Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00547/B Applicant: Mrs Linda Eccles Proposal: Creation of a vehicular access Site Address: 25 Third Avenue Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 4LZ Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken: 02.07.2018 Site Visit: 02.07.2018 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.08.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking area has been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking of vehicles associated with the dwellinghouse and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.

Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety

N 1. The applicant is advised that a S.109a application letter is needed for the new vehicular crossing for the new access.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings and information submitted on the 4th June 2018. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons It is recommended that the following organisation should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

The friends of Onchans Heritage, as they do not own or occupy property that is within 20m of the application site and the development is not automatically required to be the subject of an EIA by Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan, in accordance with paragraph 2B of the Policy and they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status July 2018). _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 25 Third Avenue, Onchan. The property is a mid terrace to the south of the cul-de-sac. PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the creation of a driveway, by the installation of a dropped kerb to provide off road parking for two vehicles. There are would measure 5.0m long and 5.3m wide. The proposal would see the removal of the front boundary wall. The existing front garden is already hard standing with concrete flags. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning application that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being within predominantly residential use under the Onchan Local Plan 2000.

4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application; - 4.3 General Policy 2 (GP2) (in part) Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (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;

• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Onchan District Commissioners has no objection (received on 27/06/18).

5.2 Highways Services have commented and do not object subject to their being a condition that any parked vehicle does not overhang the public footpath, in the interest of highway safety and amenity (received on 27/06/18). - 5.3 A spokesperson from "The Friends of Onchan's Heritage' has commented (25/06/18) to think the covering of front gardens to car parking should be discouraged as it effects the amenity of that property regarding views out of the windows and adjoining property owners. Alleges there is enough room to the rear yard to park alongside the outlet in the rear yard area. ASSESMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are;

• (i) the impact of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the street scene, (ii) the impact of the proposal on the highway.

6.2 The addition of the driveway would see the removal of the entire front garden masonry wall, approx. 500mm in height. As previously noted the front garden is already hard standing with concrete patterned flags. This proposal would replicate what has already been accomplished within the cul-de-sac. - 6.3 Considering the above, the proposal would not appear unpleasant or detract from the existing character and appearance of the dwelling and would seek to replicate what is already evident in the streetscene. It is unclear why the Friends from Onchan Heritage have commented, and it is clear a site visits has not been undertaken prior to submitting comments to understand the wider context, as there are already properties within the streetscene whom have vehicle access to the front of their property. - 6.4 It is further noted that highways services do not object to the proposal.

CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the planning application would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties or the highway network and would comply with aforementioned planning policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval. 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.

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 : 30.08.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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