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The site represents the curtilage of an existing building located on the southern side of the lane which links Park Road and Athol Street, opposite the take-away. The building on the site is a three storey stone warehouse which has three concrete buttresses on the rear (south western) elevation. The site has the printer's premises to the west, in front of the access to the site from Athol Place.
The site lies within an area designated on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 as Predominantly Shopping. On the Port St. Mary draft Area Plan the site lies within an area designated as Mixed Use.
The following applications have been submitted in respect of this site:
PA 01/1253 - approval in principle for conversion of existing workshop to 3 apartments - permitted and
PA 04/1115 - conversion of existing workshop to 3 apartments with garaging on ground floor - permitted on appeal.
Proposed is the conversion of the building to a single dwelling unit with 5 bedrooms which are on the first floor. There are to be a garage, kitchen, lounge and hall on the ground floor and a lounge and study on the top floor. External changes to the building include insertion of new windows in the front of the lean to annex on the Athol Place side, insertion of a window in pace of a door (no change to the size of the aperture) in the northern side of the stone building and insertion of patio windows in place of a door opening on the ground floor of this elevation. Also proposed is the full-length glazing of all of the windows in the front elevation and the insertion of patio doors with side lights in the ground floor apertures in the front of the building except for that which will accommodate the garage door. Finally, the only other change in the front elevation is the insertion of four Heritage rooflights in this pitch.
On the rear there will be added a glazed roofed corridor where the rear wall of the stone building is set back from the rear boundary. Two large rooflights are to be installed on the rear of the lounge.
There are concerns which have been raised by a Trustee of the estate which owns the adjacent property - the Nook (formerly The Cottage). These concerns relate to the position and nature of a right of way and access to their property. Concern is also expressed about the structural stability of the property and its ability to accept re-pointing and that the wall to the rear of The Nook is not a boundary wall and is a screen wall. This is a civil matter however if the wall is shown in the correct position.
Port St. Mary Commissioners suggest that there should be a structural survey of the building, details of the remedial works and restoration works proposed and a method statement demonstrating how the building is to be supported during the works. This would be necessary for an application for a protected building - however, the building is not Registered nor within a Conservation Area and could be demolished without further planning consent.
Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division recommend refusal as it has not been demonstrated that their recommended 3 parking spaces with turning facilities may be provided.
The retention and re-use of vernacular buildings is to be commended. The proposal seeks to retain the existing fabric with some alteration to the rear. We have discussed the proposals with the Applicant's Designer and can verify that that proposed is as discussed. On the previous application, we discussed and agreed the design of the fenestration to the frontage of the building and will seek to have those proposed in this revised scheme to match those of the previous approval for the conversion of existing workshop to three apartments with garaging on ground floor (04/01115/B).
I have asked for the photographs referred to in Mr. Green's letter of 4th December, 2006 but he has none and made an assumption regarding the original windows which he feels are unlikely to have been built as full length windows and then half boarded up.
The applicant's agent has re-considered the legal rights of way across the site and confirms that those as shown in the originally submitted drawings are correct as far as they can ascertain. They note that there are double gates as has been suggested by the objector but these do not appear to be alongside the right of way to the rear of The Nook. They also concede that the boundary wall was shown in the wrong place on the original drawings and the boundary is along the line of the fence and the plans have been amended to reflect this.
The applicant's agent has also provided the Structural Engineer's report, dated 30th November, 2006 which confirms that after a walk-round inspection of the building re-pointing and jointing with a lime-based mortar is appropriate for areas of cracking and surface deterioration with only re-building on the second floor of the south-facing gable, re-building in cavity walling with stone facing. Also the re-roofing will disturb the integrity of the wall at eaves level and it is proposed to rebuild the front wall 450mm to window head level, providing pre-cast concrete lintels over the windows whilst retaining the stone outer lintels and building back up in stone facing to match. Otherwise the building is fully capable of conversion on the basis of the proposed plans.
The amended plan, reference 265/1/3/A shows the three spaces with turning space as required by the Department of Transport.
The property is not Registered nor is it within an adopted Conservation Area. The scheme proposed goes as far as is practicably and reasonably possible to retain the character and appearance of the property whilst finding a new use for it and as such both the Conservation Officer and I recommend approval of this application.
The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Trustee of the estate of the owners of the Nook should be afforded party status as this property adjoins the application site.
Whilst Isle of Man Water Authority and Fire Prevention Officer represent statutory authorities, the points raised in correspondence relate to servicing the development and Building Regulations and not planning and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 19.01.2007
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
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 plans reference 265/1/2/A and 265/1/3/A received on 8th December, 2006 and 265/1/1 received on 29th September 2006.
C 3. Prior to the commencement of the development, a further detailed plan must be submitted for consideration and approval by the Planning Committee indicating the retention of the crane derrick and retention of the style and proportions of the window directly below.
C 4. All plumbing stacks must be constructed internally.
C 5. All existing stonework to be retained must be retained as such and must not be rendered, painted or similarly treated.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 22/1/07
Signed : M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control
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