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Application No.: 20/01195/B Applicant: Manx Utilities Authority Proposal: Installation of air source heat pump Site Address: 4 Milner Terrace Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1AJ Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken: 25.11.2020 Site Visit: 25.11.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 16.12.2020 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
Reason: to clarify the extent of the approval in the interests of the living conditions of those in adjacent properties in accordance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 22 and 24 of the Strategic Plan.
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 documents;
Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 4 Milner Terrace, a mid-terraced two storey traditional cottage situated in Milner Terrace which fronts onto Milner Terrace opposite the Commissioners' depot in front of which is an area of open recreation space and backs onto a rear lane shared by the properties in Athol Terrace which front onto Qualtrough's Timber Yard. - 1.2 The property has a small rear yard within which a flat roof extension which has its rear elevation fronting the rear lane has been built. There is a timber gate which provides access to the rear yard which is about 4.75m long and 2.2m wide on the boundary with the rear lane. A 2m high and 300mm thick boundary wall separates the application property from 3 Milner Terrace. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The application seeks planning approval for Installation of air source heat pump. The air source heat pump would be situated to the rear of the dwelling (within the enclosed rear yard) and be approximately 1m from the rear elevation of the dwelling and 300mm from the boundary wall with No. 3 Milner Terrace (2.1m from the rear extension on this neighbouring property. The ASHP would replace the existing fossil fuel boiler for the property. - 2.2 Noise levels provided by the product specifications submitted indicate that the noise emitted by the unit would be 45dB @ 1 metre. - 2.3 The applicant has also provided additional information which indicates the following:
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as Predominantly Residential and within the town's Conservation Area. - 3.2 As such, the following Strategic Plan policy is considered relevant in the consideration of the application:
3.4 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:
3.5 The Strategic Plan also provides guidance on the installation of renewable energy apparatus:
"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 recognises that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts
Accordingly:
3.6 Energy Policy 4: 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." - 3.7 Environment Policies 22 and 24 protect the environment from pollution including noise pollution.
4.1 The site has been the subject of applications for the replacement of windows, door and rooflights, none of which is particularly relevant to the consideration of the current application. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that there is 'No Highway Interest' in the letter dated 9 November 2020.
5.2 There has been no written representation made regarding the current planning application by the Castletown Commissioners at the time of writing this report, although they were consulted on 27 October 2020. - 6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The proposals will accord with GP2 (n) in respect of non-renewable energy consumption and the general support in the Strategic Plan for the installation of renewable
energy installations. The apparatus is modest in size and would replace the previously existing boiler for the property. It is considered that the visual impact would be low given the positioning at the rear of the property and within an enclosed rear yard and as such would be screened by the existing boundary treatment and therefore not especially visible from any public vantage point or the abutting lane. Therefore the visual impact is likely reduced in such instances. In this respect the proposal accords with GP2 (b, c, g) and Environment Policy 35.
6.2 In terms of noise impact, the sound pressure level of the heat pump at 45dB @ 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. Whilst there would be background noise generated, this is not considered to have detrimental impacts on the amenity of the rear door to hallway and bathroom at 3 Milner Terrace or the bedroom window at property across road at 5 Athol Terrace given that the that the maximum noise level attainable for these rooms would be 42dB (A), which would be within the MCS guided threshold for permitted development. - 6.3 The ASHP would be located in close proximity to the neighbours at No. 3 Milner Terrace with the noise level reaching this property recorded at 42.1dB. This is however 0.1dB higher than would be acceptable as permitted development and as such it would be vital to ascertain the impact an increase in 0.1dB would have on this bedroom, although existing noise disturbance that is common within the locality from light traffic, normal conversations, air conditioners and the existing boiler to be replaced at the property are considerable higher than the proposed dB level for the ASHP reaching this room. - 6.4 Whilst it is considered that the ASHP would be located in a suitably hidden spot on the property, with the 300mm thick (2m high) wall situated behind the proposed heat pump being 800mm higher than the heat pump itself. This has been factored into the calculations for the final dB levels achievable and as such the main issue of concern is whether the 0.1dB increase above the 42dB (A) which is the MCS guided threshold for permitted development limit would be acceptable. As there is no criteria for determining the magnitude of the impact and effect of the increase in noise levels locally, the UK Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (HA 205/08, Highways Agency et al 2008) which provides guidance for assessing, reporting and monitoring the environmental effects of projects would serve as the guide for evaluating the impacts from noise change in this case.
5.0 + Major - 6.4.2 Since the noise difference for the affected bedroom at 3 Milner Terrace would be 42.1dB, it is considered that the impact of the difference would be negligible given that it would be within the 0.1 - 0.9 margin of noise change. As such, it is considered that any impacts generated by the installation of the ASHP on this bedroom would be minimal and would not result in a level of disturbance sufficient to warrant refusal of the proposed scheme. - 7.0 CONCLUSION
7.1 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 and is recommended for 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:
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 : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner
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