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Application No.: 18/00656/B Applicant: The Vicar & Wardens Of St Germans Cathedral Proposal: Variation of condition four of PA 14/00066/GB, Erection of a two storey cloister building connected to the Cathedral by two single storey glazed links, to provide facilities ancillary to the use of the Cathedral, to allow occupation of the three apartments to include staff and volunteers associated with the cathedral (in association with 18/00657/CON) Site Address: Cathedral Isle Of Man (formerly St Germans Cathedral) Derby Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1HH Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.08.2018 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: the site is designated as "Church" and where residential development not associated with the Cathedral would not normally be approved.
This decision relates to drawings 0804E/02, 0804E/03, 0804E/04, 0804E/05, 0804E/06, 0804E/07, 0804E/08, "extract of floor plan glazed link 1" at 1:200, detail X.X at 1:10, sketch A glazed link 1 - part elevation at 1:20, oak frame to link 1, extract of floor plan glazed link 2 at 1:200 and detail Y.Y sketch B glazed link 2 - part elevation at 1:20 all received on 22nd June, 2018.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DUE TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE
1.1 The site is a strip of land between St. German's Cathedral, Peel and the boundary to the land to the immediate south. The site is currently heavily wooded with mature trees although some of these trees have been removed in accordance with a recent decision on the site (see Planning History). - 1.2 St. German's Cathedral is a Registered Building (RB 204), added to the Protected Buildings Register on the 18th October 2002 located within the Peel Conservation Area designated in 1990. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 This proposal is for the variation of condition 4 of 14/00066/GB which approved the erection of a two storey cloister building connected to the Cathedral by two single storey glazed links, to provide facilities ancillary to the use of the Cathedral. This current application is identical to the details of what was approved and all of the plans previously approved, other than the location plan, are contained within this current application. The condition in question required that the three apartments be occupied only by members of the clergy and intern/students associated with Peel Cathedral or any resident dependants. Proposed is the variation of this to allow occupation of the three apartments by members of the clergy,
8.2 metres. The building would be finished in a variety of external finishes, which include Forticrete Splitface masonry blockwork (dark red/grey colour), hardwood and aluminium windows, oak frames, horizontal timber louvers, and a natural slate roof. The ground floor of the building would accommodate offices, meeting room, a kitchen, toilets and a song school. The upper floor would provide a total of three apartments whose occupation is the subject of this current application.
2.4 The current application and 18/00657/CON, were initially submitted as applications for the variation of two conditions, including condition one which required the development to be commenced within four years, ie before 6th August, 2018. At that point, trees had been removed in accordance with the approved drawings and some tree protection undertaken. Two of the conditions attached to the original approval, which required the approval of details of landscaping and a stone sample both prior to the commencement of works, were not satisfied. Following various exchanges of correspondence with the Department on the understanding of what would constitute commencement of development, trenches were dug in relation to foundations for the proposed extension, over the weekend of 4th and 5th August, 2018 and the developer submitted photographs of this on Sunday 5th August. The Department now considers that the development approved under 14/00066/GB and 14/00067/CON has commenced. This current application and 18/00657/CON no longer seek, nor need to seek, permission for variation of condition one of those two 2014 applications. PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The current application, along with 18/00657/CON relates to two 2014 applications for the same work - 14/00066/GB and 14/00067/CON. There are also two current applications for internal and external changes to the building - 18/00529/GB and 18/00530/CON. - 3.2 Prior to the applications referred to above there have been applications to alter and add to the Cathedral which demonstrate a desire to increase the usability of the Cathedral. In this respect, the following applications are considered relevant:
4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Peel Local Plan of 1989 adopted by Tynwald on 19th April 1989 as "Church". This is surrounded Mixed Use, Civic and Residential. - 4.2 The site lies within Peel's Conservation Area and the building is Registered (RB No. 204). - 4.3 As St German's Cathedral is a Registered Building (RB 204) and is located within the Peel Conservation Area designated in 1990, the relevant planning policies from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 are General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4, Environment Policies 32 and 35 and Policies RB/3, RB/5, RB/10 and CA/2 from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) is also considered to be relevant to determining this application. - 4.4 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:
4.5 Strategic Policy 4 states: "Proposals for development must:
4.6 Environment Policy 32 states: "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." - 4.7 Environment Policy 35 states: "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." - 4.8 Policy RB/3 General Criteria applied in considering Registered Building Applications states: "General criteria applied in considering registered building applications The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:-
4.9 Policy RB/5 - Alterations and Extensions states: "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
CONSULTATIONS
5.1 Peel Town Commissioners have no objection (01.08.18).
5.2 The Arboricultural Officer of Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture indicates that there was disappointingly, no correspondence on file in the 2014 applications despite the proposal will have a significant impact on a number of trees they would consider to be "important". They note that the application involves the direct loss of nine trees and a further 15 would, in their view, be put at risk of significant damage by excavation, soil disturbance or compaction within their root zones. They consider that the tree survey submitted with the application is four years old and in their view, contains insufficient detail to communicate the quality of tehe trees in question, for example, it is not clear whether the reference to "condition" refers to structural or physiological and there is no justification for the trees to be removed simply on their condition category. What is provided is a long way from what is required by the British Standard, BS5837:2012. They explain that the importance of the trees relate to the relative scarcity of trees within the town and they consider them to have a high amenity value and contribute to the character of the area around the cathedral which is registered. Even if some of the trees were in poor physiological condition, they would object to an removal, mitigated by new planting where there is insufficient room into which the new trees can grow. They do not consider that additional technical information could justify or
mitigate what is proposed. They object to this application to vary the condition and extend the permission for a further four years (10.07.18).
6.1 The issue is whether the occupation of the three apartments should be specifically restricted solely to members of the clergy and interns/students along with their resident dependants, or whether it would be acceptable to broaden this to include those working or volunteering for the church, and their resident dependents.
Principle of the development
6.2 As was noted in the 2014 applications, there was initially concern about the type of accommodation which would be provided within the two storey extension and whether this complied with the designation of the site as "Church". This was put to the applicants to expand on further, especially with regard to whether alternative sites within Peel/area had been explored, who would use the facilities and living accommodation and why they needed to be on site.
6.3 The applicants advised that the cloister development is vital to the sustainable growth of the Cathedral as a place of worship, a community facility and a centre of excellence for cultural activity. The Cathedral was constructed in 1890 and attained cathedral status in 1980. Its use however has not changed as a result of it becoming a cathedral. Since the appointment of the current Bishop and Dean the plans for the life of the Cathedral have changed. Instead of being a Cathedral in name only the intention is to enable it to function as a Cathedral, in line with the other 42 Cathedrals in England. To do this the applicants advise that the Cathedral needs additional space and more particularly office and residential accommodation on site. - 6.4 It was noted in 2014 that there were three members of the clergy at the Cathedral: a dean, a vicar and a curate. Only the dean is provided with a dedicated office and residential accommodation at the Deanery on Albany Road. The curate and vicar live off site but travel backwards and forwards many times each day to fulfil their religious roles and to share office space at the Denary. The applicants consider this is not sustainable in the future with an increased workload. The verger and family worker are provided with residential accommodation in the Deanery at the convenience of the current dean. This situation could change with the appointment of a dean requiring family accommodation. The Cathedral will in the beginning continue to operate with three clergy members, dean, vicar and curate. The dean will continue to live in the Deanery but the vicar/curate will require accommodation. They indicated that this is common place in England where most staff at Cathedrals tend to live alongside each other in the Cathedral precinct or Close, which enables them to meet regularly; to pray together twice daily; to eat together and to liaise corporately with the Cathedral team in office accommodation contingent with the Cathedral. The applicants indicated that in total there are a further three members of staff at the Cathedral; a Director of Music (also Organist), a verger and a family worker. The Director of Music lives off site and travels backwards and forwards throughout the day which again is not sustainable, especially as he has to be in and out of the Cathedral from early morning to late at night (10am till 9.30pm). The Director of Music would occupy one of the proposed apartments. This role requires an office space/music library/song school/practice rooms/ refreshment-dining area/residential accommodation all in close proximity to the worship space. A special requirement for musicians is a sound insulated flat close to Cathedral for practice and easy access to an organ. All of these requirements would be provided at the Cloister. From the information provided it is proposed the vicar (member of the clergy) would also be accommodated within one of the apartments. Such role requires the person leading services of the day, are available to the general public for spiritual conversations, confessions etc. A typical day runs from 8am till 9pm with duties throughout the day. This role requires an office space/interview room/meeting room/refreshment-dining area/residential accommodation all in close proximity to the worship space. All of these requirements would be provided at the Cloister building. The third and smallest apartment would provide accommodation for interns/students who do not get paid a 'wage' but living
6.9 The applicants considered that the provision of on-site office accommodation, together with the song school and living quarters will create a vibrant 'campus' community that enriches the religious experience for staff, worshippers and visitors. - 6.10 Overall, it was considered in 2014, from the detailed information provided that there is a traditional and a more modern approach of English Cathedrals that such facilities, as proposed under this application, are generally found adjacent to the main Cathedral building, to provide the required accommodation for the Cathedral to operate fully. Accordingly, whilst the required accommodation within the Cloister building is sizeable, the use is very much ancillary for the operation of the Cathedral and its siting on the site adjacent to the main Cathedral building is considered appropriate.
6.11 The proposal aims to expand the range of people who may stay in the proposed accommodation and to include workers and volunteers associated with the Cathedral together with their resident dependants. The overall number of people staying there will not change so there will be no impact on parking, on the living conditions of those in nearby property or on traffic or parking. - 6.12 The term "staff" is less prescriptive than students/interns who would be wholly involved in the church and could include people who are only partly involved with the church but who also have interests and spend time outwith this. As an extreme example, someone employed part time in the cleaning of the Cathedral, or the provision of flowers, could be said to be "staff" but there can be little in the way of argument that such people would need to live on the site, particularly as Peel is a relatively large town with many places in which people could live, particularly if they were also involved in work outwith the Cathedral, for example, people who cleaned or provided flowers for other premises. - 6.13 However, the site is not one where there is a presumption against development (although free market housing would not be considered to accord with the designation of the site as "church") and in terms of sustainability, it is central to the town and ideal for sustainable access to and from the site. There was clearly a need for accommodation to be provided on site which was accepted in the case of the 2014 applications and as long as this is there, there is that opportunity for that need to be satisfied. If the accommodation is used by those who are less directly associated with the Cathedral (but where there is at least some association by them being "staff" or "volunteers" or the dependants thereof) then, it is considered that this is a matter for the Cathedral managers rather than by the Department. It is considered that there is little difference between the occupation of the accommodation by students/interns as by staff/volunteers.
RECOMMENDATION:
7.1 The variation of condition four is not considered objectionable or contrary to policy and the application is supported.
7.2 It is also suggested, although not part of the planning application, that condition two should also be varied such that a sample of the stonework should be approved by the Department prior to the application of any external finish to the proposed extension, rather than prior to commencement of works, to reflect the fact that the development has been commenced and that condition was not satisfied.
7.3 Similarly, the original approvals required that details of the hard and soft landscaping were approved prior to the commencement of works and that condition was also not satisfied before works commenced. It is proposed that that condition is varied to require this information within 6 months of the date of commencement (4th August, 2018). - 7.4 Also, whilst works have commenced and some protective fencing has been erected in respect of those existing trees on site which are to be retained, this fencing does not accord with the British Standard on such things, as advised by DEFA Arboricultural Officer. In fact, there is insufficient space for such protection to be provided taking into account the position of the proposed development. As such, it is likely that condition 5 could be properly satisfied and the wording should be amended accordingly.
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
8.3 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 Interested Person Status.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : Permitted Committee Meeting Date: 03.09.2018
Signed : S CORLETT Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
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