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The application site is Apartment 7, Chapel Court, Peel. The apartment is within a converted building which is Registered (Registered Building No. 194). the site is also within the Peel Conservation Area. The site is located on the corner of Christian Street and Mona Street.
This application seeks approval for the replacement of an existing roof light with a flat roof dormer on the Western elevation of the building. The dormer would be 3 m wide, 1.5 m tall and its roof would be set down 0.8 m from the ridge of the main building. The dormer would serve an existing bedroom which has restricted head room due to its position within the eaves of the building. Materials used would match those on existing dormers on the building.
The application site is located within an area identified as being mixed use by the Peel Local Plan and is also within the Peel Conservation Area. As set out above the building is Registered.
Within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, the following policies are judged to be relevant:
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 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development.
The following previous planning applications are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application:
05/00282/GB Retrospective approval for amendments to approved conversion to apartments (02/0219GB, 03/01474/GB and 04/00468GB). Permitted. 11/00594/GB Alteration to existing fourth floor balcony to create additional floor space. Pending consideration.
The Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure does not oppose this application.
Peel Town Commissioners recommend that this application be approved.
The owners/occupiers of 27 Stanley Terrace, Peel object to this application. Their grounds for objection may be summarised as concerns that the dormer would adversely affect the Registered Building which makes a positive contribution to the Conservation Area and is in a prominent position.
The main issues to be considered in the assessment of this application are the impact of the proposal on the character the building which is of special architectural or historic interest (EP32) and the impact of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
Conservation of the built environment and archaeological features should be viewed as an asset to be promoted and not as a constraint to be overcome. The historic environment in practice cannot remain unchanged, and the role of planning is to reconcile the needs for development against the need to conserve and protect the historic environment. This requires careful consideration of how proposed development would affect the character of the building.
In this case, the building is something of a landmark within its surroundings. The conversion has been undertaken in a relatively sympathetic manner with the original features of the building. Alterations have been made to the roof line of the building including recessed balconies and a flat roof dormer which are visible from Christian Street. The proposed flat roof dormer would be higher up the building than the existing flat roof dormer and would be positioned towards the front elevation. It is judged that the proposed flat roof dormer would adversely affect the character of the registered Building, contrary to EP32.
In terms of the wider Conservation Area, similar conclusions as set out above are reached. The dormer would cause harm to the special interest of the building and would therefore cause harm to the surrounding area, contrary to EP35.
In addition to Environment Policies 32 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007) as set out by the Planning Officer above, the content of this application has also been considered with particular regard to RB/3: GENERAL CRITERIA APPLIED IN CONSIDERING REGISTERED BUILDING APPLICATIONS and POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS and as set out within Planning Policy Statement 1/01- Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man.
The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:
In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the 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.
Registered Building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.
Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative affect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence."
Proposed is the replacement of an existing rooflight with a dormer. Of consideration here is that the dormer will be highly visible on to Christian Street as demonstrated by 'photograph 1 – West elevation looking up from Christian Street' appended to the application. The creation of the flat roofed dormer, located higher up the roof slope than the existing dormer on the side elevation, will impact on the front (North) elevation of the building which to all intents and purposes has a symmetrical façade. This will be 'read' against the existing pediment as viewed from the front.
The existing flat roofed dormer to the West Elevation sits lower on the façade and appears to 'float' over the neighbouring Phillip Christian Centre and set back as it is from the front (West) façade, does not readily impact on the front façade. In similar fashion, the inset dormer only impacts upon the
facade as viewed from the lower part of Christian Street. That in-set dormer does not break the roofline as viewed from the East, or the immediate West.
The highly visible addition of the proposed flat roofed dormer as viewed from the lower part of Christian Street will add a visual clutter to the elevation and cannot be considered to preserve or enhance the character of the Registered Building or the immediate location of the Conservation Area and is therefore unacceptable.
Refuse.
It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, accord with the requirements of Planning Circular 1/06 and are therefore, afforded Interested Party Status:
The owners/occupiers of 27 Stanley Terrace, Peel which is located on the opposite side of the road from the application site.
Accordingly the following parties are not granted Interested Party Status:
The Highways Division and the Planning Authority are both part of the Department of Infrastructure. As such, the Highways Division cannot be afforded Interested Party Status.
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of Recommendation: 08.07.2011
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
R 1.
The addition of the proposed flat roofed dormer would be highly visible from the lower part of Christian Street and will add visual clutter to the elevation. This would fail to preserve or enhance the character of the Registered Building or the Conservation Area.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Refused Date : ...
Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Delete as appropriate
Signed : ... Jennifer Chance Senior Planning Officer
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