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                                      20/01135/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/01135/B Applicant : Manx Utilities Authority Proposal : Installation of a heat pump Site Address : 30 Princes Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 1BD

Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : 27.10.2020 Site Visit : 27.10.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 16.12.2020 __

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 only model of the Air Source Heat Pump can be installed is the Ecodan Monobloc Standalone PUHZ-HW140VHA2(-BS).

Reason: To ensure the development is executed according to the plan submitted and in the interest of protecting amenities of neighbouring property.

C 3. The Air Source Heat Pump must be installed according to drawing no. SC378758.

Reason: To ensure the development is executed according to the plan submitted and in the interest of protecting amenities of neighbouring property.

C 4. The noise measured at the assessment point must not exceed 40.8dB.

Reason: To ensure the development is executed according to the plan submitted and in the interest of protecting amenities of neighbouring property.

C 5. The Air Source Heat Pump must comply with Condition (f), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l) of Class 23A of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development and Change of Use)(Amendment) Order 2020.

Reason: In the interest of protecting amenities of neighbouring property.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

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This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 23 and Energy Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, location plan, photos, production information, noise assessment, position illustration and drawing no. SC378756 all date-stamped as having been received on 30th September 2020. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 30 Princes Street, Douglas, a three-storey mid-terrace dwelling located on the northwest of Princes Street.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the installation of an air source heat pump (ASHP) to generate renewable heating for the building.

2.2 The air source heat pump would be 1.02m wide, 0.33m deep and 1.35m in height. Noise levels provided by the product specifications submitted indicate that the sound power level would be 65.5dB.

2.3 The ASHP would be located near the northwest corner of the site, about 0.4m from the boundary of 32 Princes Street, 2m away from the rear boundary of the site and it is on a platform approx. 1m in height.

2.4 The noise assessment position is related to the first-floor window on the rear elevation of 32 Princes Street. The measured distance from the heat pump to the assessment position is 8m.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Installation of a heat pump was refused under PA 20/00508/B. Both this and the existing application use the same model of ASHP. The main differences are positioning the air source heat pump 1m further away from the rear elevation, and the related change in noise assessment calculations.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area designated as Predominately Residential in the Area Plan for the East.

4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a few policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application:

4.3 The Strategic Objectives of the Strategic Plan provides a framework for the detailed policies and it sets the following objectives: "3.2 Resources (d) to support energy generation from renewable resources. (e) to embrace the principles of Sustainable Development 3.3 Environment (g) to minimize environmental pollution to air, water and land"

4.4 Strategic Policy 5 states:

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"New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island."

4.5 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."

4.8 Environment Policy 23 states: "When considering alterations and improvements to existing facilities, the Department will require that consideration be given to the potential adverse impact of the proposed changes to existing neighbours."

4.9 The Strategic Plan also provides guidance on the installation of renewable energy apparatus (12.2.8) which states: "The Department is fully supportive of the need to secure greater energy efficiency in new and existing development ...At the same time, the Department recognizes that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts. ...There may also be other impacts such as noise... The Department will assess any proposals ... by weighing the benefits of using such renewable energy sources against the environmental impact arising in any particular site."

4.10 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."

5.0 REPRESENTATION 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objections on this application (26/10/2020).

5.3 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (23/10/2020).

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issue relates to the potential impact (noise) on neighbouring amenities by the development and the visual impacts upon the character of the area.

6.2 The proposed ASHP is promoting the reduce consumption of fossil fuels and therefore positively contribution to Strategic Policy 5 and should be encouraged. The ASHP generally has higher energy efficiency than typical modern boilers and therefore also fits in GP2 (n).

6.3 The installation of Air Source Heat Pump has been classified as a Permitted Development when it complies with certain conditions within the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development and Change of Use)(Amendment) Order 2020. This proposal does not comply with condition (b), which requires the ASHP to be at least 1m away from the site boundary. For this reason, the proposal is being assessed under this application.

6.3 According to EP 23, the addition of noise is a material consideration. The units would be located to the rear of the site and would be 0.4m away from the neighbouring boundary. Accordingly, the proposal may have some impact on neighbouring property.

6.4 In terms of noise impact, the assessment is conducted under MCS 020 Planning Standards for permitted development installations of wind turbines and air source heat pumps on domestic premises. This standard has been approved by the Steering Group of the Microgeneration

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Certification Scheme. It was prepared by MCS, Defra (UK), DECC (UK) and DCLG(UK). It is a compulsory standard for ASHP to be Permitted Development in the UK. The standard set a 42dB or under at the assessment position as an acceptable level of noise. This is compared to a background noise level of 40dB.

6.5 Under this assessment, the noise level is considered to be 40.8dB, which is under the 42dB limit. Therefore, the noise impact is considered to be acceptable.

6.6 In relation to the potential visual impact upon the area, it is not visible to the public and therefore has no impact on the character of the area.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 23 and Energy Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

8.0 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 which 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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 17.12.2020

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

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