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                                      18/00098/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 18/00098/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs Raymond Scott Proposal : Erection of two storey extension to side of property Site Address : 1 Lower Cronk Orry Minorca Hill Laxey Isle of Man IM4 7EG

Case Officer : Mr Owen Gore Photo Taken : 15.03.2018 Site Visit : 15.03.2018 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.05.2018 __

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.

C 2. All external facing and roofing materials to be used in the building works shall match those of the existing building in respect of type, colour and finish.

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area in accordance with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

C 3. The replacement tree planting shall be carried out in accordance with drawing No.17 1239-8 - Tree Plan received by email 15 May 2018 and the approved details submitted in support of the application. The works shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the completion or occupation of any part of the development (whichever is the sooner,) or otherwise in accordance with a programme to be agreed. Any trees which, within a period of 5 years from their planting, die, are removed, or, in the opinion of the Department, become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced as is reasonably practicable or in the next planting season with others of similar size, species and number as originally approved. The hard landscape works shall be carried out prior to the occupation of the development.

Reason: To safeguard the appearance of the development and the surrounding area in accordance with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

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                                      18/00098/B                                     Page  2  of  4

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This Planning permission relates to the following plans and documents: -

Drawing No.17 1239-5 - Site and Location Plan Drawing No.17 1239-1 - Existing Ground Floor Plan Drawing No.17 1239-2 - Existing First Floor Plan & Elevations Drawing No.17 1239-3 - Proposed Ground Floor Plan Drawing No.17 1239-4 - Proposed First Floor Plan & Elevations Drawing No.17 1239-8 - 3D Views Photographs Date-stamped as having been received 01 February 2018

Plan of Tree Locations Drawing No.17 1239-8 - Tree Plan Date-stamped as having been received 17 May 2018

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The application site is part of an estate off of Minorca Hill. The properties in the estate sit on the hillside, looking down to Laxey River and are bounded to the north by the Manx Electric Railway. The property is a dwellinghouse built in the early 1990's; it has stone detailing and a front facing gable.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal is to erect a two storey side extension to the eastern gable elevation, set back from the front facing gable and set below the ridgeline of the dwelling.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site is shown on the Laxey and Lonan Local Plan Order 2005 map No.1 as being within the local plan area and the property is designated within an Area of Predominantly Residential Use. The application site is not located within a Conservation Area. General Policy 2 applies to proposals that are in accordance with the land-use zoning and states that development will normally be permitted where it: -

(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; (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;

3.2 Within chapter 8 of the Strategic Plan, paragraph 8.12.1, in relation to extensions to Dwellings in built up areas or sites designated for residential use, it states 'As a general policy, in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general'.

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                                      18/00098/B                                     Page  3  of  4

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they do not oppose in the letter dated 28 February 2018.

5.2 Garff Commissioners have been consulted on this application but had not provided comments at the time of writing.

5.3 The arboricultural officer has provided comments on the proposal and has indicated that there are two trees which might be impacted by this proposal. One tree is an early mature ash tree which is sub-dominant to its larger neighbour, and is generally a poor quality specimen. The other is a more valuable tree being a large mature specimen of good form. Both trees are visible from Lower Cronk Orry and Minorca Crescent.

5.4 It was considered that the proposed works would likely harm the trees, either dying as a result of construction activities, or dieback to extent that there amenity value would be significantly reduced. There would also likely be future pressure to remove them due to the unattractive appearance of deadwood and concerns about risk to people and/or property.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The design of the extension is generally in keeping with the property itself. The design maintains the use of materials, by including the parapet gable and the feature band that runs below the first floor windows; however the positioning and style of the windows on the proposed extension is different to the main dwelling. The proposal also includes a new access door through the utility room, above which is a flat-roofed rain porch.

6.2 Given that the extension is set back from the highway and there is limited opportunity to see these aspects, outside of the cu-de-sac, they are not considered significantly harmful.

6.3 The proposal faces towards the neighbouring properties to the north, although due to the orientation of these properties and their raised elevation, there isn't a clear unencumbered view into their windows. The proposed Juliet balcony on the rear of the proposed extension will look down the properties on Minorca Crescent; however it is approx. 26m from the closest property and approx. 13m from the rear boundary of No.4.

6.4 There are several trees around the property, the closest of which are two on the lower garden level. Following discussions, it was agreed that the smaller, sub-dominant ash tree should be show as being removed, as it is a generally a poor quality specimen and the larger neighbour, being a large mature specimen and more valuable, as being retained but acknowledged that some damage that may be caused.

6.5 To mitigate loss of/impact to existing trees, the applicant has agreed to submit additional details of tree planting to be undertaken. The planting of 4 replacement trees (2 small- medium sized ornamentals & 2 larger trees) is considered satisfactory; the replacement trees will be located elsewhere on the site.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristics of the existing building or the character of its surroundings and it would not result in a significant adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring residents. On-site parking provision is adequate and complies with the standards set out in Appendix 7 'Parking Standards'. The proposal therefore complies with General Policy 2.

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                                      18/00098/B                                     Page  4  of  4

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: 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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.

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I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 30th May 2018

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

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