Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00079/GB Applicant: Suzanne Parkinson On Behalf Of King Williams College Proposal: Installation of ventilation flues, internal works and refurbishment (in association with PA 20/00080/CON) Site Address: King Williams College King Williams College Grounds Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1TP Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.03.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. All external roof ducts must be finished externally in dark grey. Reason: to ensure that they have as minimal an impact on the adjacent building as possible.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application is in accordance with the relevant Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policies.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings 6812L(00)00, 6812L(00)01, 6812L(1-)01, 6812L(2-)01,

• 6812L(1-)02, 6812L(2-)02, 6812L(1-)03, 6812L(1-)04, 6812L(1-)10, 6812L(2-)10, 6812L(1-)11,
• 6812L(2-)11, 6812L(1-)12 and 6812L(1-)13 all received on 16.01.20. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the whole curtilage of King William's College which sits between the A5 Douglas Road between Castletown and the Isle of Man Airport - and the A12 Derbyhaven Road. To the immediate north and east of the site lies the airport principal runways and taxiways and to the west is the public sector housing estate of Janet's Corner with a small number of private dwellings in the south western corner. - 1.2 The application concerns the south western corner of the main quadrangle. - 1.3 Some parts of the site are Registered. This includes the main quadrangle, the chapel and the pavilion. The more modern buildings within the site are not Registered. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is a series of internal and external works to reorganise the layout of the building, introduce additional ventilation and a number of extraction ducts which will project out of the roof. Internally, existing fire doors are to be removed from some of the corridors, some internal cupboards and walls removed and tiering introduced within some of the open classroom areas. - 2.2 The external changes amount only to the introduction of the vent duct pipework and the introduction of the vents in a number of windows - one is a modern window and the others are on side windows rather than on principal elevations. - 2.3 Internal changes include the replacement of existing, non-traditional vinyl flooring, removal of modern cupboards and suspended ceilings, science benches and refurbishment of stair treads. - 2.4 The applicant has provided additional information including details of the window ventilation grilles, confirmation that the external ducting will be white and that the blocking up of the window which isn't shown in the drawings refers to the blocking up of the internal lining and thus does not appear on the outside as a change. - 2.5 They clarify that the changes to the heating system involve replacing the internal radiators and controls but the boiler remains unchanged. - 2.6 They provide further comments on some of the features to be replaced, changed or removed, commenting that these are not original or if they are, they are not important features. - 2.7 Further discussion with the applicant's agent indicates that the only alternative to the window vents would be similar vents provided through the walling which would have a similar visual impact but would involve invasive measures to the Registered Building. They confirm that it would be acceptable to have the external vent ducts finished in dark grey.

PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as Area for Civic, Cultural or other uses - College. The site also contains a number of Registered Buildings (see 1.3 above). - 3.2 Alterations to Registered Buildings need to ensure that any historic importance or value is not adversely affected in accordance with the following Departmental policies: Planning Policy Statement 1/01: 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/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.

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.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The site has been subject to a number of applications, most recently changes to windows and roofing in this part of the main building were approved - 19/00517/GB and 19/00518/CON. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services have no objection (17.02.20). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issues in this case are whether the works would have any adverse impact on the historical fabric of this Registered Building and if so, whether there are any mitigating factors which would justify such an impact.

6.2 Very little of the work affects fabric of historical or architectural interest or value. The most significant impacts, and even these would be relatively minor given the scale of the building, are the introduction of vents on the windows and ducts within the roof.

6.4 The introduction of the window grille vents will affect the appearance of the property but only in respect of a small number of windows and these are in positions which are not particularly prominent or important. It is important to ventilate the building and the only

• alternative would be more intrusive. If a less intrusive alternative were to emerge in the future, the proposed grilles could easily be replaced through re-glazing the existing lights.
• 6.5 The introduction of ducts if these are finished in dark grey would be inconspicuous given the similar coloured slate backdrop.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The works will enable the college to continue to function for its original purpose and in a way which enables it and its students to benefit from a more modern and comfortable atmosphere. The application is therefore considered to be acceptable, in accordance with the relevant Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policies and is supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 09.03.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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