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17/01127/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 17/01127/B Applicant : Mr Jason Hyett & Ms Janine Jeffcoate Proposal : Alterations and erection of a single and two storey extension Site Address : Knocksharry Farm Ramsey Road Peel Isle of Man IM5 2AF
Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 23.11.2017 Site Visit : 23.11.2017 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.12.2017 __
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Plans/Drawings/Information:
This decision relates to drawings P-03 and P-04 received on 27th October, 2017 and P-01A and P-02A received on 10th November, 2017.
__ Interested Person Status - Additional Persons None __
Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of Knocksharry Farmhouse - the footprint of the farmhouse itself and also around 8 acres of land to the north west, north, east and south, all of which lies on the north western side of the A4 coast road between Peel and Kirk Michael opposite the north western end of the Switchback Road.
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17/01127/B Page 2 of 4
1.2 The house is a relatively substantial one, compared with those dwellings in the vicinity - notably 1 and 2, Knocksharry Cottages which lie to the south, separated from the application site by a range of farm buildings which have been converted to residential accommodation (PAs 06/01722/B, 07/00615/B, 08/00760/B, 09/01791/B and 15/00507/B). The house is currently in need of attention in terms of maintenance and the rear extension is not complete.
1.3 Knocksharry House was built as a replacement for a former dwelling which appears to have been in existence for some time. No planning approval has been found for the erection of the dwelling which was the subject of an application for alterations, indicating that it was occupied as a dwelling prior to its replacement. The application for the replacement of the dwelling was approved under PA 90/01792/B. A subsequent application for extension was also approved - PA 02/01380/B.
1.4 The site is accessed by its own lane to the north east of the site, leading directly onto the A4.
1.5 The dwelling is visible from the A4 from the north where the northern elevation is visible from a distance of around 350m although screened by trees. There is also a view of the building from the coastal footpath at a distance of between 500m and 250m. This view begins from the south with a glimpse of the chimney of the application property extension and that of the adjacent barn and house and as the viewer proceeds northwards more of the barn and the application property are visible, with a clear view of the northern elevation (the gable of the main house and the northern elevation of the extension) across the fields. The view is of long buildings of traditional proportions but with modern elements such as the gable window in the barn which has white shutters on each side and the eaves level peaks on the application property rear extension and the long apertures on ground floor level.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the demolition of part of the rear extension and the erection of a new rear extension which is the same projection but subdivided into three sections, the forwardmost part of which steps down 0.5m from the height of the rest of the annex. A section 1m wide which is to be glazed will separate the two levels of the extension and within the end there will be cut in a balcony area with a similar glass sided corner to the floor below. The extension will feature small, square windows, slim, taller windows and significant areas of glazing on the rear facing gable elevation.
2.2 Also proposed is a single storey side elevation which is flat roofed with lantern lights on the northern side of the rear annex. This will be partly clad in stone on the elevation which projects beside the main front elevation and beside this will be a barbecue area which is a small, partly enclosed area alongside the flat roofed annex.
2.3 The accommodation to be provided is a double height master bedroom, a multi-purpose room in the basement and a lounge on the ground floor with a dining room in the flat roofed extension.
PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies in an area not designated for a particular purpose on The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 and within an area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. As such, development is generally discouraged and the protection of the character of the countryside is of paramount importance.
3.2 General Policy 3 and Housing Policies 15 and 16 make provision for the extension of existing dwellings in certain circumstances.
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3.3 Housing Policies 15 and 16 provide guidance on two different sorts of houses - traditional ones and those which are not traditional or of poor form. In this case, the original part of the house is certainly traditionally styled. However, the extension is longer than is usually found on traditional properties and the arrangement of windows, whilst symmetrical, are not traditional (a four window arrangement with four doors below). The overall impression is still of a traditional building but with a not particularly sympathetic extension added. As such, both policies are given below.
Housing Policy 15: "The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)."
Housing Policy 16: "The extension of non-traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public."
PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The planning history of the application building is given at 1.3 with that for the agricultural buildings alongside in 1.2.
4.2 16/00145/LAW granted a Certificate of Lawful Use to the dwelling as a private dwelling and not tied to agricultural occupation, subject to a condition as follows:
"No approval is hereby granted to the status of all of the area edged red in the submitted plans as residential. Prior to the occupation of the dwelling as a private residence, the Department shall have approved a further plan depicting a smaller residential curtilage appropriate to the dwelling and thereafter the status of the land outwith this area shall remain agricultural/open space.
Reason: To maintain the rural character of the site."
4.3 A further drawing was submitted which clarified which parts of the site were the residential curtilage. This does not accord with the site plan originally submitted and amended plans have been sought.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services indicate that: "The proposals are to extend the existing property but given the distance the site is from the public highway and the fact that there is ample room for additional car parking should it be required, the proposals are considered acceptable from a highways aspect. There are no suggested conditions" (15.11.17).
5.2 No response has been received from German Parish Commissioners at the time of writing (08.01.18).
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue in this case is whether the proposed extension has any adverse impact on the character and appearance of the existing dwelling, taking into account Housing Policy 15's requirement for extensions to respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. The existing main dwelling is built on a traditional style, albeit of large proportions although what was built but not completed is perhaps larger than what is generally prescribed in Planning Circular 3/91. Given that that extension is already there though, the size of the proposed main extension, given that it is no larger than this, cannot be an issue.
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6.2 The new extension will be more modern than what it replaced, as well as the house to which it will be attached but will visually break the mass of the extension into a number of smaller parts with the last part of the extension stepping down in height. As such, it is considered that the approach and the final impact of the proposed extension has no greater impact in visual or environmental terms than does the existing.
6.3 The extension can only be publicly visible from the footpath and one view from people approaching Knocksharry from the north. The latter view is at a distance where the details of the proposal would not be particularly noticeable over what exists. From the footpath, the new glazed gable will be visible but will appear as a more broken form with different levels of ridge highlighting the reduction in continuous roof at the one level.
6.4 The extension cannot be considered to fully accord with Housing Policy 15 in that it is different in style and finish to what exists. However, this approach is considered to be interesting and will have an acceptable impact from those limited areas where the public would have a view.
CONCLUSION 7.1 The application is supported.
INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
8.2 The decision-maker must determine:
whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. __
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : Permitted
Committee Meeting Date: 15.01.2018
Signed : C Balmer Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required
YES/NO
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