Officer Report

Application No.: 14/01428/CON Applicant: Christopher Looney Proposal: Registered Building Consent for the installation of replacement front doors (RB no 184 in association with 14/01427/GB) Site Address: 1 & 2 Church Cottages St Marks Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3AH Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken: 30.12.2014 Site Visit: 30.12.2014 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Registered Building 184, 1 & 2 Church Cottages, two storey semi-detached cottages located on the eastern side of the B30 in St Marks. The site also lies within the St Marks Conservation Area. - 1.2 In 1827, Reverend John Thomas Clark was appointed Chaplain of St Marks and he found the Church and Parsonage in a terrible state of repair. In 1846, Reverend Clark rebuilt the disused former school into the first pair of Church Cottages. Their purpose was to generate rents that would be used to keep the chapel and the new Schoolhouse in repair. - 1.3 There are inscriptions in stone tablets within the pediments over the doors of each cottage and within a further pediment between them. These read, from left to right, "T J Clark Chaplain, I Bridson esqn Trustee' 'St Marks Cottages erected AD 1846' 'Dr T V Short, The Lord Bishop". The third of the Church Cottages was added in 1899, it too has an inscription above the doorway which reads, 'Bishop Straton Cottage Rev A J Holmes Chaplain 1899.' - 1.4 It appears that the cottages were separately occupied until August 1980 when they were purchased as a whole by Lady Dowty. In 1981, a planning application was submitted to convert the three cottages into a single dwelling. - 1.5 Originally, the main walls of the cottages, front boundary walls and chimney stacks would have possibly been un-rendered stone with lime wash applied to all but the chimneys. Now, all external surfaces are finished in a textured render, which was probably applied as part of the conversion in 1981. The existing Manx slate roof has also been replaced with Welsh slate. In addition, replacement windows have been fitted, and whilst Georgian-style has been retained, top-opening sashes have replaced sliding sashes and in some windows the number of panes and the configuration of glazing bars is different. The doors to the original pair of cottages have been replaced, whilst that on the later cottage has become a window. - 1.6 Prior to 1981, the dry closets were situated adjacent to the cottages where a utility room has now been built. Other external changes include, provision of a side window

• overlooking the grass triangle and blocking up of three small wire-mesh apertures in the rear elevation overlooking the graveyard. Three roof lights have also been installed on the rear roof pitch.
• 1.7 Church Cottages were added to the Register of Protected Building on the following grounds:

• o Architectural style and aesthetic quality;
• o Historical association in the development of the hamlet;
• o Close historical association with Reverend John Thomas Clark. Who was known as the 'Patriarch' of St Marks; and
• o Group interest with the Schoolhouse and St Marks Church, forming a unique grouping
• of ecclesiastical.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the installation of replacement front doors. - 2.2 The existing doors are timber framed with twelve panes of glazing in the upper portion, laid at 3 x 3. The proposed replacement door would be a white solidor beeston Georgian bar composite door in white which would have a frame similar to the existing.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has previously been granted Registered Building consent for the installation of a replacement front door in 2013 under 13/00098/CON.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South 2013 as "white land", that is, not designated for development. As previously mentioned, the application site lies within the St. Mark's Conservation Area. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains four policies that are considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

Strategic Policy 4 states: "Proposals for development must:

• (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings, Conservation Areas, buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas, and sites of archaeological interest;
• (b) protect or enhance the landscape quality and nature conservation value of urban as well as rural areas but especially in respect to development adjacent to Areas of Special Scientific Interest and other designations; and
• (c) not cause or lead unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance."

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:

• a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• 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;

• d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• 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;
• k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

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."

Environment Policy 34 states: "In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional materials will be preferred."

4.3 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man sets down the policies in relation to the conservation of the built environment of the Isle of Man, including policy for the identification and protection of historic buildings, conservation areas and other elements of the environment. This policy statement contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this planning application:

Policy RB/3: GENERAL CRITERIA APPLIED IN CONSIDERING REGISTERED BUILDING APPLICATIONS; "The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:-

• o The importance of the building, its intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, relative to the Island as a whole and within the local context;

• o The particular physical features of the building (which may include its design, plan, materials or location) which justify its inclusion in the register; descriptions annexed to the entry in the register may draw attention to features of particular interest or value, but they are not exhaustive and other features of importance, (e.g. Interiors, murals, hidden fireplaces) may come to light after the building's entry in the register;
• o The building's setting and its contribution to the local scene, which may be very important, e.g. Where it forms an element in a group, park, garden or other townscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including
• other registered buildings)."

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 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 effect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (09/01/2015).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 In judging the effect of any proposed alteration to a Registered Building, it is essential to have assessed the elements that make up the special interest of the building in question and what contributes to the registration of the building. In this instance, as previously stated Church Cottages is of great architectural interest and with its close historical association with the development of St Marks and relationship with the Church and Schoolhouse. - 6.2 The new doors proposed, albeit being composite, would have a similar frame and glazing pattern of the doors in situ at present which have already been acknowledged as not being the originals. - 6.3 Photos of the application building taken at the time when the building was added to the Protected Buildings Register on the 9th May 2001, illustrate different doors than the ones currently in situ. No. 1 has a door very similar to what is proposed under this scheme where No. 2 Church Cottages has a solid timber door with one single light in the upper section. - 6.4 The doors to Nos. 1 and 2 currently match. The replacements proposed within this application, are a fair approximation of the existing doors in situ and as such the proposed development is deemed acceptable and not considered to detract from the character and quality of Church Cottages or St Marks Conservation Area. There is within the locality a mix of front door types both in terms of style and finished material and as a result what is proposed under this scheme would not be completely out of keeping within the area.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application accords to the provisions of Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2, Environment Policy 2 and Environment Policy 32 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and RB/3 and RB/5 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01: Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man. - 7.2 It is recommended that the Registered Building consent be granted.

8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application, Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:

12.01.2015

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval

• N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
• O : Notes attached to refusals

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.

This approval relates to Location Plan, 2 x Photographs showing the existing doors and 2 x detail sheets showing the proposed doors and accompanying details all date stamped as received 15th December 2014.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 20.01.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer Senior Planning Officer

Signed :…………………………………….. Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : Jennifer Chance Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management