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Application No.: 18/00002/B Applicant: Alan And Rebecca Macnair Proposal: Alterations and extensions including erection of a new garage, creation of new entrance and stairwell, in filling of existing terrace to facilitate the creation of 3 bedrooms at first floor level, installation of 3 roof lights to existing cottage and alterations at ground floor level. Site Address: Mona Cottage Rear Of 33 Malew Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1AE Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.02.2018 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
This decision relates to drawings 1706-001, 1706-002 and 1706-003 all received on 3rd January, 2018.
None _____________________________________________________________________________
Officer’s Report THE SITE
1.1 The site is the curtilage of Mona Cottage, a detached dwelling which sits to the rear of Mona House. The latter has been the subject of a recent application for conversion and extension to form 5 apartments (16/00623/B). This showed the layout of the site including the provision of parking spaces on the other side from where the proposed garage is to be erected. - 1.2 The Mona Cottage site abuts that of Mona House and vehicular access is available to the former through an existing gate alongside two parking spaces, in the southern corner of the site. The garage serving 35, Arbory Street is attached to the application cottage and accesses the public highway through the curtilage of Mona House. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Proposed is the erection of a garage serving Mona Cottage. The building will be 4.8m external width /4.1m internal width but only has a single garage door to the south of the structure, enabling only one motor car to be accommodated. The internal length is almost 6m which would enable a motorcycle and bicycles to be able to get past a medium sized parked vehicle and also park there at the same time. - 2.2 The garage will be single storey with a roof pitched at 30 degrees with the ridge running parallel with the boundary and with those of the adjacent buildings. The external finishes will be painted render and slate to match the existing. A pedestrian door and window will be inserted into the side elevation facing the house. - 2.3 Also proposed is the conversion of an existing integral garage alongside that serving number 35, to additional living accommodation and the garage door opening changed to a pedestrian door with fixed side light and GRP canopy above. An existing square window alongside is to be blocked up. Rooflights are to be introduced in the pitch of the cottage which faces Mona House - three rooflights each approximately 600mm by 900mm. - 2.4 Also, on the rear elevation, facing away from Mona House, the existing patio doors are to be replaced with new uPVC or aluminium sliding doors within the same aperture. - 2.5 On the same elevation, a first floor balcony is to be removed on the southern corner of the building and the walling squared off with the remainder of the building. Internally, the staircase is to be relocated from a spiral stair on the southern side of the building to the north eastern, alongside the new pedestrian entrance in place of the garage door, and the other existing entrance on the southern side, is to be closed off. The upper floor which is currently a billiard room and bathroom, will become three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South (2013) as Mixed Use and within the town's Conservation Area. As such, Environment Policy 35 is the most relevant policy, which requires, along with Planning Policy Statement 1/01, for development to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, along with General Policy 2 which sets out the general standards of development to achieve the following:
3.2 It should be noted that the amount of car parking is being changed in that the integral garage is being removed and whilst the access to the site is being retained, it will now only serve a single garage rather than a larger area which could accommodate more than one vehicle. PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 There have been various applications submitted for this property for alterations, garages and a garden room which don't appear to have been implemented. None is considered relevant to the consideration of the current application. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services initially commented that the proposals were acceptable other than the garage door being widened to 2.4m but this was on the basis that there were 5 parking spaces available to the property which there are not (23.02.18). On reappraising the application, they advise that
"Following the previous highway response dated 19th January 2018, clarification on the proposals has been provided in light of the highway comments made. It is noted that the 5 no. site parking spaces shown on the site plan are only available for the adjacent Mona House and not Mona Cottage which is the subject of this application.
In accordance with the Department of Infrastructure's 'Manual for Manx Roads' document, the proposed replacement garage can be counted as a car parking space provided that the garage door width is increased to 2.4m to comply with minimum standards. The size of the existing integral garage is slightly below the minimum standard for a space and therefore the proposed garage would be better than the current garage. However, the new garage would be sited where cars can currently park.
The proposal would change the dwelling from a 1 bedroom to a 3 bedroom dwelling. The parking standards in 'The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016' require 2 parking spaces for a 3 bedroom dwelling. Only one space would be provided on the site in the new garage. 'The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016' states that "in general, the need to find a use for redundant buildings which are in sound condition will outweigh the drawback of any shortfall in parking provision." On this basis, the shortfall of a parking space on the site is considered acceptable provided that the garage remains available for a car to park at all times which needs to be secured via a planning condition.
Highway Services do not oppose the application subject to the proposed garage door being widened to 2.4m and a planning condition for the garage to be unobstructed and available for parking at all times prior to the development being brought into use" (23.02.18).
5.2 Castletown Commissioners have not commented. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The physical alterations to the building will not have any adverse impact on the appearance of the property nor any adverse impact on the living conditions of those in nearby property due to their position and nature. The impact therefore is neutral and the character and appearance of the Conservation Area will be preserved.
6.2 Of perhaps most concern is the loss of parking space. However, given the location of the site in a town centre and the ability of the proposed garage to accommodate one full sized
vehicle and with space for motorcycles and bicycles, this is considered to be acceptable: in particular, the views of Department of Infrastructure are noted.
CONCLUSIONS
7.1 The scheme is considered to accord with the Strategic Plan policies GP2 and EP35 and 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:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 08.03.2018 Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
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