DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 20/00435/B Applicant: Mr Alexander Wigmore And Ms Margaret Bell Proposal: Alterations and extensions to property, including extension in place of existing garage, infill porch and detached garage. Site Address: Booilushag House Booilushag Ballajora Ramsey Isle Of Man IM7 1BD Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken: 03.08.2020 Site Visit: 03.08.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.08.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed works are in compliance with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 4 and 9 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 24th April 2020:

• o Drawing No.01
• o Drawing No.02
• o Drawing No.03
• o Drawing No.04
• o Drawing No.05

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Booilushag House, Booilushag, Ballajora, Ramsey, which is a detached dwelling situated to the end of the south end of the Booilushag estate which is an estate of detached dwellings located to southwest of Maughold Village. - 1.2 The Booilushag Estate is characterised by a mix of dwellings of different form, layouts and appearance, along this road the majority of the dwellings are detached bungalows. Set onto the hillside the estate slopes down towards the coastline and Port Mooar. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval in four sections. - 2.2 Firstly to demolish the existing two car garage to the north of the dwelling and erect a summer room measuring 7.330m by 5.640m with a height of 4.4m at the roof pitch. The summer room is to have the same pitch and height of the existing garage. To the south west elevation double glazed doors with side and upper glazed units is proposed. To the south east elevation double glazed door with side glazed units.

2.2 Secondly an infill area to the existing covered front porch is proposed. This infill area will bring the existing rooms forward by 2.1m. The infill porch will partially be an extension to the existing kitchen and partially to still be used as a porch. Both sides of the porch will have double glazed doors measuring 2m by 1.3m - 2.3 To the rear of the property there is a section of failing glazing units which are proposed to be replaced with a new unit which is follow the existing curvature and will consist of glazed units measuring 6.2m by 1.4m and 2m respectively. - 2.4 Finally there is the erection of a new double garage situated to the south of the plot close to the entrance into the property which measures 6.525m by 7.2m and has a height of 4.9m. To the south east elevation a window measuring 0.8m by 1.1m is proposed, to the south west elevation a door and 10 solar panels are proposed. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are several applications on the site of which the conservatory was approved under the original house application 97/01895/B. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the 1982 Development Plan, North Map. The property is also within an area of Nature Conservation Zones, Nature Reserves and sites of Ecological importance for conservation.

4.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2, Environment Policy 4 and 9.

4.3 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states "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;

• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.4 Environment Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 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 Area of Special Scientific Interest;

or

• (iii) marine Nature Reserves; or
• (iv) National Trust Lane.

• (c) species and habitats of local importance such as Wildlife Sites, local nature reserves, priority habitats or species identifies 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 other, whose importance was not evident at the time of the adoption of the relevant Local or Area Plan, are not, partially 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 Environment Policy 9 of the isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states, "A precautionary approach(1) will be adopted for development relating to land affected, or likely to be affected, by erosion or land instability. In the case of receding cliffs, development will not be permitted in areas where erosion is likely to occur during the lifetime of the building." REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have considered the application and do not oppose (18.05.20).

5.2 Garff Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (27.05.20). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are whether the proposed works would affect the Ecology of the area or affect the property with regards to land erosion and whether the works would affect the character and appearance of the area or the property with regards to neighbouring amenity.

6.2 Ecology and possible coastal erosion.

• 6.2.1 With regards to the natural ecology of the area, both the new garage and the removal of the garage and installation of new summer room are being built away from the main scrub

• land which is situated opposite from Booilushag House, as such the ecology of this area should not be affected by the works.
• 6.2.2 Booilushag House is situated to the eastern side of Booilushag and as such is directly on the coastline where it is known for coastal erosion. Environment Policy 9 is specific in that no development would be accepted in areas where there is receding cliffs. Whilst the property is directly on the coastline with the property being relatively close to this due to a small rear garden, the property to the rear has areas of gabion baskets to help stabilise the coastline just

• as other properties alongside this coastline have done. As such works have been done to stabilise this part of the coast and to assist in the longevity of the property.

6.2.3 The works proposed are situated away from the rear of the property with the only alteration to the rear being the replacement of failed glazing units, whilst the other works are close to the coastline the foundation works should not affect the stability of the property.

6.3 Character and appearance

• 6.3.1 The proposed summer room has been designed to fit within the current property whilst having modern aspects, this can be seen by the glassed area to the south west elevation. The proposed summer room is going to be the same height as the existing garage, as such the impact on the property as a whole will be minimal.
• 6.3.2 The alterations to the bay window cannot be seen from a public vantage point as such the alteration will have a minimal impact on the property and the character of the area as a whole.
• 6.3.3 The infill of the current porch area is proposed to add more space to the current kitchen and to have a covered porch area. The south west elevation of "Booilushag House" already has a substantial amount of glazed areas as such the alteration to add two sliding doors and removal of the existing columns will have a natural effect of the property as a whole.
• 6.3.4 The proposed garage is to supply parking due to the removal of the current garage, this is so that the owners of the property have somewhere covered to put their cars due to the sea air. The garage is to have matching render and tiles to match the current property as such the impact of this on the property as a whole will be minimal.

6.4 Neighbouring amenity.

• 6.4.1 Booilushag is separated into two cul-de-sac's one north and one south with "Booilushag House" being the last property in the south cul-de-sac with "Booilushag House's" neighbour to the north, "Eden" being the last property to the north cul-de-sac. To the south of "Booilushag House" was the neighbouring property of "Denizili" which has been demolished and "Seascape" which is now the closest neighbour to the south.
• 6.4.2 When looking at the demolition of the garage and the erection of summerhouse there is to be no windows or doors to the north elevation as such there would be no overlooking to "Eden," there is also substantial hedging and planning on both boundaries which helps assist in any potential impacts that the summerhouse could have on "Eden." There is also to be no change in height and as such there should be no overbearing or loss of light to "Eden."
• 6.4.3 With regards to the creation of a garage, the closest property which might have been affected would be "Denizil," which is no longer there. When looking at the proposed dwelling under PA19/00951/B, the garage is situated approximately 4m away from the proposed garage

• at "Denizili,"

• 6.4.4 The proposed garage has a height of 4.9m which is a metre less than what is proposed

• at "Denizili" which means that the likelihood at what is proposed garage being overbearing to "Denizili" is minimal. CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the policies in part 4.0 of this report and therefore acceptable. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

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

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 07.08.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.