4 October 2023 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Jason Singleton)
Thie Yernagh, Somerset Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 5ae
The proposal is for a two-storey detached house with an integral garage on a fenced-off vacant plot between two existing large detached dwellings on Somerset Road in Douglas, which was previously garden land attached to Elmwood.
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The officer concluded the proposal accords with Strategic Policies 1 and 2, General Policy 2, Housing Policy 4, Environment Policy 36, and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan …
Strategic Policy 1
Requires optimising use of previously developed/under-used land, efficient site use, and utilising existing infrastructure. The officer assessed the vacant garden plot as suitable for efficient residential development within Douglas, aligning with prior approval.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
Directs new development to existing towns/villages. The site in Douglas settlement boundary satisfies this, with no countryside location issues.
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; protect amenities, highway safety, biodiversity; and provide services without adverse impacts. Proposal met all tests: compatible design, adequate separation/amenity, safe access, drainage condition, no harm to character or views.
Housing Policy 4
Permits new housing in towns/villages. Site location in Douglas and formation of row with existing properties satisfies policy.
Environment Policy 36
Permits development near Conservation Areas if no detrimental effect on views. Proposal not of scale/form to harm views into/out of adjacent Selborne Drive Conservation Area.
Transport Policy 4
Requires highways to accommodate development traffic safely. New access with visibility splays and parking meets standards.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards. Three spaces including garage provided.
Time limit
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.
Materials approval
No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including roofs, cladding and details of the colour and texture of the render, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
Drainage scheme
Details of foul and surface water drainage provision to serve the development, hereby approved, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by DEFA Planning. Such approved drainage scheme shall be installed prior to the development hereby permitted being first occupied and shall thereafter be retained and maintained at all times. Reason: To ensure that the site is adequately drained and does not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere.
Parking and turning
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas, including the space within the garage, have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times. Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
Bird and bat brick plan
Prior to the commencement of the development, hereby approved, a bird and bat brick plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by DEFA Planning. Any bird bricks shall be sited to ensure that they are not placed above any opening windows. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the dwelling and shall be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development. Reason: To minimise any disturbance to nesting birds from occupants of the dwelling opening and closing windows.
Restricted permitted development
Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification), no development shall be undertaken under the following classes of Schedule 1 of the Order at any time: Class 13 - Greenhouses and polytunnels; Class 14 - Extension of dwellinghouse; Class 15 - Garden sheds and summer-houses; Class 16 - Fences, walls and gates; Class 17 - Private garages and car ports; Class 21 - Construction of Decking. Reason: To control future development on the site in the interests of visual and neighbours amenities.
Boundary hedge
Prior to the commencement of the development, hereby permitted, details of the provision of a boundary hedge along the front (north-eastern) site boundary shall be submitted to and approved in writing by DEFA Planning. The hedge shall comprise Manx native species only. The hedge shall be planted in the first planting season (November - March) following the first occupation of the development. Any constituent plants which die, are removed, or become diseased, shall be replaced with similar size and species plants. Thereafter, the hedge shall be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development. Reason: To promote biodiversity on the site.
No significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, subject to the boundary wall fronting the highway being no more than 1m in height. The Applicant will need a s109(a) highway agreement for the new dropped kerb vehicular access.
No objection subject to conditions for bird and bat bricks (specific locations and specifications) and a new native hedge to achieve no net loss for biodiversity.
Highway Services HDC does not oppose the application subject to boundary wall height and highway agreement requirements; DEFA Biodiversity requests wildlife mitigation conditions to achieve no net loss for biodiversity.
Key concern: destruction of an urban green space and replacement with hard surfaces impacting wildlife habitat
Highway Services HDC
Conditional No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking, subject to the boundary wall fronting the highway being no more than 1m in height.
Conditions requested: boundary wall fronting the highway being no more than 1m in height
DEFA Biodiversity
Conditional No Objectionwe believe that wildlife mitigation is required, in order for this application to result in no net loss for biodiversity in accordance with Planning policy.; the proposed fence in the front garden should be replaced/supplemented with the planting of a native hedge, and bat and bird bricks built into the new property.
Conditions requested: no works to commence unless a bird and bat brick plan has been submitted to Planning for written approval which contains details about the specifications and locations of nest bricks suitable for swifts high up on a northern elevation of the new dwelling and a bat brick suitable for crevice roosting species high up on a southern elevation. The bat and bird bricks shall then be installed as shown and retained thereafter.; no works to commence unless a plan has been provided to Planning for written approval, showing the location and species to be used in a new native hedge.
