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Application No.: 20/01469/CON Applicant: Tevir Developments Limited Proposal: Temporary painted plywood protective screen to upper floors of the exposed NE elevation of Castle Mona following demolition of the NE hotel wing; blocking up of the individual openings at the lower levels exposed by the demolition; blocking up of existing ground floor windows to rear lane, along with openings exposed by outrigger demolitions; temporary plywood boarding of ground floor windows to the front of the property Site Address: Castle Mona Hotel Castle Drive Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4LY Registered Buildings Officer: Mr Ross Brazier Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.03.2021 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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 application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposals are considered to be in accordance with the Strategic Plan policies, Policies RB/3 RB/5, CA/2 and CA/4 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following: Drawings and information all received on 18th December 2020 _______________________________________________________________
Additional Persons
It is recommended that the following Government Departments should be given Interested Person Status on the basis that they have made written submissions and these relate to planning considerations:
Department of Infrastructure Flood Risk Manager. _____________________________________________________________________________
This application will be determined at Officer Level in accordance with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Standing Order No. 2021/04;
2 The conditions and circumstances regulating the determination of applications by the Planning Committee
(1) Those applications falling within the following categories are to be considered by the Planning Committee except in the circumstance where the application is similar in nature to a previously approved application to which there are no more than relatively minor differences -
1.1 The site is the Registered Building RB82, The Castle Mona Hotel, constructed in 1804 to the design of George Stewart for the Duke of Athol. The site is located along Central Promenade with the Castle Mona Shopping parade directly beneath part of the curtilage and bounded by Castle Drive to the south and the north by the Best western Palace hotel. To the rear of the property is Place Cinema with Empress Drive beyond. - 1.2 The property is located within the Promenades Conservation Area. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The application seeks approval for Registered Building consent for the provision of a temporary rainscreen cladding as protection to openings exposed flowing demolition and the temporary blocking up of windows and door openings. Planning Approval is also sought for the works under the application 20/01468/GB. These applications are a revision in detail and volume for the same elements previously approved under the following applications; 20/00586/GB, 20/00587/CON, 20/00584/GB and 20/00585/CON PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 S16 Registered buildings: supplementary provisions
3.2 S18 Designation of conservation areas
character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act
3.3 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;
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.
3.4 Planning Policy Statements: 1/01 Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man
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:-
POLICY RB/5 ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS 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.
POLICY CA/2 SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application. Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected.
POLICY CA/4 PROPOSALS FOR PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT It is important that designation is not seen as an end in itself, but that there be an opportunity for the designation to be considered in a wider context, such as that of an area plan. It is this overview which will basically determine the long term validity and prosperity of the conservation area. For example, proposals and policies contained within an area plan may take the opportunity to improve matters such as traffic congestion in and around a conservation area by traffic management and improvement, the provision of off-street parking and the introduction of some pedestrian or bicycle priority ways. The plan will also prescribe the use of land and buildings within the conservation area and beyond and may indicate opportunities for enhancement by restoration and re-use, or if appropriate, for replacement of elements within the conservation area which detract from the special character of the area.
4.1 This application runs contemporaneously with 20/01468/GB for planning approval for the same works.
4.2 The site has also been the subject of numerous planning applications, those relevant are listed below and relate to the recent works to secure the building and remove unsympathetic later additions; 20/00582/GB, 20/00586/GB, 20/00583/CON, 20/00585/CON, 20/00587/CON, 20/00584/GB.
REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Highways Services indicate there is no highway interest in the application (02.02.21).
5.2 Manx National Heritage (MNH) raised no objection to the proposals (25.02.21).
5.3 Department of Infrastructure Flood Management Officer confirms that there is no flood risk management interest in this application (04/03/21). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Castle Mona (RB 82) is a Registered Building located on a prominent position within Douglas Bay. Castle Mona should be considered as one of the Island's most prominent historic building of architectural and historic interest. Once set within large grounds extending to the shore, the building was originally constructed as the private residence of the 4th Duke of Athol. Constructed of Arran freestone imported to the island it is comprised of three storeys on top of a rusticated half basement and castellated parapet and central tower behind vertically empathised three- bay rhythm to the principle sea facing facade the building is of clear architectural presence and note.
6.2 The building was short lived as a private residence and used as a hotel as early as 1831, the building has had three stages of major intervention, firstly in the late 1880's as part of a hotel redevelopment scheme, again in the mid-20th century when the north east wing was
added and finally in the 1990's when the blowing alley was created. The last two phases comprise the elements that are currently being demolished as part of the recent approvals.
6.3 The building has been vacant since 2006 and is currently in a poor state of repair. The applicants have since their purchase of the property in 2018 undertaken urgent works to the roof structures to prevent water ingress and to secure the property. The application is the result of continued pre-application discussions and meetings with them and their agents.
6.4 The issues for the application are the preservation of the registered building, its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest and upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
8.2. In addition to those above, the Regulation 9(3) requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application - none in this case.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 15.03.2021 Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner
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