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20/00530/B Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/00530/B Applicant : Elliott Construction Ltd Proposal : Conversion of an apartment (class 3.4) into two apartments (class 3.4) Site Address : 19 Waterloo Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1DT
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.07.2020 __
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 development hereby approved shall not be occupied until a secure and covered bicycle store has been provided in accordance with details which have first been approved in writing by the Department. The secure and covered bicycle store shall be retained and available at all times thereafter.
Reason: To promote sustainable travel in the interests of reducing pollution and congestion.
C 3. Prior to occupation of the flats the lightwells shown on drawing 104 dated 12th May 2020 must be constructed and retained as such thereafter.
Reason: In the interests of public amenity
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The alteration from one, two bedroomed apartment to two, one bedroomed apartments complies with GP2, EP36. HP17 and TP1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.
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Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 24th July 2020: o Drawing No. 101 o Drawing No. 103 Rev A __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 19 Waterloo Road, which is currently a vacant traditional 4 storey boarding house to the middle of a terrace of properties to the North East of Waterloo Road. The property itself is almost an end of terrace property with its neighbour to the north being a different property in size and type.
1.2 The property features a basement level, three full levels and an attic level above, with pitched roof dormer windows at both the front and rear elevations. The front elevations feature 4 pane sliding sash timber windows on the primary levels.
THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to convert the two bedroomed apartment situated on the ground floor and basement into two separate one bedroomed apartments.
2.2 Both apartments will consist of living/dining/kitchen to the ground floor level and one bedroom with toilet AT basement level.
2.3 Additional drawings were received on the 24th July 2020 which removed the rear Juliet balcony.
PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The two previous applications are relevant in the assessment of this application, PA19/00835/B and PA19/01277/B.
3.2 PA19/00835/B was for "Alterations and conversion from boarding house to 4 apartments" which was approved.
3.3 PA19/01277/B was for "Conversion of boarding house to provide five self-contained apartments" which was refused for the following reason, "Whilst the proposed change to self- contained apartments seems viable the basement flat does not provide a suitable pleasant clear outlook from the main principle room or the secondary principle room and as such is against Housing Policy 17."
PLANNING POLICY
4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider Strategic Policy
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12, General Policy 2, Environment Policy 36, Housing Policy 17 and Transport Policy 1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
4.2 Strategic Policy 12 states "Favourable consideration will generally be given to proposals for improving the quality and condition of the existing housing stock and for the creation of flats by conversion of redundant boarding houses, and vacant or under-used space above commercial premises subject to compliance with detailed standards."
4.3 General Policy 2 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 Environmental Policy 36 states "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."
4.5 Housing Policy 17 states "The conversion of buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential area provided that: (a) adequate space can be provided for clothes-drying , refuse storage, general amenity, and, if practical, car parking; (b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principle rooms and (c) if possible, this involves the creation of parking on site or as part of an overall traffic management strategy for the area.
4.6 Transport Policy 1 states "New development should, where possible, be located close to existing public transport facilities and routes, including pedestrian, cycle and rail routes."
REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Highway Services have No Highways Interest in this application (18.06.20).
5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (22.06.20).
ASSESSMENT
6.1 The fundamental issues with this application are the potential impacts upon the character and visual amenities of the street scene, possible parking issues, the impact on neighbours and the residential amenity of future occupants.
6.2 Character and visual amenities of the street scene
6.2.1 The originally received application showed a Juliet balcony to the rear of the property, this has subsequently been removed and as such there are no alteration to the building which would affect the character or appearance of the streetscene.
6.2.2 Fencing has been proposed to the rear of the property with the fencing measuring 1.2m high along the parking and footpath area and 1.8m high between No 19 Waterloo Road and the neighbouring property. Both of these additions will not affect how the property is viewed in the streetscene.
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6.3 Parking
6.3.1 When looking at the alteration of one two bedroomed flat to two one bedroomed flats the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states that the parking available for the apartments should be "1 space for 2 bedroom; 2 spaces for 2 or more bedrooms." As such the parking required for the alteration is the same.
6.3.2 With the above in mind, the alterations will create five one bedroomed apartments within the property which would mean that at least five parking spaces would need to be available.
6.3.3 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 gives guidelines with regards to the required parking of a development which involves flats. "A.7.1 High levels of car ownership have led to an increase in the level of parking expected for new residential development, and outside of town centre locations these standards should be relaxed...In the case of town centre and previously developed sites, the Department will consider reducing this requirement having regard to:
(a) the location of the housing relative to public transport, employment, and public amenities; (b) the size of the dwelling; (c) any restriction on the nature of the occupancy (such as sheltered housing); and (d) the impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
6.3.4 When looking at the eastern part of Waterloo Road there is no parking to the front of the properties and to the rear several have either a garage or parking. Directly behind 19 Waterloo Road there is a large car park which looks to be mostly reserved parking.
6.3.4 The property and access situation on the proposed plans would not be altered from the existing arrange and the parking situation would be the same as the previously approved application (PA19/00835/B) due to the amount of bedrooms within the previously approved and the proposed application being the same. Parking, as with the neighbouring properties which do not have dedicated parking spaces would therefore be in one of the larger dedicated car parks in Ramsey.
6.3.5 Whilst it is considered that the use of this traditional residential building for a residential use outweighs the lack of on-site parking provision. In addition, as this situation is similar to that in many town centres including this part of Ramsey, it is not considered unusual or unacceptable. The site is also close to the main bus station in Ramsey and within close walking distance to shops and other services.
6.4 Impact on neighbours
6.4.1 The alterations proposed with regards to the impact on neighbours would be minimal, there would be no increase in the level of views out of the property and therefor the potential for overlooking.
6.4.2 Whilst the change of use of the boarding house to flats would increase the level of activity from the properties currently unoccupied state, there would be a minimal if not reduction in the amount of activity once the boarding house is changed to flats. The area is characterised by dense residential flats and houses and as such this change is not considered inappropriate with the area.
6.5 Residential amenity of future occupants.
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6.5.1 When looking at the proposed respective floor space for each flat, flat one is 43.4m2 and flat two is 40.4m2 both of which are considered an acceptable level of indoor space according to the Housing (Standards) Regulations 2017.
6.5.2 The alteration to the rear already discussed in Section 6.3 above will add extra amenity standards to the apartment by adding a rear communal garden. Whilst this is detrimental to the overall amount of parking the impact of adding the extra amenity outweighs the impact of the reduction of parking.
6.4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states "new development should where possible be located and planned so as to reduce the need for travel and encourage means of travel other than by private car, in particular walking, cycling and public transport use."
6.4.3 The site is situated within Ramsey's town centre and as such is in walking distance to the local amenities and relevant travel options including the bus and rail. With the lack of parking directly on site and with the rear yard considered an adequate space for a secure outdoor cycle storage the property is safeguarded for future travel strategies which might be put in place. To ensure that there are suitable enough travel options a condition will be attached on approval for a secure and covered bicycle store to the rear of the property.
6.6 Clear outlook
6.6.1 When looking at the previously refused application PA19/01277/B the main reasoning for the refusal was that there was no clear outlook from the main habitual rooms, as such it is necessary to assess whether the outlook has changed.
6.6.2 Housing Policy 17 states "(b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principle." Generally principle rooms are defined as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens which include dining facilities and conservatories.
6.6.3 When looking at the apartments proposed we can see that that both flats have their living areas to the ground floor level. When looking at apartment one which is situated to the front of the house the outlook is directly to the front outside the property, of which the window is a full size bay window as such the outlook is clear and bright and is what would be expected from a terraced property such as this. With regards to the rear apartment there are two windows which look out onto the rear, of which one is looking at a lightwell from the bedroom below and the other is looking at the landscaped garden to the rear. Both of these are an improvement on the previously refused application by adding a clear outlook from the principle rooms in a way which is acceptable for the area the property is situated in.
CONCLUSION
7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with Strategic Policy 12, General Policy 2, Environment Policy 36, Housing Policy 17 and Transport Policy 1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is 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;
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(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: 30.07.2020
Determining officer Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett
Principal Planner
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