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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/00457/B Applicant : Manx Utilities Authority Proposal : Installation of a heat pump Site Address : Hillcrest House Baldhoon Road Laxey Isle Of Man IM4 7NE

Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.06.2020 __

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.

C 2. The heat pump hereby approved must not result in a noise that exceeds 42 dB LAeq 5 mins where "LAeq 5 mins" means the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level over 5 minutes when measured at 1 metre external to the centre point of any relevant door or window to any neighbouring building as measured perpendicular to the plane of that relevant door or window.

Reason: for the avoidance of doubt and to safeguard the neighbouring property from unnecessary noise in accordance with General Policy 2.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to accord with GP2 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, as well as wider Government climate change strategy.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 4th May 2020: o Site Plan o Location Plan

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o Details of Air Source Heat Pump to be installed.

This decision also relates to Drawing No. HP190658/1 which was received on the 24th June 2020 and shows the removal of the oil tank.

This decision also related to the assessment of the air source heat pump received on the 24th July 2020 __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 'Hillcrest House,' Baldhoon Road, Laxey is a two storey detached dwelling which is situated to the westerns ide of Laxey on the very western extent of the Laxey Conservation Area and is specifically the last property within the Conservation Area.

THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to install an air source heat pump (ASHP) to generate renewable heating for the dwelling. The air source heat pump would be 1.020m wide, 0.36 deep and have a height of 1.350m.

2.2 The ASHP will be situated next to the already existing oil tank on the south west side elevation between the front and rear of the property and will replace the existing fossil fuel boiler.

2.2 Noise levels provided by the product specifications submitted indicate that the noise emitted by the unit would be 53dB @ 1 metre.

PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.

PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Laxey and Lonan Local Plan 2005, Laxey Map. The property is also within the Laxey Conservation Area. The Laxey and Lonan Local Plan 2005 has a policy which is relevant to the assessment of this application, L/CRB/PR/4 which states, "7.12 Where an area is designated as a conservation area, special attention must be paid during the consideration of all planning applications with the area, to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1991 (12.(4)."

4.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35 and Energy Policy 4.

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4.3 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 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 and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.4 The Strategic Plan also provides guidance on the installation of renewable energy apparatus which states: "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 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.

4.5 Accordingly it is required to assess Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, which states: "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."

4.6 Environment Policy 35 which states: 'Within Conservation Areas, the department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development'.

4.7 Policy CA/2 of Planning Policy 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) is also relevant to this application and states, 'When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area, will be a material consideration when assessing the application. Where a development is proposed for land which, although not within the boundaries of the conservation area, would affect its context or setting, or views into or out of the area; such issues should be given special consideration where the character or appearance of a conservation area may be affected."

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have No Highways Interest in this application (23.06.20).

5.2 No comments have been received from Garff Commissioners at the time of writing this report.

ASSESSMENT

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6.1 The key issue to consider in the assessment of this planning application is the potential impacts upon the streetscene and neighbouring amenity particularly with regard to noise impact.

6.2 When looking at the proposal it will comply with General Policy 2 in respect of non- renewable energy consumption and the general support in the Strategic Plan for the installation of renewable energy installations set out in Energy Policy 4, the application is not required to provide an EIA.

6.3 Whilst the size of the heat pump is large it will be to the north east elevation of the property and directly in front of the already existing oil tank which is to be removed, as such the impact of the air source heat pump will be minimal and should not affect the character or appearance of area.

6.4 In terms of noise impact, the sound pressure level of the heat pump at 53dB @ 1 metre would not be significantly different than that expected from an outdoor oil boiler. For reference, 50dB is similar to the noise generated by light traffic, 60dB that of normal conversation or an air conditioner. During the daytime, few people are annoyed by activities with LAeq levels below 55 dB, however sound pressure levels during the evening and night should be 5-10 dB lower than during the day.

6.5 To protect the possibility of sound pressure levels at the night rising above a nuisance level the sound pressure levels at the outside facades of living spaces should not be in excess 45 dB(A), this is due to the assumed noise reduction being around 15 db(A) from outside to inside with the window partly open.

6.6 When looking at what the noise levels for the proposed equipment would be guidance has been sought from the Microgeneration Installation Standard (MCS020) as there are currently no guidance of standards within the Isle of Man Legislation that would cover noise levels matters from equipment such as air source heat pumps (ASHP) and as such the MCS020 is used by England and Scotland for their air source heat pump permitted development.

6.7 The applicant has filled in the MCS020 assessment which is used to ascertain what the dB(A) would be for the closest assessment position which for the assessing of this application is the bathroom window situated to the rear elevation of "Ivydene Cottage" which is the closest property to the air source heat pump. The final calculation of this assessment has come out at 41.2 dB(A) which is 0.8 dB(A) less than the highest dB(A) of 42 dB(A).

6.8 Whilst the above is evidence that the assessment done by the applicant has put the proposed air source heat pump within the recommended 42 dB(A) for the avoidance of doubt a condition should be attached to this application to prevent the dB(A) being louder.

6.9 Whilst the site lies within the Laxey Conservation Area, the value of this relates to the external appearance of the older properties and street pattern. The erection of an air source heat pump whilst noticeable will not affect the character or appearance of the Conservation Area any more than the oil tank that is to be replaced.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, as well as wider Government climate change strategy and is recommended for approval.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

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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: 24.07.2020

Determining officer Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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