Planning Officer Report

Case Officer: Mr Jamie Leadbeater Photo Taken: 31.01.2012 Site Visit: 31.01.2012 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the residential curtilage of a detached dwelling on Cowells Terrace, just off Windsor Road in Ramsey. Although the property is detached, it is viewed as part of the terrace from the access off Windsor Road which is also a residential street in the suburbs of Ramsey. Cowell's terrace primarily contains traditional dwellings of Victorian age and a mixture of older properties that have been modernised.

1. The property has two storeys and a pitched blue slate roof, built in a Victorian style. The front elevation of the property has three separate distinctive window pitches also finished in blue slate above each first floor window, and at ground level a small porch constructed from rendered brickwork and white timber with a small blue slate pitch. Either side of the front porch, there is one window, equal in shape and size to the three on the first floor, which are single glazed and have white timber frames with single glazing bars that have a sliding-sash opening mechanism.

1. The entrance to the application site is distinguished by timber brown stained gates approximately 1 metre high and as such is closed-off from the remainder of the terrace. The remaining curtilage of the application site consists of garden space to the south-east facing side elevation and rear. The front of the elevation of dwelling overlooks more modern dwellings 10 – 15 metres away.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the installation of UPVC framed windows to replace the existing timber framed windows on the front elevation. The proposed windows will have white UPVC frames with single pane section and a sliding-sash opening method.

Planning History

1. Whilst the application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications, properties in the immediate vicinity have been subject of previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

Application No.:	12/00067/B
Applicant:	Mrs Judi Rivlin
Proposal:	Installation of replacement windows to front elevation
Site Address:	Ivy Cottage Cowells Terrace Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 3EE

App. No. 06/01665/B – Installation of timber framed sliding-sash windows to replace existing – Approved. App. No. 03/00397/B – Installation of UPVC sliding-sash windows to replace existing – Approved. App. No. 01/01097/B – Installation of UPVC sliding-sash windows to replace existing – Approved.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within an area designated for predominantly residential use under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998. There are no policies with Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. 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:

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality”.

1. Planning Circular 1/98 ‘The alteration and replacement of windows’ contains one relevant policy that states:

“In an individual building, or group of buildings, whose principal elevations are readily visible from a public thoroughfare, if the original windows are in place, it may be possible to repair and renovate them. This can take place without permission, and will be encouraged by the department. If repair is impracticable, or existing windows are not the originals, the preference will be for replacement windows in the said principal elevations to have the same method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE the same or similar pattern and section of glazing bars and the same or similar frame sections as the original windows.

Windows not part of the principal elevations and which are not readily visible from a public thoroughfare should preferably have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in their construction”.

Representations

1. Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection to the proposal.

Assessment

1. The proposed replacement windows differ in the material and the section of glazing bars used in the existing. However, the proposed windows do maintain a sliding-sash opening mechanism and white coloured frames, which are considered to be key characteristics of the existing. The change in construction material is not considered to be a critical issue in this instance as inferred in the Planning Circular policy above.

1. The proposal is considered to be sympathetic to the existing character of the dwelling, as it retains the sliding-sash opening method which is considered to be a special feature of the windows currently existing in the application property. Whilst the proposal would be considered to enhance the character of the application property, it is also considered to enhance and respect the character of Cowells Terrace as a whole. Taking these considerations into account, the proposal is not considered to have an adverse impact on public visual amenity.

1. Overall, the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant policies stated above.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 09.03.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1.

The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2.

This approval relates to the installation of sliding-sash white uPVC replacement windows at ground floor and first floor level on front elevation of dwelling as shown in 1:100 scale Proposed Elevation drawing received on 7 February 2012, and the Location Plan and Site Plan received on 17 January 2012.

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

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 9/3/12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : G. Adams Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager