been received.
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 registered building consent for the enlargement and replacement of the existing rear door, internal alterations including replacement of non-historic doors, in connection with a change of use from Class 2.1 to Class 4.1 Clinics or health centres. The application is concurrent with application 25/90899/GB.
3.0 PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY - 3.1 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;
3.2 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man
4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS - 4.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions
(3) In considering —
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 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 in connection with 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 make various minor internal alterations. These amount to replacement of non-historic doors, installation of wash hand basins within proposed treatment rooms, and remedial works to resolve damp ingress. The proposed replacement of non-historic doors with painted timber fire doors is judged to be something that would have no impact on the building's special interest. Similarly, the installation of wash hand basins within the proposed treatment rooms would be entirely reversible, remove no historic fabric and be entirely reversible. With this in mind, this element of the proposals is judged to preserve the building's special interest. Finally, the proposed remedial works to remedy areas of damp ingress is judged to be something that would preserve the building's special interest, and protect the building's historic fabric. - 7.3 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
7.4 As per the assessment in sections 7.1 and 7.2, the external alterations to widen and replace the rear door and internal alterations to replace non-historic fire doors and install wash hand basins within proposed treatment rooms, 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 is judged to be one that would not be detrimental to the character of the building, and would also contribute positively to the future upkeep and maintenance of the property.
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 and Environment Policies 32, 33 and 34 as the special interest and character of the registered building would be protected and preserved, and the physical alterations 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:
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):
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.
9.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013 (As Amended), the following are automatically interested persons:
9.2 In addition to those above, the Regulation 9(3) requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.
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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