Erection of two apartment blocks to provide 66 residential apartments with associated car parking, landscaping and drainage infrastructure

Why was this approved?

• Optimising underused brownfield site in sustainable town centre location
• Affordable housing by local authority (all 66 units public rental)
• Parking relaxation justified by low tenant car ownership, public transport access, Active Travel alignment
• Design respects Victorian terrace via bays, colours, stepping massing
• Previous residential approval (13/91517/B) establishes principle
• Tree protection/mitigation despite boundary losses

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Decision & Reasoning

Policies Assessed (9)

Conditions (11)

1. 1

   Time limit

   The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

2. 2

   Car parking and access

   Prior to occupation of the first dwelling, the car parking along with access and turning areas shall be constructed as indicated on the approved plans and shall remain as approved for the duration of occupation of the development.

3. 3

   Cycle parking details

   Within one month of this decision becoming final a detailed scaled plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department which shows at least 66 spaces for cycles parking within the site. This approved scheme is required to be completed and ready for use prior to the occupation of the first apartment and maintained and retained for cycle parking thereafter.

4. 4

   Visibility splays

   The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until the visibility splays as indicated on the Site Plan have been provided and these shall have no obstruction greater than 0.9m above back of footway level and no greater than 1.0m above carriageway level.

5. 5

   Painting scheme

   The painting scheme/colours of the two buildings hereby approved and as shown on drawings A_PL_055 & A_PL_056 shall be completed prior to the occupation of any unit and maintained and retained thereafter unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Department.

6. 6

   Materials schedule

   No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including roofs, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.

7. 7

   Landscaping scheme

   No development shall take place until full details of soft and hard landscaping works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and these works shall be carried out as approved. Details of the soft landscaping works include details of new planting (including tree planting) showing, type, size and position of each. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development. Any trees or plants which die or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species. Details of the hard landscaping works include footpaths and hard surfacing materials. The hard landscaping works shall be completed in full accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the building/s hereby permitted.

8. 8

   Personal - DBC affordable housing only

   This planning approval for 66 apartments can only be taken up by the applicants Douglas Borough Council and may only be occupied for the purposes of Affordable Housing (Public Sector Rentals) as proposed.

9. 9

   Tree retention

   No retained tree shall be cut down, uprooted, destroyed, pruned, cut or damaged in any manner during the development phase and thereafter within 5 years from the date of occupation of the building for its permitted use, other than in accordance with the approved plans and particulars. In the event that retained trees become damaged or otherwise defective during the construction phase due to events outside of the applicant's control the Department shall be notified as soon as reasonably practicable and remedial action agreed and implemented.

10. 10

    Tree protection fencing

    Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the protective fencing shown in the approved Tree Protection Plan (drawing A_PL_058 and AL_PL_058 Rev A - dated as received 4th November and 20th December 2019, respectively) marked as a green line, shall be fully installed and shall be retained for the duration of the construction process.

11. 11

    Replacement tree planting

    The replacement tree planting shall be carried out in accordance with the location and site plan (drawing A_PL_058 and AL_PL_058 Rev A - dated as received 4th November and 20th December 2019, respectively) submitted in support of the application. The planting shall be carried out in the first planting season following the completion of the development. 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, unless the Department gives written consent to any variation.

Public Comments (6)

Consultation Responses

Highways provided detailed comments and recommended DNOC (details no objection) with specific conditions; Forestry (DEFA) had no objection to tree pruning works; Fire & Rescue conditionally supported fire safety exemptions; DOI Housing confirmed no additional affordable housing required; Douglas Borough Council had no objections.