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Application No.: 15/00207/B Applicant: Mrs Tracey Young Proposal: Installation of replacement windows to front and rear elevations Site Address: Hollywood Cottage Glen Road Laxey Isle Of Man IM4 7AP Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Site Visit: 25.06.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 'Hollywood Cottage', Glen Road, Laxey. The dwelling is almost of traditional Manx vernacular (its roof pitch is slightly shallower than might be expected while it also has an unusual parapet wall) but, interestingly, is the middle-sized of two other dwellings of similarly Manx vernacular proportions found on either side; the three from a very short terrace. Hollywood Cottage has sliding sash windows throughout: these are timber and have Georgian-style glazing bars without decorative horns as is generally considered appropriate for Georgian detailing. - 1.2 The cottage is located within a predominantly residential area, comprising primarily historical housing of traditional proportions. The cottage's frontage is located slightly away from of the main highway in lower Laxey, Glen Road. Given its location within such a terrace, and the fact the windows are a conspicuous aquamarine colour, Hollywood Cottage is quite prominent in the streetscene here.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the installation of replacement windows and doors throughout. In terms of to the front elevation, like-for-like is proposed (albeit that the frames would be white uPVC) and so the sliding sash opening method would be retained; the front door does not appear to be proposed for change. - 2.2 To the rear, the existing sliding sash units would be replaced with side-opening casements, again of white uPVC finish, and again retaining the Georgian glazing bars. - 2.3 It has taken some time to obtain accurate drawings of the proposed windows and, in view of the public interest in the proposal and planning history with regards replacement windows along Glen Road, not least the comments that were received in respect of the application, the accurate drawings were circulated to the interested parties.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Although the application site itself has not been the subject of any applications considered materially relevant to the determination of the current proposal, a number of
applications for replacement windows have been submitted along Glen Road in recent years; the general trend has been approvals issued to those proposing sliding sash lights, and refusals issued where non-sliding-sash units were proposed.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site falls within an area designated for predominantly residential use under the Laxey and Lonan Area Plan Order 200; it also falls within the Laxey Conservation Area. Policy L/CRB/PR/4 of the Laxey and Lonan Area Plan Order 2005 states: "Where an area is designated as a Conservation Area, special attention must be paid during the consideration of all planning applications within the area, to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1991 (12.(4)." - 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. General Policy 2 states (in part): "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:
4.3 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." - 4.4 Moreover, 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 a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Laxey Village Commissioners initially recommended the application be refused on 09.03.2015: "There is sufficient detail contained within the application in respect of the type and style of the windows. The existing windows are sliding sash with external Georgian glazing bars, the replacement windows should match this type and style". On receipt of the additional information they recommended the application be approved on 01.07.15 subject to the glazing bars being externally fitted. - 5.2 The owner / occupier of 'Nyn Ayrn', Old Laxey Hill, Laxey, commented on the application on 09.03.2015. In objection to the proposal, he wishes to see the original windows retained if possible but, if not, any new windows should match the existing glazing pattern and the glazing bars should be fitted externally.
5.3 The owner / occupier of Flat 1, Glen Grawe House, New Road, Laxey, commented on the application on 30.03.2015. In support of the proposal, she writes: "Further to the application of Hollywood cottage, comments that have been made are of individuals that do not live on Glen road. Reading the application it states that new sliding sachet windows to be fitted on front elevation to replace the old ones. I can not see why this would not go ahead as there are only 4 property's on Glen road that have the original wooden windows every where else is white pvc. I think this will make a big enhancement to the front of the property but will still tie in with the cottage feel of the property".
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The property on the application site is in a prominent location as it sits on the edge of the highway and is in a Conservation Area. Therefore, it is considered necessary that the proposal should enhance or maintain the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area - as outlined in Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and Policy L/CRB/PR/4 of the Laxey and Lonan Local Plan 2005. - 6.2 The existing style of the windows are sliding sash, and the loss of these would be strongly resisted. It is therefore most welcome that the proposal seeks to retain this traditional opening style. Also welcome is the lack of sash horns, which are often inappropriately placed on Georgian-style windows. While the casement style proposed to the rear is perhaps a little unfortunate, this approach does not conflict with Circular 1/98 and is therefore acceptable, not least since the rear of the dwelling is not readily visible from public viewpoints. - 6.3 Moreover, it is generally accepted that uPVC material is an acceptable replacement for timber, albeit that the latter remains both preferable and available, and more so that such material has been - and continues to be - found acceptable in Conservation Areas. - 6.4 The glazing bars and opening style to the front elevation of the proposed windows match those currently in place at Hollywood Cottage. It is therefore considered that the proposal meets the relevant policies of the Development Plan. - 6.5 The request to have the glazing bars externally fitted is understood. Traditionally this is how windows would have been constructed, largely due to the method of manufacturing glass at the time such windows were installed. Where glazing bars of uPVC construction are fitted externally, however, these can bend and break off during cleaning, which is of course undesirable from a visual point of view. The use of internal glazing bars in Conservation Areas is fairly common and, while timber units with eternal glazing bars would certainly be preferred from a visual point of view, it is not considered that the application could be refused on this ground. The appearance of the site and its wider position in the Conservation Area would be satisfactorily preserved through the use of glazing bars that would match those of Hollywood Cottage at present.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is recommended that planning approval should be granted.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 In addition to those above, article 6(3) of the Order 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.
In this instance, it is recommended that the following persons do not have sufficient interest and should not be awarded the status of an Interested Person:
Neither of these properties is near enough to the proposal to be affected by the outcome of this application.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:
21.07.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval
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.
Reason: In the interest of the character and appearance of the Conservation Area in which the application site sits.
Reason: In the interest of the character and appearance of the Conservation Area in which the application site sits.
The development hereby approved relates to the following plans, date-stamped as having been received 19th May 2015, 26th June 2015 and 9th July 2015: The evo vevs quotation (reference NWRT001), the Northwest Rooftech Quotation (Quotation no.: 934), the drawing entitled "Layout of Rear Hollywood Cottage", the photograph showing the front of Hollywood Cottage in which the windows are labelled A, B, C, D and E, and the Location Plan (scale 1:500).
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 22.07.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed :…………………………………….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management
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