DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 24/00631/B Applicant: Ms Emilia Humphrey Proposal: Installation of replacement front doors Site Address: 2 And 3 Barrack Lane Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1BE Principal Planner: Chris Balmer Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.06.2024

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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 including General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35, Planning Policy Statement 1/01; Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) and Residential Design Guide 2021.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings all received on 24.05.2024. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilages of 2 and 3 Barrack Lane, Ramsey which are traditional two storey mid terraced properties located to the western side of Barrack Lane.

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2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of replacement front doors to each property with Upvc doors, which are two over two panelled design (upper panels glazed).

3.0 PLANNING POLICIES - 3.1 The application site is within an area of "Mixed Use - Town Centre" under the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. The application site is located within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Due to the zoning of the site and the proposed works the following policies are relevant in the determination of the application:- - 3.3 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:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (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;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

3.4 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." - 3.5 This echoes the policies of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man. - 3.6 Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) states, "(4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act". - 3.7 Residential Design Guide 2021

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The previous planning applications which are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application:

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4.2 Installation of replacement front doors - 24/00272/B - REFUSED on the following grounds: "R 1. The replacement door would not respect the material, finish or panel arrangement of the existing door and fails the statutory test within Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act. Therefore, it is recommended for a refusal.

The replacement door would not replicate the form, finish, materials or opening method of the existing door, and as a result the proposals fail the statutory test within Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 as the replacement door would not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Peel Conservation Area.

R 2. The replacement doors would not preserve or enhance the character of the Ramsey Conservation Area and would affect adversely the character of the surrounding townscape and would affect adversely the character of the locality and is not considered to respect the design of the existing building. Therefore failing to comply with Strategic Policy 4, General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services comments there are no highway implications (31.05.2024). - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are;

• - Statutory test
• - Character and appearance
• - Potential impacts upon neighbouring amenities

- 6.2 CONSERVATION AREA STATUTORY TEST

• 6.2.1 Prior to the assessment elements of this application, it is necessary to apply the Conservation Area statutory test as referenced in section 3.7 of this assessment on whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the Conservation Area.
• 6.2.2 Visiting the area, from South Promenade to the east of the site, there are wider views of a number of the seven terraces; including the application site, namely of the roofs of the seven properties of Barrack Lane, albeit given existing properties along South Promenade and a mature tree, complete views of the entire terraces is not apparent, neither are the ground floor levels. There are views when stood within Barrack Lane of the ground floors of the terraces. From Mona Street the proposals will not be apparent, given the surrounding properties in the area which run along Mona Street.
• 6.2.3 The two properties have differing styles of doors, one is the four panelled style door, similar to what is now being proposed, with the two upper panels having glazing. This door is more likely to have been the original style of door, perhaps completely solid, but this is not know for sure. The other doors differs, being a later additional having a top third glazed section and the remainder of the door solid.
• 6.2.4 It is considered the proposal which would replicate the four panelled door traditional in style, would preserve the character of Nr 2 and enhance the appearance of Nr 3, given the latter having an inappropriately styled door. Accordingly, it is Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999).

6.3 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE 6.3.1 The Planning Department has a duty to determine whether such proposals are in keeping with not only the individual building, but the special character and quality of the area as a whole. With this in mind it is very relevant to consider Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (adopted June 2016). This policy indicates that development within

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Conservation Areas will only be permitted if they 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.

• 6.3.2 For the reasons outlined previously (par 6.2.1 to 6.2.4) it is considered the proposal are acceptable and would preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
• 6.3.3 Discussions with the Registered Building Officer, no concerns are raised with the proposal.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 For these reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 including General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35, Planning Policy Statement 1/01; Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) and Residential Design Guide 2021. Therefore the application is recommend for an approval.

8.0 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 Acting Head of Development Management 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 : 24.06.2024 Determining officer Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.

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