Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00999/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Eifon Oldfield Proposal: Alterations, erection of a link extension, conversion of existing out building to provide additional living accommodation and installation of a flue Site Address: Rhen Wee Cottage Regaby West Road Andreas Isle Of Man IM7 3HL Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken: 04.10.2018 Site Visit: 04.10.2018 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.10.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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 converted barn hereby approved may be used only in association with the main dwelling house "Rhenwee House" and for purposes incidental to the use of main dwelling house "Rhenwee House" as a single dwelling, for no commercial purposes and only in accordance with the internal layout shown on plan 02 received on the 20th September 2018.

Reason: The dwelling is within a single residential plot within an area not designated for development. The application does not propose to create separate units of accommodation within the site and has not been considered as such.

• C 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification) no extension, enlargement or other alteration of the dwelling(s) hereby approved, other than that expressly authorised by this approval, shall be carried out, without the prior written approval of the Department. Reason: To control development in the interests of the amenities of the surrounding area.

• C 4. No development shall commence until a bat survey has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The bat survey shall identify impacts on bat species together with mitigation, where appropriate, including a timetable for its implementation. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details. Reason: To provide adequate safeguards for the bats.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings reference numbers 0, 02 and Structural Report prepared by John Gray Ltd all received on 20th September 2018. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

THE PLANNING APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT RECOMMENDED FOR AN APPROVAL

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Rhenwee Cottage, a two storey detached cottage located on the southern side of the Regaby West Road, Andreas.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This planning application seeks approval for the alterations, erection of a link extension, conversion of existing out building to provide additional living accommodation and installation of a flue.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications; however, only the following is considered relevant in the determination of this application: - 3.2 Alterations to sun room extension (retrospective) - 13/91055/B 0 - APPROVED - 3.3 Erection of sun room extension - 11/01482/B - APPROVED - 3.4 Alterations and erection of extension - 08/01883/B - APPROVED - 3.5 Creation of new vehicular access - 08/01882/B - APPROVED

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area recognised as being an area of land not designated for development, under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982. The site is not a within a Conservation Area nor within an area zoned as high landscape value or costal value and scenic significance. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

4.3 Environment Policy 1 states: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative." - 4.4 Environment Policy 4 states: "Development will not be permitted which would adversely affect:

• (a) species and habitats of international importance:

• (i) protected species of international importance or their habitats; or
• (ii) proposed or designated Ramsar and Emerald Sites or other internationally important sites.

• (b) species and habitats of national importance:

• (i) protected species of national importance or their habitats;
• (ii) proposed or designated National Nature Reserves, or Areas of Special Scientific Interest; or
• (iii) Marine Nature Reserves; or
• (iv) National Trust Land.

• (c) species and habitats of local importance such as Wildlife Sites, local nature reserves, priority habitats or species identified in any Manx Biodiversity Action Plan which do not already benefit from statutory protection, Areas of Special Protection and Bird Sanctuaries and landscape features of importance to wild flora and fauna by reason of their continuous nature or function as a corridor between habitats. Some areas to which this policy applies are identified as Areas of Ecological Importance or Interest on extant Local or Area Plans, but others, whose importance was not evident at the time of the adoption of the relevant Local or Area Plan, are not, particularly where that plan has been in place for many years. In these circumstances, the Department will seek site specific advice from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry if development proposals are brought forward."

4.5 Housing Policy 15 states: "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)." - 4.6 Housing Policy 11 states: "Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where:

• (a) redundancy for the original use can be established;
• (b) the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation;
• (c) the building is of architectural, historic, or social interest;
• (d) the building is large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building;
• (e) residential use would not be incompatible with adjoining established uses or, where appropriate, land-use zonings on the area plan; and
• (f) the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure. Such conversion must:

• (a) where practicable and desirable, re-establish the original appearance of the building; and
• (b) use the same materials as those in the existing building. Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form. Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Andreas Parish Commissioner's do not object (08.10.2018). - 5.2 The Senior Biodiversity Officer - DEFA (18.10.2018) - comments that there is the potential for bats being present in the building and a bat survey should be undertaken.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The principal issues to consider in the assessment of the application are; the impact upon the character and appearance of the property and the impact upon the character and appearance of the area in general. - 6.2 The existing property is apparent when approaching the site, albeit the roadside landscaping reduces such views. This application needs to be considered against three policies Housing Policy 11 (conversion of the outbuilding), Housing Policy 15 (extension to traditional dwellings) and Environment Policy 4 (protected species - bats). - 6.3 In terms of new extension, only the rear single storey link increases the footprint of the dwelling (11sqm), this connects the sunroom wit.h the proposed converted barn (master bedroom and sitting room). In terms of the percentage increase, if with the recently completed sunroom extension is taken into account, the proposal overall works would still be under the 50% threshold generally permitted. - 6.4 The extension is attached to the proposed converted barn, which meets all the required test of HP11, perhaps with the exception of part of the front wall/doorway & window being replaced with a pair of double glazed doors. However, it is still considered to retain the quality and character of the traditional barn and with the link, would sensitively re-use the existing building to provide additional accommodation for the occupants of the main dwelling house. - 6.5 In terms of the protection of bats, a condition should be attached which requires a bat survey being undertaken and submitted to the Department before any works commence.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 For these reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the Strategic Plan and therefore recommended for an approval. - 8.0 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.

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: 29.10.2018

Signed : C BALMER Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).

Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below

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