Planning Officer Report 12/00819/B

Planning Officer Report And Recommendations {{table:20546}}

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the residential curtilage of a two storey Victorian terrace dwelling on Brunswick Road in Douglas. The site falls within a Conservation Area. The application property is partly characterised by original timber framed sliding-sash windows and painted cornicing at both floor levels on the front elevation, incorporated within a smooth render facade. The rear elevation of the property includes a two storey rear annex and decking area. Both the annex and the rest of the rear elevation incorporate similar timber sliding-sash windows as found on the front with the exception of a timber framed top-hung outward-opening casement window on the ground floor of the rear annex side elevation. The dwelling has a pitched slate roof with two small 500mm by 300mm roof-lights on the front elevation mono-pitch and one same sized roof-light on the rear elevation mono-pitch.

The Proposal

1. The proposal comprises the installation of replacement uPVC windows to front and rear elevations, rear door, and roof-lights. The replacement windows on the front and rear elevations will be replaced like-for-like in terms of opening method and glazing bar design. The replacement roof-lights will be 780mm by 980mm in size. The replacement door on the rear annex will be constructed from uPVC be top-half glass and bottom-half uPVC.

Planning History

1. The application site, and adjoining properties, have been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, one of which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

05/00264/B - Installation of uPVC casement windows to replace existing on rear elevation, No. 22 Brunswick Road – Approved.

04/00278/B - Installation of roof-light on rear elevation, No. 14 Brunswick Road – Approved.

04/00278/PART – Installation of roof-lights on front elevation, No. 14 Brunswick Rd. – Refused. 02/02143/B - Installation of replacement hardwood sliding sash windows, No. 14 Brunswick Rd – Approved. 00/00506/B - Installation of French doors to replace window and erection of raised decking – Approved.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within an area designated for Predominantly Residential use in the Douglas (South) Local Plan 1998. There are no policies that accompanies the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application. Furthermore, the application site also falls within the later designated Selbourne Drive Conservation Area.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are 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".

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."

1. Planning Circular 1/98, The alteration and replacement of windows, the policy for Category B 'buildings in conservation areas' states:

"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be visible from a public thoroughfare MUST HAVE THE SAME method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE THE SAME pattern, and section of glazing bars, and the same frame sections as the original windows.

Windows not readily visible from the public thoroughfare must 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 the construction".

Representations

1. Douglas Borough Council has no objection to the proposal.

Assessment

1. The proposed replacement windows on the front elevation, which are readily visible from the public thoroughfare, will retain the same method of opening and glazing bar pattern as the existing and as such complies with the relevant policy provisions in Planning Circular 1/98. The proposed replacement windows on the rear elevation, which are not readily visible from the public thoroughfare, will have the same method of opening and glazing bar pattern as the existing windows. As such, the replacement windows on the rear elevation accords with the policy provisions in Planning Circular 1/98.

1. The proposed replacement door on the rear annex is far more in-keeping in design than the existing, which enhances the original character of the property and as such is considered acceptable.

1. The proposed roof-lights will be larger in scale than the existing but are smaller in scale than those allowed under Permitted Development rights in properties falling outside of Conservation Area. As such, it is not considered the proposed roof lights would be of an unreasonable size. In terms of siting, the precedence for roof-lights has already been set by the existing roof-lights. Furthermore, from observing the roof-scape of the entire terrace, it is deduced roof-lights have become a prevalent feature of properties on Brunswick Road. Taking all these considerations into account, it is concluded it would be unreasonable to consider the proposed roof-lights as unacceptable.

1. Overall, only half of the proposed works would be readily visible by the public, all elements of which would not significantly alter the original character of the property or street-scene, or cause demonstrable harm to the character of the conservation area. Consequently, the proposal would not be adverse to public amenity. In conclusion, the proposal complies with the provisions of category b) buildings policy in Planning Circular 1/98, and General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and is therefore considered acceptable.

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, Douglas Borough Council 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: 10.07.2012

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 replacement windows on front and rear elevation, a replacement door in rear annex and replacement roof lights on both front and rear monopitches, as shown in drawing no. JTM0012-P-1-00, JTM0012-P-10-01 and JTM0012-P-02, all received on 4th June 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 : 13.7.12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ 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