DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00849/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Jason and Amanda Mead Proposal: Alterations including re-roofing of asbestos tiles with new slate tiles and the removal of chimney and two roof lights Site Address: Thie Carr Main Road Ballaugh Isle Of Man IM7 5EG Planning Officer: Mr Hamish Laird Photo Taken: 06.09.2023 Site Visit: 06.09.2023 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 25.09.2023

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.

N. The applicant is advised that the removal of asbestos from the site should be undertaken by a suitably qualified and licensed contractor in accordance with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Overall it is concluded that the planning application accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to:

• Pic 6 - Site Location Plan showing site edged red @scale 1:1,250; and, and Site Plan showing site edged red @scale 1:500;

• Pic 2 - Picture of replacement natural slate to be used;
• Pic 3 - Picture of chimney to be removed from the rear roof-slope as highlighted by green edging; Pic 5 - Picture of front elevation and roof-slope of the house showing the 2 No. roof-lights to be removed as highlighted by green edging;

• Pic 7 - Quote for work outlining specification of schedule of works for the removal of slates, rear chimney stack, 2 No. roof-lights. Supply and fix of new felt and battens and fitting of natural slate to front and rear roof-slopes along with sundry items.

• all date stamped and received 1 August, 2023. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following persons should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

Society For The Preservation Of The Manx Countryside And The Environment as they do not clearly identify the land which is owned or occupied which is considered to be impacted on by the proposed development in accordance with paragraph 2A of the Policy; are not within 20m of the application site and the development is not automatically required to be the subject of an EIA by Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan, in accordance with paragraph 2B of the Policy; as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is a 2 storey, semi-detached, residential dwelling of render construction under a gabled roof of asbestos plain tiles at Thie Carr located adjacent to the Raven PH on the Main Road running through Ballaugh, on the NW side of Ballaugh Bridge. The dwelling faces out onto the road and has main 3-pot chimney stack on its SW facing end gable, with a further single pot chimney stack on its rear roof slope close to the attached dwelling at Ballamoar Cottage. The surroundings comprise a mix of residential and commercial development. The site lies within the settlement boundary of Ballaugh and close to the village centre.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application proposes the "Alterations including re-roofing of asbestos tiles with new slate tiles and the removal of chimney and two roof lights". As indicated above, the single pot chimney stack on the rear roof-slope is proposed to be removed along with the 2 No. rooflights on the front roof-slope facing the Main Road. The apertures would be roofed over with the new slate tiles.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no record of any previous planning applications on this site.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential as outlined in Draft Proposals Map 13 'BALLAUGH' in the Area Plan for the North and West published 24th June, 2022. The site is not within a Conservation Area.

4.3 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains one policy that is considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

4.4 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."

4.5 Residential Design Guide 2021

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Ballaugh Parish Commissioners - no comments had been received by the Report drafting stage. - 5.2 Highway Services (11.08.2023) comments that it has no highway interest in the application. - 5.3 The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and the Environment (26/8/23) comments: "We support the application and congratulate the applicant on their proposals."

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key issue to considerer in the assessment of this planning application is the potential impacts upon the visual amenities of the street scene. POTENTIAL IMPACTS UPON THE VISUAL AMENITIES OF THE STREET SCENE

6.1 In relation to the removal of the chimney stack; chimneys can play an important role in the overall design and character of the street scene and to lose chimneys in some areas can result in a detrimental impact upon the visual amenities to the street scene and upset the appearance of the locality. However, in this case the chimney stack to be removed is a subservient, single pot stack sited on the rear roof-slope, and its design and appearance of not have significant architectural interest to warrant its retention. - 6.2 The removal of the 2 No. roof-lights, whilst adding to the character of the dwelling, are rather small and along with the removal of the asbestos roof tiles, would be difficult to retain in situ. In addition, they do not meet the requirements of modern safety standards. The site is

• also not within a Conservation Area. Accordingly, these aspects of the proposal are considered to be acceptable.
• 6.3 The support of The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and the Environment for this proposal is noted.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 Overall it is concluded that the planning application accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Residential Design Guide 2021 as such the planning application is 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.

Recommendation - Grant planning permission subject to conditions _____________________________________________________________________

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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