97091

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                                      23/00926/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/00926/B Applicant : Mr Christopher & Mrs Dawn Radcliffe Proposal : Widening of driveway and vehicular access (part retrospective) Site Address : 4 Hedgerow Close Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1NH

Planning Officer: Mr Hamish Laird Photo Taken : 06.09.2023 Site Visit : 06.09.2023 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.09.2023 __

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.

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 (b), (c) & (g) of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Residential Design Guide 2021

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to:

Site Location Plan edged red - scale 1:1,250; Proposed Site Layout Plan - scale 1:50; and, Proposed Visibility Splay Plan - scale 1:500;

and, documents - all date stamped and received 7 August, 2023.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None.

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                                      23/00926/B                                     Page  2  of  4

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the 2-storey, detached, residential dwelling at 4 Hedgerow Close, Douglas, which is brick/render construction under a tiled roof, and has a garage attached to its SE side. Hedgerow Close is a small cul-de-sac containing 9 similar such dwellings located on the western side of Douglas. The surroundings comprise residential development.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application proposes the "Widening of the driveway and vehicular access (part retrospective)" which currently serves the property. Some of the works involving ground clearance and partial hedgerow removal have already been undertaken. The proposal would involve widening the existing access by extending the drop-kerb by 2.2m. The driveway would be enlarged accordingly and surfaced with Tegula paving. The bulk of the roadside boundary hedge (9.85m) would remain. The width of the driveway would be expanded from 4.83m to the font of the garage only, to 11.13m across part of the front of the dwelling. A grassed area in the front garden closest to the neighbouring dwelling at No. 2 Hedgerow Close, would remain.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 PA 85/01121/B - Erection of a 4 bedroomed detached house, with integral garage, Plot B, Hedgerow Close, Ballaughton Park, Saddlestone Valley, Douglas, was Permitted on 01.01.1994.

PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the East. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider paragraph 8.12.1 and the general design standards set out in General Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 along with the general advice set out in 6.3 of the Residential Design Guide in respect of driveways and car parking and not removing over 50% of the garden area.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.0 The following representations can be found online in full:

5.1 Douglas Council comments: No objections. (18/8/23)

5.2 Highways Services - comments (11/8/23) - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking. A S109a highway agreement will be required for the extended dropped kerb footway.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main consideration of this application is the removal of part of the frontage hedge and part of the lawned/landscaped front garden.

6.2 The Hedgerow Close street scene is defined by the reasonably sized front gardens, all of which have vehicular access and parking to the font of each dwelling with each being served by a garage. The proposed development, which has commenced, would involve the loss of a 2.0 m length of frontage boundary hedge and a reduction in the area of front lawn. It is noted that all the dwellings on this late c. 20 residential development have on plot parking, and the widening of the present access and extension of the existing parking area would not appear out of keeping with other dwellings in Hedgerow Close. Whilst the remaining garden area serving No. 4, post development would cover less than 50% of the existing garden front area, the bulk of the front boundary hedge would remain.

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6.3 In examining the proposal it is noted that the Department seeks that at least 50% of the lawned/landscaped areas are preserved to ensure that the frontage of properties are not totally hard surfaced. The reasoning for this is to ensure that the character of the street-scene is retained, and avoid frontages of properties appearing as one large car parking area which would have an adverse impact the visual amenities of the street-scene and the individual property.

6.4 In the case of this application, whilst only part of the frontage hedge (2.0m) would be removed and the majority of the front garden area taken up with hard standing, it is considered that the development would not have an unduly adverse visual impact on the character of the site and surroundings and that post development, the remaining hedge would be the dominant feature characterising the front of the property, as viewed from the public realm.

6.5 Furthermore Section 6.3 of the Residential Design Guide (2021) states, "6.3.1 Front gardens provide an important physical boundary between a dwelling and the public realm. They can enhance the privacy of a dwelling, as well as filtering out the noise and air pollutants produced by pedestrians and motorised traffic.

6.3.2 Front gardens with perimeter walls, hedges, or fences can offer safer spaces in which children can play and they often contribute to the natural habitat of wildlife. Urban green space has a positive effect on health and wellbeing, by enhancing sensory and aesthetic awareness."

6.6 Whilst this proposal would result in more than 50% of the front garden being given over to a driveway and on plot vehicle parking, it would nevertheless, be largely screened from the public realm by the retained hedge and whilst contrary to the Residential Design Guide, it is not considered to be unacceptably harmful to the visual quality and character of Hedgerow Close, and is acceptable as per the provisions of General Policy 2 (b), (c) & (g).

CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with the requirements of General Policy 2 (b), (c) & (g) of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Residential Design Guide 2021 therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.

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 The application seeks the loss of more than 50% of the front landscaped garden and front boundary wall which would be unduly detrimental to the appearance of the street scene and to

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the individual property contrary to General Policy 2 (b), (c) & (g) of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Residential Design Guide 2021.

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 : J SINGLETON

Jason Singleton

Principal Planner

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.