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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/01240/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs John Christian Proposal : Erection of two storey rear extension and rear dormer Site Address : 11 Fairfield Avenue Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 4BG

Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :

Site Visit : 08.12.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.12.2020 __

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. The planning application would be an acceptable form of development that has been designed to ensure that it would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties and would comply with General Policy 2 and the principles of the Residential Design Guide 2019.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings referenced JTM2026-P-00; JTM2026-P-01 date stamped received on 22 October 2020. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of No.11 Fairfield Avenue, Onchan. The property is a detached property, with the characteristics of a bungalow with a steeply pitched roof with accommodation provided in the roof space via a dormer to the front and windows to

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each gable end. To the north is an attached flat roofed garage. To the rear elevation is a lean-to conservatory off the south west corner of the property.

1.2 The neighbouring property adjacent to the boundary to the south is No.2 Hillary Close, a detached bungalow with an attached flat roof garage. Within the streetscene there is a varied type of properties, from detached bungalows, hybrid bungalows with accommodation in the roof space and semi-detached two storey properties all of varying style and sizes.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the erection of two storey rear extension above the existing sunroom and the creation of a rear dormer. The proposal would enable a bathroom and additional bedroom to be located to the first floor. The proposed works are solely to the rear elevation.

2.2 The scope of works would see a replacement structure on the same footprint as the existing sunroom with an upward projection to two stories and a ridge height no higher than the existing. At first floor level the extension would see windows to the three elevations with the window in the Northeast elevation being high level glazing at eaves level. The extension would be finished in painted render walls and concrete roof tiles to match the existing.

2.3 The proposed dormer would feature a flat roof and two window arrangements in the rear elevation, one for the bathroom and one for the bedroom. The dormer would be set back from the rear elevation and would be no higher than the eaves level of the extension.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being predominately residential use under the Onchan Local Plan 2000 There is one policy within the written statement (Planning Circular 1/2000) that accompanies the Onchan local Plan that is considered specifically material to the assessment of planning application:

3.2 Policy O/RES/P/21 states: "Extensions and alterations to existing residential property will generally not be opposed where such proposals are appropriate in terms of scale, massing, design, appearance and impact on adjacent property."

3.3 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application;

3.4 General Policy 2 (GP2) (in part) 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;

3.5 Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states: "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 existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general."

3.6 Other Material Considerations The Department has recently published the Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) which provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent

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residential property. This includes specific guidance on rear and side extensions in Section 7.0 titled; Impact on Neighbouring properties.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Onchan District Commissioners commented (01/12/20) with no objection. 5.2 Highways Services do not object (No Highways Interest) 20.11.20

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) visual impact of the proposed development; (GP2(b) & (c)) (ii) the impact upon the amenities (overlooking, loss of light; over bearing impact, privacy and visual amenity) of the neighbouring properties. (GP2(g))

6.2 (i) Visual impact The two storey aspect of the proposal would be mostly screened from public view by the surrounding properties and the topography of the area. Only the upper proportions of the roof could be visible between the properties along Hillary Close to the south. From the front (East) the extension would not be visible from the highway as its ridge is at or lower than the existing. Any views from a public vantage point would be read in conjunction of the residential context of the surrounding streetscene and would not be considered detrimental to the streetscene or that of the host property.

6.3 With regard to the rear dormer, the position would be located within the roof space that is of a scale where the size would be subordinate to the overall roof and proportionally, which would sit comfortably within the rear roof scape. The dormer being at the rear of the building, twinned with the positioning of the property in relation to the road, places it in a position where it would not be clearly visible from the public highway. These two aspects are deemed to be an acceptable form of development that is proportionate to the dwellinghouse and complies with those sections of General Policy 2(b) & (c).

6.3 (ii) Neighbouring amenities The level and scale of development proposed here are considered to be relatively modest and not judged to cause harm to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse or considered to harm the neighbouring amenity, specifically those to the north and south bordering the site. There are no windows in the respected elevations that would offer any overlooking leading to a loss of privacy.

6.4 When considering whether there would be any loss of light or overshadowing from the built form of the extension, given the two story nature it would not be considered to have an overbearing effect given the intervening distances between the application site and the neighbouring properties and the mature hedging on the boundary to three sides. Nor would these immediate neighbours to the north and south, be disadvantaged from any loss of light over and above the existing levels given the properties orientation and the distances involved. It is further noted we have not received any objections or comments from the adjoining neighbours. On balance, these aspects would be considered to be compliant with those sections of General Policy 2(g).

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The planning application would be an acceptable form of development that has been designed to ensure that it would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties and would comply with General Policy 2 and the principles of the Residential Design Guide 2019.

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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 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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