DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00594/B Applicant: Kinrade Construction Limited Proposal: Cladding of existing southern elevation following remedial structural repair work Site Address: Victory House Prospect Hill Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 1EQ Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.06.2022

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. It is considered that the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 and have no adverse impact to public or private amenities.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings all received on 17.05.2022. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the commercial curtilage of Victoria House, Prospect Hill, Douglas, a five-storey office building located on the east of Prospect Hill.

1.2 The building has two entrances. One on the north end of the building and one close to the south end of the building. The property has three publically viewable elevation, each being different, the front being pebble dash finish, the gable elevation painted render although the top section having a metal panelling system coloured in white and the rear (facing M&S) is red brick.

2.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 2.1 There are a number of planning applications associated with this site but none are considered relevant.

3.0 THE PROPOSAL - 3.1 The application seeks approval for the Cladding of existing southern gable elevation following remedial structural repair work. The proposal is to retain the existing metal panelling at the upper section of the gable wall but install a panelling system in a light colour up to ground floor level which would remain as render. This ground floor section runs immediately adjacent to the public footpath (steps).

4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES - 4.1 The application site is located within an area designated as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the East 2020. The site is not within a Conservation Area, but is directly opposite Athol Street Conservation Area. - 4.2 Due to the designated of the site, and the nature of the proposed development, the following Planning Policy is relevant in the consideration of the application:- - 4.3 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."

4.4 Environment Policy 36 status: "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services within the Department of Infrastructure consider the proposal and has no objection (27.05.2022). - 5.2 Douglas Borough Council do not object (07.06.2022).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 General Policy 2 from the Strategic Plan supports in principle the development, so long as this would not adversely affect the character of the property or the character of the surrounding area in general. The works would not be especially apparent given the location of neighbouring buildings. Notwithstanding this the works would be appropriate for this building having not adverse impacts to warrant a refusal.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Overall, it is considered that the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 and have no adverse impact to public or private amenities and it is therefore recommended that the application be approved.

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 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 : 24.06.2022 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler 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.