2 March 2009 · Planning Committee
Isle Of Man Post Office, Castletown Post Office, The Parade, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 1lg
The proposal involved installing three air conditioning units (each 0.9m long x 1.04m high), a condenser (3.2m x 1m x 1m high), galvanised steel hand railings on the flat roof, and raising the boundary wall by 1.5m along a rendered section to screen the plant.
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The officer noted the site is within Castletown Conservation Area and a Registered Building (RB 32), requiring careful consideration under Policy CA12 (Special Planning Considerations of Conservation …
Environment Policy 32
Protects character of Registered Buildings and Conservation Areas. Officer found proposal's modern plant, railings and wall raise failed to respect this, being highly visible and out of keeping in sensitive rear location.
Environment Policy 35
Relates to Conservation Areas. Alterations deemed detrimental to area character, especially historic boundary wall noted as integral feature.
Policy CA12 in Planning Policy Statement 1/01
PPS 1/01 policy for proposals in Conservation Areas. Rear view open, condensers/railings prominent against building; design did not consider character.
Policy RB15 in Planning Policy Statement 1/01
PPS 1/01 policy for Registered Building changes. Installation not sympathetic, location and guard rails disregarded building's historic character.
no objection, recommend conditions on electricity supply/working practices (not material planning considerations)
objects to the proposal
Multiple objections from Castletown Heritage and local residents to the retrospective installation of air conditioning units, steel hand railings, and boundary wall raising due to visual intrusion and harm to the conservation area and registered building setting; Manx Electricity Authority requests contact but raises no objection to the proposal itself.
Key concern: Visual impact and intrusion of railings and air conditioning units in conservation area and registered building setting requiring total removal
Castletown Heritage
ObjectionThe erection on the flat roof area of large refrigeration fans and hand-rails constructed from scaffolding tube is totally out of keeping with the area and its designation; As an organisation we do not believe this application can even be approved with conditions given the significant impact it has on the surrounding area and only total removal is acceptable; Nowhere else in the retail area are large extractor fans visible and approval of these would form a precedent that others may follow
John Cringle and Pauline Cringle
ObjectionThese items form a visual eye-sore and are totally out of character with the surrounding area; A view from the front of our house of scaffolding hand railings and large modern extractor units is totally unacceptable; Realistically this is acceptance on the part of the applicant that the installation is unsightly and a mitigation action to hide it, totally disregarding the area status
Mrs J A Salisbury-Jones (via Castletown Heritage)
Conditional No ObjectionThey are very intrusive (see Ava's photographs) and I think, quite unnecessary; To maintain the plant, workmen have to go outside the railings anyway; I would like to see the railings taken down but would not object to the rest
Manx Electricity Authority
Conditional No ObjectionContact the M.E.A. Planning Department (Tel. 687781), to discuss the electricity supply for this application; Contact our Network Operations Department, Manx Electricity Authority, (Tel. 687687) to discuss working practices around Cables and Overhead Lines
Conditions requested: condition of planning be that the applicant must contact the Authority
