136759

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                                                 16/00669/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 16/00669/B Applicant : Mrs Jocelyn Rosenberg Proposal : Erection of a conservatory and installation of a flue Site Address : Ballelby Dalby Isle Of Man IM5 3BP

Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken : 18.07.2016 Site Visit : 18.07.2016 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is an irregularly shaped parcel of land within which is Ballelby, a dwelling associated with Ballelby Farm. Also present is a converted mill.

1.2 Ballelby is a large dwelling, part of which appears to reflect traditional Manx countryside vernacular in its form and massing, albeit there is a large porch and the entirety of the building is stone-clad. There are also other elements of the building that make it very much larger than this and which are similarly stone-clad, and result in quite a varied form and appearance.

1.3 The site is really quite isolated, west of the coast road and north of Dalby. It can be seen from the main highway to the south albeit that the highway is higher than the roofline of the buildings owing to the sharp westward slope.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the erection of an almost fully glazed extension to provide a conservatory to the side (southern) elevation of the Manx-style part of the dwelling. This would be unusual in form owing to the angled driveway running alongside the dwelling here, and would have something of the effect of 'infilling' this part of the site. The glazing would be set within aluminium frames, coloured 'woodsage' RAL 7032. (A printed example of this colour is on file.) There would be bi-folding doors facing west towards the coast.

2.2 Proposed within the conservatory is a log burner with associated flue, and this flue would exit the conservatory at its southern corner, be formed of stainless steel, and would protrude roughly 2.5m from the roof and 0.9m above the apex. It would be almost identical in height to the eaves of the main dwelling.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The existing dwelling was approved under PA 97/00670/B, which sought to replace what was a large and ungainly dwelling previously in place. The approval carried a condition requiring the dwelling be used "only for agricultural purposes", which is a condition perhaps more commonly associated with agricultural barns than dwellings, although the present applicant is the same as was the case in 1997 and who was and is an agricultural worker. No alterations to the dwelling have been proposed since then.

3.2 Also approved under PA 90/01207/B was the conversion of the mill within the site to a dwelling. The microfiche file associated with this application is missing, however, so no further information can be provided.

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                                                 16/00669/B
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4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4.1 The site lies just to the north of an area zoned as Woodland on the 1982 Development Plan, but nevertheless remains unzoned and in an area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. Ballelby is not a traditional Manx dwelling, but equally it could not be considered to be of 'poor or inappropriate form' (the wording of Housing Policy 16): accordingly, the application falls to be assessed against Housing Policy 15 of the Strategic Plan:

"The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)."

4.2 Also relevant, given the existence of a nearby dwelling and the proposed flue, is Environment Policy 22: "Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of:

(i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater; (ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and (iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services of the Department of Infrastructure indicated the proposal had no highway implications on 24.06.2016, while on 13.07.2016 the Patrick Commissioners offered no objection to the proposal.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The submitted drawings make the conservatory appear to be rather stark and uncompromising in appearance and in a manner that might sit uncomfortably against the traditional features of the main dwelling. However, the fact that the three external walls will follow different angles and the glazing will be periodically broken up by contemporary framework, in a suitably muted colour, is such that it is considered the extension will sit subordinately to the main dwelling.

6.2 While this is one circumstance in which a pastiche approach would also likely have been successful, it is considered that the contemporary and 'clean' use of aluminium and glazing would satisfactorily respect the form, proportion and appearance of the existing property. It will be visible from the highway to a limited degree (it will be screened by the existing trees and converted mill) but this is not judged to be material to the assessment of this application since the resulting visual impact will be acceptable in any case.

6.3 The flue, viewed from the south, is undeniably tall and will sit prominently forward of the main dwelling's side elevation. However, its full extent will not extend above any of the dwelling and so will not be obtrusive through the breaking of the building line / skyline. It is also far enough away from the converted mill (roughly 20m) such that there will be no unduly harmful environmental impacts on neighbours from smoke or noise creation.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION 7.1 It is concluded that the proposal is acceptable in the context of Housing Policy 15 and Environment Policy 22. There is no reason to apply any site-specific conditions despite the dwelling having an agricultural worker's tie as this will continue to be in place and enforceable with respect to Ballelby, even if it might not (on a strict reading) apply to the conservatory the subject of this application.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

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                                                 16/00669/B
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o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; o The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; o Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, which in this case includes Highways Services of the Department of Infrastructure, and o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.08.2016

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. The extension must be used in accordance with the occupancy condition which is applied to the main dwelling to which the extension will be attached, as set out in PA 97/00670/B.

Reason: to comply with the original conditions of approval of the dwelling.

The development hereby approved relates to Drawings 1, 2, 3 and 4, all date-stamped as having been received 13th June 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 09.08.2016

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.