DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00727/B Applicant: Mr George William Loughran Proposal: Ground floor extension of dwelling off rear elevation Site Address: Osborne House 5 Osborne Terrace Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 3LH Planning Officer: Mr Toby Cowell Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.09.2023

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.

• C 2. Prior to the commencement of development, samples of the proposed window frames and door shall be submitted to the Department for approval. The development shall thereafter be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details. Reason: In the interests of safeguarding the character of the Conservation Area.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed development is acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing suitable additions to an existing residential property without resulting in a detrimental impact upon the character of the Conservation Area, and as such comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 3, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following drawings referenced; Location plan Existing and proposed plans and elevations - 1668.1 Received 06.07.23

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site relates to a 4 storey mid-terraced dwellinghouse and its associated curtilage on the Osborne Terrace, Douglas. The property falls within the Windsor Road Conservation Area and comprises one of a row of 7 terraced properties which are present on historic mapping dating from the 1860s. - 1.2 The front elevation of the property is well-recessed from the Osborne Terrace streetscene with the property, as per other properties within the terrace and those within Cambridge Terrace behind, benefitting from substantial well-landscaped front gardens. The rear elevation of the property backs onto Cambridge Terrace, which effectively comprises a Mews frontage along with other properties within the terrace. The property benefits from a rear garage and enclosed yard area which front the rear streetscene.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the erection of a flat roofed infill extension in the rear yard area which would connect to the utility room behind and follow the same roof height. The extension would include a glass lantern at its rear and facilitate a new hallway, EC and enclosed store. The existing oil tank is to be removed and replaced with gas, with the addition of a gas meter box to be installed on the front elevation. - 2.2 The extension would be finished in painted sand cement render as per the existing. The plans indicate that UPVC will be utilised for the new window and door in the font elevation.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 03/00080/B - Remedial alterations to front elevation and erection of replacement rear outlet incorporating garage - Permitted - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The application site is identified in the Area Plan for the East as land zoned for 'predominantly residential' purposes, whilst falling within the Windsor Road Conservation Area.

4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application; Strategic Policy

• 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
• 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact Spatial Policy

• 1 Development in Douglas General Policy
• 2 General Development Considerations

Environment Policy 35 Development within Conservation Areas 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality

4.5 Residential Design Guide (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council - The Council's waste services team have looked at the plans submitted and would kindly request that the applicant/architects provide some additional detail on the proposed bin and recycling storage arrangements. Until such time that this additional information is provide the Council will reserve its comments on the proposed developments. (17.07.23)

The Council has previously reserved comments due to a request for some additional information relating to bin and recycling storage. We have now had the opportunity to discuss the bin storage and the applicant states that there will be bin storage within the curtilage of the development site, as shown on the plans provided.

As this is the case the Council has no objection to the proposed development subject to the bins and recycling receptacles being stored in the designated bin storage area shown on the plans provided. The development must not prevent the bins from being removed from the rear lane after the waste has been collected. (14.09.23)

5.2 Highways Services - Development would have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking, subject to a condition that bin storage must be contained within the site boundary. (14.07.23) - 5.3 Manx National Heritage - No response received at the time of writing.

5.4 Registered Buildings Officer - No response received at the time of writing. - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are as follows:

• - Principle of development (SP1)
• - Design and visual impact (SP5, GP2, EP35, 42)
• - Impact upon neighbouring amenity (GP2, g)
• - Other matters

6.2 PRINCIPLE 6.2.1 The site falls within the settlement boundary of Douglas and an area zoned for residential development, where there is a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing properties provided such development would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.

- 6.3 DESIGN AND VISUAL IMPACT

• 6.3.1 The proposals seek the erection of a small rear infill extension to replace a partially enclosed rear yard area, the height of which would mirror an extension single-storey rear projection to the property set further back from the streetscene. The resultant extension would be marginally recessed from the rear building line of the adjoining garage, and utilise matching materials to the remainder of the property. The proposals are considered to be fairly minor in scale and footprint, and such that they would successfully assimilate with the character and form of the existing property, without detracting from the character of the streetscene or the wider Conservation Area.
• 6.3.2 The proposed use of UPVC for the new window and door is noted. Whilst the use of timber would be preferable in this location, it is acceptable that a wider array of materials are

• already in existence for properties within the immediate locality. Ultimately, the acceptability of the material will depend on its quality and finish, and it is therefore considered prudent that such detail is secured by condition in this instance.
• 6.3.3 Given the above, the proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design and visual impact perspective, in compliance with General Policy 2 (b) & (c) and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Strategic Plan, and in particular without resulting in a material impact upon the character and appearance of the wider Conservation Area.
• 6.4 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.4.1 The proposed rear extension would pose no material impact upon neighbouring amenity as a result of its scale and location within the site relative to adjoining residential properties. No concerns are therefore raised in this respect with the proposals considered to be compliant with General Policy 2 (g).

6.5 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.5.1 Comments received from Highway Services with respect to refuse storage are noted. Such matters however are outside of the control of planning and any future obstruction of the highway from the siting of refuse bins would be subject to enforcement under the Highways Act 1986.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed development is acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing suitable additions to an existing residential property without resulting in a detrimental impact upon the character of the Conservation Area, and as such comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 3, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 35 and 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 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 a Principal Planner 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: 02.10.2023

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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