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18/00453/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 18/00453/B Applicant : Mr Andrew & Mrs Anne Roberts Proposal : Installation of a heat pump and ground mounted solar panels Site Address : Spindrift Pooilvaaish Road Balladoole Isle of Man IM9 4PJ
Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 21.06.2018 Site Visit : 21.06.2018 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.06.2018 __
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.
Plans/Drawings/Information:
This decision relates to drawings 01, 02, 03 and 04 all received on 30th April, 2018.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
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Officer’s Report
THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of Spindrift, a detached dwelling which sits on the coastal side of the Poyllvaaish Road alongside Crofton, a recently constructed replacement house which sits to the south, in a generally open and undeveloped landscape which is dominated by the rocky coast to the west.
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1.2 Spindrift is, like Crofton, set back from the highway by over 65m. Crofton is a new dwelling which has traditional elements but a rather more modern annex on its southern side: Spindrift is quite different, being a larger dwelling with a prominent round tower feature.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the installation of an air source heat pump on the north eastern elevation and the installation of ground mounted solar panels alongside the road to the north of the access drive.
2.2 The air source heat pump is 1022mm by 740mm and position at ground level on the single storey part of the building, effectively on the rear of the building.
2.3 The solar panels will be 34 in number and each being 1650mm by 990mm all mounted on a new concrete slab which will be 20m by 9m, the longest length running parallel with the road. The 34 panels will be arranged in two rows of 17. The roadside boundary is formed by a 900mm high stone wall behind which is a hedge which extends up to 1.8m.
PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area not designated for development on the Area Plan for the South (2013). The draft Landscape Character Assessment which was included within the Area Plan contains the following references which are considered relevant to the consideration of the current application:
"Bay ny Carrickey (E9) The overall strategy is to conserve the character, quality and distinctiveness of the tranquil and coastal area with its rich ecological habitats, open and expansive panoramic views, sites of archaeological importance and to conserve the coastal setting of Port St. Mary. Key Views Extensive, panoramic views from Raad ny Foillan across the sweeping and ever- changing seascape to the south.
Open views across the bay, with distant sense of enclosure provided by headlands to the east and west.
Open views across adjacent Undulating Lowland Plain to the north."
"3.20 Implications of the Landscape Character Assessment Landscape Type: Uplands, Incised Slopes, Undulating Lowland Plain Landscape Area: E9 (Bay- ny-Carrickey), A2 (Southern Uplands), D14 (Ballamodha, Earystane and St Mark's), F8 (Poyll Vaaish and Scarlett Peninsula)
i. To protect the tranquil, rural character of the area with its open views."
3.2 The Strategic Plan presumes against development in such areas and particularly that which would adversely affect the character of the countryside - EPs 1 and 2 and GP3.
3.3 Development associated with renewable energy is referred to in the Strategic Plan as follows:
"12.2.8 The Department is fully supportive of the need to secure greater energy efficiency in new and existing development and has recently introduced additional energy efficiency requirements in the Building Regulations 2003. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources are covered in General Policy 2(m) of the Building Regulations. At the same time the Department recognizes that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts. The idea of a wind turbine Installation is currently being investigated and considered by the Manx Electricity Authority. Any feasible site is likely to be exposed and have considerable visual impact. There may also be other impacts such as noise. On a smaller
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scale, the popularity of domestic wind turbines has been increasing in recent years in response to rising energy prices and increasing awareness of climate change.
Planning applications for domestic wind turbines are unlikely to require the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment. The Department will assess any proposals for wind turbine installations by weighing the benefits of using such renewable energy sources against the environmental impact arising in any particular site. It is likely that the visual impact would be less detrimental on a coastal site than on a rural or upland one.
Accordingly:
Energy Policy 4: Development involving alternative sources of energy supply, including wind, water and tide power, and the use of solar panels, will be judged against the environmental objectives and policies set out in this Plan.
Installations involving wind, water and tide power will require the submission of an EIA."
PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The property has been the subject of a number of applications for alterations and extensions, none of which is considered particularly relevant to the consideration of the current application. An application for a wind turbine was approved (88/01196/B).
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services indicate that they have no highway interest in the application (04.06.18).
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue in this case is whether the proposal has any adverse environmental impact and if so, if the environmental benefit of renewable energy outweighs this.
6.2 The proposed air source heat pump will not be publicly visible and will not be sufficiently close to any other property to result in any adverse impact to the living conditions of such persons.
6.3 The panels, whilst close to the road and more substantial, will be largely if not completely hidden behind the roadside hedge. The viewer is mainly looking out towards the coast rather than within the domestic garden of the property.
CONCLUSION 7.1 The property is not in a sustainable location and the installation of renewable energy harnessing infrastructure is to be supported. There is not likely to be a significant visual impact from the panels and would not have a permanent impact on the area. The proposal is considered to accord with EP4.
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:
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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.
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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 : 26.06.2018 Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER
Stephen Butler
Head of Development Management
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