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20/01170/B Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/01170/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs Gerry Morrison Proposal : Erection of garage with storage over on existing parking apron Site Address : Courtlands 2 Marathon Avenue Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4HZ
Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : 30.12.2020 Site Visit : 30.12.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 31.12.2020 __
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.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the submitted documents, photo and drawing no. 1559.1 as having been received on 22nd October 2020.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE
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1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 2 Marathon Avenue Douglas, a two- storey detached property located at the southeast of Marathon Avenue, close to its junction with Princes Road. The rear boundary of the site is next to a cul-de-sac, which also connects to Princes Road. There are two off-street parking spaces available in the front garden as well as a garage. There is a parking apron on the rear boundary of the property.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The proposed work is the erection of a two-story detached garage on the rear boundary of the property. The first floor will be used as storage. It has a pitched roof and there is a garage door on the ground floor and a casement window on the first floor of the front elevation and there are three roof lights on the northeast elevation. There is no change in the number of parking available within the site after the proposal.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 Conversion of existing garage to living accommodation, erection of an attached replacement garage with rooms over on side elevation, installation of roof light to rear and creation of additional access onto the highway was APPROVED under PA 04/00378/B.
3.2 Creation of hard-standing and vehicular access to rear of the property was APPROVED under PA 13/00091/B.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 In terms of local policy, the site lies within an area designated as Predominantly Residential Use in the Douglas Local Plan 1998.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
4.3 General Policy 2: "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".
4.4 "8.12.1 Extensions to Dwellings in built-up areas or sites designated for residential use: As a general policy, in built-up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to an existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general."
4.5 Transport Policy 7 states: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards." The currents stands are set out in Appendix 7.
4.6 Appendix 7.6 states typical residential development should have "2 spaces per unit, at least one of which is retained within the curtilage and behind the front of the building." 4.5 Residential Design Guidance (July 2019) provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to an existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property.
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4.7 RDG 3.2 Potential Visual Impact of an Extension upon the Existing House states a pitched roof is preferred to a flat roof, especially when it's publicly visible. However, an exception can possibly be made when the existing property has a flat/low pitched roof design.
4.8 RDG 4.3 Two Storey Rear Extension sets out some key considerations. These include the impact on the amenities of those in neighbouring properties such as loss of light and/or overbearing. These impacts can be regulated by designing with the right depth (projection) and location. The section also specifically mentioned that the 45-degree line should be used to determine the impact on neighbouring properties.
4.9 RDG 5 sets out key considerations regarding architectural details. These include window details and external finishing. The general idea is that the extension should have a similar style with the main dwelling for a coherent appearance unless the clash between modern and traditional design can be handled with elegance.
4.10 RDG 7 sets out key considerations regarding the impact on neighbouring properties. These include the potential loss of light/overshadowing, overbearing impact upon outlook and overlooking resulting in a loss of privacy.
5.0 REPRESENTATION
5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection on this application (17/11/2020).
5.2 DoI Highway Services do not oppose this application (19/11/2020). The comment states the garage complies with the minimum requirement for a single garage and therefore there is no loss of parking space. The proposal does not have significant road safety or highway efficiency issues. The comment also recommends a condition be attached for the development to be implemented according to the plan provided.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The main considerations for this application are four folds: its impact on the property itself, on the character and street scene of the area, on its parking provision and on the amenities of the neighbours.
6.2 The detached garage is on the rear boundary of the property. Since there is also a detached garage on the rear boundary of Cherrihurst, the proposal is considered to be an acceptable structure on the rear boundary.
6.2 The garage is at the rear of the property. The southeast and southwest part of the elevation is visible to the public but is approx. 20m away from the pavement. The extension has a wooden cladding while the boundary walls are all made of stone. However, given the existing timber gate does fit in with the surroundings. The cladding should not stand out around the neighbours. Therefore, there is no adverse impact on the character or landscape of the area.
6.3 There is already a high boundary wall approx. 2.5m high between 2 and Hillcroft. The garage is 5.5m tall and there is sufficient space between the wall and the main dwelling of Hillcroft. The distance between the garage and the boundary wall is approx. 0.8m at the closest part and 5.5m at the furthest part. Although the garage is higher than the existing wall, since the Hillcroft is southwest of the site, it is considered there is no unacceptable overshadowing impact on the Hillcroft site.
6.4 There are already three parking spaces available at the front boundary, which complies with Transport Policy 7. Even if the proposed garage is not used for domestic vehicular storage
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there are still a sufficient number of off-street parking spaces available. In addition, the Highway Service considers the garage acceptable for a single car to be parked within. Therefore, the proposal is considered to comply with transport policy 7.
6.5 There are no windows on the side elevations. In terms of the window on the southeast elevation, it is some distance to the nearest property and it's facing their garage. The distance between them is approx. 9m. There are also trees around their garage so it is not considered that this is an unacceptable level of overlooking.
7.0 CONCLUSION
7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and Residential Design Guide Section 4, 5 and 7. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.
7.2 Although the Highway Service recommend a condition to be attached that the proposal should take place according to the plan, presumably to ensure the parking space is readily available for a car to park. There are already at least two off-street spaces available on the front elevation. In addition, the approval is naturally required to be implemented accrodign the plan submitted. Therefore, there is no need for an additional condition to be attached.
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 the Head of Development Management 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 : 31.12.2020
Determining officer Signed : S BUTLER
Stephen Butler
Head of Development Management
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