DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00123/GB Applicant: Miss Josephine Shakespeare Proposal: Replacement of existing metal railing with glass panelling (in association with PA 19/00124/CON) Site Address: Apartment 8 Chapel Court Christian Street Peel Isle of Man IM5 1NR Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.03.2019 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

Plans/Drawings/Information: This decision relates to the information all received on 6th February, 2019. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons none _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of the former Chapel, now subdivided into apartments on the corner of Mona Street and Christian Street in the heart of Peel. To the rear (south) is a terrace of 5 dwellings - 2 to 10 Mona Street (even numbers only). The building has retained some of its traditional characteristics, mainly on the front (north) and side (east) elevations with the

• western elevation having been changed through the insertion of dormers including a recessed dormer that serves the application apartment. This has a wrought iron balcony which runs across the edge of the balcony, under the eaves of the main building. This is set back from the southern gable by around 6m and is visible from Christian Street to the south but not from any other direction. THE PROPOSAL
• 2.1 Proposed is the replacement of the wrought iron balustrade and wooden handrail with laminated, toughened glass without handrail or supports (it is frameless).

2.2 Registered Building Consent is required for the removal of the railings under Section 19(3) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 as well as for the works themselves as the building is Registered (RB 194). PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within an area of Mixed Use on the Peel Local Plan of 1989, reflecting the range of uses in the area - retail, civic, residential and industrial.

3.2 The site also lies within a Conservation Area and the building is Registered.

3.3 The relevant Strategic Plan policies are as follows:

General Policy 2: "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 and (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

Environment Policy 32: "Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which wouldaffect 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."

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

3.4 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 includes the following advice in respect of alterations to Registered Buildings:

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 landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including
• other registered buildings). 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 landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including
• other registered buildings).

3.5 At the time of registration, the building was used as a furniture store. Its justification for Registration was due to its historic, architectural and social interest.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The building was converted to apartments under a series of applications between 2002 and

1. The dormer which is the subject of this current application is not original to the building and was approved as part of the original approval to convert the building -02/02192/B.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Peel Town Commissioners do not object to the application (12.03.19). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issue in this case is whether the proposed change of material and form of the balcony enclosure would result in a detrimental impact on the appearance and character of the building, taking into account the fact that the building is both Registered and within a Conservation Area. The use of frameless glass is likely to reduce the impact whilst currently the railings are not easily discernible and one may see the patio doors behind. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The works are not considered to have a significant nor adverse impact on either the building or the surrounding area and as such, the application is supported. The Registered Buildings Officer has been consulted and has no objection to the application. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 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:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and

• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Director of Planning and Building Control in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 22.03.2019 Determining officer Signed : J CHANCE Jennifer Chance Director of Planning and Building Control

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