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The Ship Inn Hope Street, Castletown
The Ship Inn building here marked 'Railway Inn' with a large building in what is now the car park obscuring the view of the existing Ship Inn from Back Hope Street. {{image:140907}} {{image:140908}}
The building in the car park shows signage 'Railway Inn' showing these buildings at one point were one large Public house, with a frontage on both Hope Street and Back Hope Street
The Ship Inn in 2010 when it was renovated and rebranded as 'The engine room'. This enterprise failed and now the building is becoming delapidated, with the funnel blown down in recent storms.
The building subject to the current planning application was originally built as a dwelling and over time has received a number of extensions and alterations alongside use changes not uncommon to many town centre buildings of similar age. Its last known and most familiar use was as the Ship Inn public house (known as 'The Railway Inn' previously).
The buildings primary elevation had historically been onto Hope Street however a large 3 storey building had once fronted onto the harbour and Mill Street in front of The Ship Inn but this has long since been demolished. The loss of this part of the building made the Mill Street elevation the most visible elevation onto the harbour side. The buildings were once utilised as one Pub called 'The Railway Inn'.
The majority of the extensions took place we think in the 1970's when the Ship Inn's bridge and funnel additions made the building a prominent and identifiable feature within the Castletown Harbour area. These extensions were of lightweight construction however and are now beyond their life expectancy, are dilapidated and beyond economic repair. Although the main stone building is in poor condition on its surface, its structure is complete and its walls vertical and sound.
The most significant feature, the ships bridge, comprises a cantilevered timber floor section out over the current (and proposed) entrance doorway with a lightweight timber framed wall bowed to a Ships bridge profile, with a timber joisted felt covered flat roof over the top as a roof balcony area. The second and third floors above this show the original building's back wall, slated roof and gable chimneys.
The building operated for many years as a public house with the owners of the Ship Inn, Heron \& Brearley, closing the doors in 2013 as the public house was no longer making any money despite its final attempts as a music venue to generate an acceptable income. The public house landlords lived in the floor levels above the public house and function room.
Following on from the refusal of the previous planning application 19/00499/CON and prior to the formulation of the current proposals, discussions have taken place with the senior planning officer in order to address the issues raised and to provide further evidence in support of the current scheme.
The previous refused scheme consisted of a much larger extension, access multiple storeys. This scheme completely covered the existing Back Hope Street elevation.
The materials utilised in this scheme were a mixture of Standing seam zinc cladding and natural timber cladding, layering up one on top of each other.
The staircase was moved outboard of the existing building into a new extension, increasing the size of the upper floor footprints.
The reason for refusal was given as:
Whilst the existing building is certainly not traditional it has a quirky element which makes the building easily identifiable without being particularly prominent, particularly given the only two storey element to the Mill Road elevation. What is proposed increases the built form in a way that is strikingly different in terms of form, mass and materials, to the existing surrounding buildings and the inclusion of additional floor area at roof level removes the only traditional element of the Mill Road elevation from public view. As such, the proposed design, finish, mass and appearance of the area, contrary to Environment Policy 35 and General Policy 2b, c and g of the Strategic Plan 2016.
The current proposal requests (as previously) the change of use from a public house into a dwelling however with no extensions to the upper floor levels as the previous application. The elevation to Mill Street at ground floor largely utilises the existing apertures in this stone wall albeit enlarged, particularly to accommodate the proposed garage door.
At the entrance level, the existing floor levels to what was previously the pub kitchen, fall well below the existing drive level. As part of flood mitigation proposals (additional to the harbour defence works) it is proposed to lift the proposed garage floor level by approximately 400 mm to mitigate flood risk to the building. It is also proposed to lift by approximately 100 mm , the new floor levels at the dwellings entrance door.
The first floor treatment proposes to remove the dilapidated bridge element with a replacement element which also cantilevers out with a flat roof over in a similar form and mass but with a more up to date and slightly contemporary look. The glazing and covered balcony off the main first floor living accommodation would offer outdoor space and outlook from this area to enjoy the aspect over the harbour. The roof deck above this offers a balcony deck as the previous flat roof and has a chimney element from the fire in the lounge below, which is a nod to the previous funnel feature.
In relation to the choice of materials on this element, we propose a metal standing seam wall cladding in a gunmetal grey finish. Other choices of finish to pick out this element to reflect the current quirky feature could be in a vertical open timber cladding, or a vertical slate hanging. Both of these materials existing on buildings in close proximity to the proposal. The bridge and funnel which advertised the building as a community facility are no longer required with the loss of the public house, the shape and form offered now reflect the form and mass to a degree of this feature, without the need to make the building stand out. As a dwelling the building no longer needs to advertise its presence.
The first and second floors included previously extensions to provide additional living accommodation. This application reduces the need for such and the old back wall onto Mill Street is shown with two of the three original window apertures apparent. The third aperture between has been in the past altered into a doorway accessing the roof terrace but was offset from its original opening. This new doorway proposed re establishes the current window position as a door out onto the roof balcony.
The floor above shows a modest dormer window maintaining the pitched slate as current. The dormer is not an element which would appear out of character here as there are many others both shed style and pitched within this street scene as shown. It is proposed to re roof the existing building with a natural slate and slate hang the dormer face and flanks.
With the building falling within a conservation area, careful consideration has been given to the Hope street elevation. All windows to the North, South \& West elevations will be fitted with timber framed sliding sash windows.
The proposal provides, garaging ample car parking and vehicle turning within its curtilage which is unusual in this locality and will be provide with a lawned garden also.
It is noted that there is a general presumption against the loss of town centre public houses as identified in paragraph 10.8 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.
The loss of a community facility should be avoided however this should only carry significance should it leave the community without alternative. Within a 0.5 mile radius of the Ship Inn a number of public houses offer alternatives to the Castletown Community; -The Castle Arms/ Glue Pot -The George Hotel -The Sidings -The Union -The Viking -The Garrison -Compton Vaults Castletown would not lose therefore a unique facility with the conversion of the public house into a residential unit.
Furthermore a restrictive covenant was placed within the sale of the buildings deed stating that it cannot be returned to use as a public house, now or in the future.
In addition to the above, the building subject to the proposed change of use falls within an area zoned as residential and with this in mind, the comings and goings associated with a public house did not necessarily sit well within a residential area. It is proposed to return the building to its first use as a dwelling.
Left: The Ship Inn marked in red, with the Pubs in the vicinity marked in blue.
The Ship Inn Hope Street elevation as existing. Windows don't match, some sliding sash with glazing bars some without, others casement. The proposal brings all the windows back to traditional sliding sash with glazing bars.
Bridge House with its slate hung facade is nearby in the Conservation area. Also shown is the rear of Qualtroughs Builders merchants which is slate hung.
Hit and miss timber cladding utilised in an industrial manner on Qualtroughs Builders merchants. This style has also been used on 'Pocket House' an RIBA house of the year nominated building.
The Mill Street elevation and buildings onto the harbour side vary greatly in shape, size, form and materials, with some fronting the harbour side and others backing onto it.
The current application shows sand cement render to the majority of the building as current but propose to pick out the cantilevered section in either standing seam metal, vertical slate hanging or vertical timber boarding.
The latter two exist within the harbour side vicinity. We have indicated the metal standing seam to the first floor cantilevered area as it is our client preference but are open to the two other materials if it is felt necessary.
The exclusion on this planning application, of the additional living accommodation proposed previously above the first floor, allows the retention of the original rear wall of the building and with the slight alteration of the doorway onto the deck area, returns the apertures to original positions.
The current planning application considers the conservation of the Hope street elevations and identified the issues relating to the refusal of the previous application and it is hoped that the application presented will be considered favourable as a result.
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