17 December 2007 · Delegated - Director of Planning and Building Control (M.I. McCauley)
Douglas Head Apartments, Douglas Head, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM1 5by
The proposal involves building a lightweight single storey 2-bed apartment on the flat roof of an existing apartment block, using natural cedar cladding for walls, aluminium glazing, and structural glass panels with stainless steel handrails for the surrounding deck.
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The main consideration was whether the development would adversely affect visual amenities and the setting of the registered building.
General Policy 2
Requires development in zoned areas to respect site and surroundings in scale, form, design and avoid adverse amenity effects. Officer assessed proposal compliant due to setback, lightweight modern design complementing features without dominance.
Housing Policy 6
Residential zoned land to accord with area plan brief or criteria in para 6.2 encouraging good innovative design. Assessed as meeting via modern lightweight approach not mimicking existing, suitable for rooftop on existing building.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking allocation. Satisfied by condition ceding 2 spaces from applicant's existing 4, ensuring each apartment has 2 spaces.
Time limit
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
Approved plans
This permission relates to the construction of a single storey apartment on the roof as shown in drawing numbers P-01, P-02, P-03 and P-04 date stamped 31st July 2007, P-05 date stamped 4th December 2007, and the Planning Statement from McGarrigle and Jackson date stamped 31st July 2007.
Car parking arrangements
Prior to the occupation of the apartment, details of the car parking arrangements to be provided shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. Thereafter the parking arrangements for the apartment shall be kept free for that purpose.
Do not oppose subject to imposition of condition for two off-street parking spaces
No objection
Utilities and highways consultees raised no objections with standard conditions for services and parking; Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside & Environment commented on other applications but not this one; private objections from residents focused on aesthetics and structure but are not statutory consultee responses.
Manx Electricity Authority
Conditional No ObjectionThere are Underground Cables/Overhead Lines present in the area indicated in you Planning Application. Please contact our Network Operations Department...
Conditions requested: Applicant must contact Network Operations Department (Tel. 687687) to discuss working practices around Cables and Overhead Lines which may be required to be diverted; Contact M.E.A. for Electrical Site Safety 5 documents (Tel. 687766) before work; All work to be carried out with reference to Health and Safety Executive Guidance Notes HS(G)47 & GS6
Isle of Man Water Authority
Conditional No ObjectionFor connections to Flats and Apartments the following apply - “Water Supply To Flats And Apartments – Regulations”
Conditions requested: Applicant must contact the Authority to ensure that a connection is obtained for water supply purposes, or an amendment to the existing supply under the terms of the Water Supply Byelaws; For connections to Flats and Apartments the following apply - “Water Supply To Flats And Apartments – Regulations”, and if applicable a “Form Of Undertaking In Respect Of Supply Pipes” will be required
Douglas Drainage Services
Conditional No ObjectionDouglas Corporation acting as The Agent for the Department of Transport, under the Sewerage Act 1999 has no objection in principle to the above application subject to the following.
Conditions requested: There must be NO discharge of surface water (directly or indirectly) from this proposed development to any foul drainage system(s); These comments could be incorporated in the approval notice
Department of Transport, Highways Division
Conditional No ObjectionDo not oppose subject to the imposition of the following condition: Two off street parking spaces shall be allocated to the new apartment.
Conditions requested: Two off street parking spaces shall be allocated to the new apartment
Building Conservation Officer
No Comment'registered building' means a building for the time being entered in the register; 'registered building consent' means... the written consent of the Department to works for demolition, alteration or extension of a registered Building.
The original application (07/01424/B) for a single storey apartment on the roof above apartments 15, 16 and 17 at Douglas Head Apartments was permitted by the planning authority on 12 December 2007 subject to conditions including car parking details. Residents Rockborough Ltd and Mr Jonathan Scott Anderson appealed the approval, arguing the modern design would harm the building's appearance, the setting of the registered herring tower, and have unacceptable night-time illumination impact. The applicant (Nightech Ltd) and planning authority defended the lightweight, setback design as harmonising with the building, with minimal visual impact and adequate parking via ceding spaces. The inspector, after a site visit and inquiry on 20 May 2008, found no unacceptable harm to appearance or tower setting, minor daylight impacts not warranting refusal, and sufficient parking, recommending dismissal of the appeal to uphold permission with conditions.
Precedent Value
Demonstrates that modern rooftop extensions can succeed on appeal against third-party objections if setback, lightweight and using glazing to minimise visual dominance in prominent locations. Emphasises value of officer pre-application consultation and pragmatic parking solutions like space reallocation.
