Loading document...
==== PAGE 1 ====
15/01388/B
Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/01388/B Applicant : Mrs Fionnuala Perren Proposal : Conversion of a two storey workshop building to provide a first floor apartment and ground floor garage Site Address : Workshop Rear Of 2 Victoria Road Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5AF
Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of an existing two storey workshop located to the rear of Victoria Road in Port St Mary. The existing building is finished in slate stone walls. The application site also lies within the proposed Port St Mary Conservation Area.
1.2 To the south of the site is a row of residential properties. To the east of the site is a motor garage and to the north of the site is an industrial type building.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Planning approval is sought for the conversion of the workshop to provide a first floor apartment and a garage on the ground floor.
2.2 The apartment would comprise an open plan kitchen and living area, one bedroom and a bathroom to the first floor and a WC to the ground floor. The ground floor garage would accommodate two vehicles.
2.3 There are also a number of external alterations proposed which that has been listed below: o Installation of new UPVC framed siding sash windows to replace existing; o Replacement of existing timber boarded aperture with glazing; o Installation of replacement roof with slate tiles; o Installation of two roof lights measuring to the south east roof slope and one roof light to the north west roof slope; and o Replacement of existing timber doors and glazing to the ground floor and installation of a new garage door.
2.4 Also proposed is the erection of an extension to the first floor with an external staircase leading to the ground floor. The extension would extend just less than 1.3 metres from the south east elevation and would have a depth of just less than 3.1 metres. The extension would have a flat roof with a height of 2.7 metres. The extension would be finished clad with chartwell green timber to match the window frames.
2.5 The bins will be stored in the garage and will be wheeled out on collection day.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
==== PAGE 2 ====
15/01388/B
Page 2 of 6
3.1 Planning approval was previously granted in 2006 under PA 06/00446/B for the installation of galvanised roller shutter doors to replace existing wooden sliding doors.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is located in an area zoned as Mixed Use under the Area Plan for the South 2013. As previously mentioned, the application site also lies within the proposed Port St Mary Conservation Area.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains four policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
General Policy 2 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; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
Environmental Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."
Transport Policy 4 states: "The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan."
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."
Appendix 7 sets out the parking standards for different types of development. For apartments: "1 space for 1 bedroom; 2 spaces for 2 or more bedrooms."
In terms of Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows sets down the policies in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. (Part 6 Category b) Buildings in Conservation Areas states:
"If the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare MUST HAVE THE SAME method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows MUST HAVE THE SAME pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows.
==== PAGE 3 ====
15/01388/B
Page 3 of 6
Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Port St Mary Commissioners make the following comments (received on 29.01.2016);
"Concerns were raised regarding vehicle access to the proposed property. The adjacent private access land is very narrow and could cause issues when emerging onto Victoria road or Lewthwaite’s Way."
5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services have no objection (received on 14.1.16).
5.3 The owner/occupant of 2 Victoria Road, Port St. Mary (received on 01.02.2016) has no direct objection to the proposal but does has two points of concern which can be summarised as; concern of a window overlooking into my property’s rear courtyard, could privacy glass be considered to prevent overlooking to both properties; due to width of rear access lane and parked vehicles and bins, person/s may park on the street or potentially damage my wall which has already occurred; and concerns of damage to the rear lane during building works.
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 There are five fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this current planning application which are as follows:
Whether the use of the building as a dwellinghouse would be satisfactory in this location; 2) Whether the use would undermine the amenity of other users within the locality; 3) Would the conversion of the building to a dwellinghouse provide satisfactory amenity standards in itself; 4) The impact of the conversion and associated alterations upon the character and appearance of the existing building; and 5) The impact upon parking.
6.2 USE OF THE BUILDING AS A DWELLINGHOUSE IN THIS LOCATION 6.2.1 It is assumed that the building has always been a workshop of some sort, there is no planning history that would indicate otherwise. To the south and south west of the site is a row of terraced dwellings and further south and south west of these are more residential areas. To the east and north east of the site are a number of restaurants, vehicle garage, and retail units with living accommodation above. Given that the building is within an area zoned as Mixed Use, the proposal does not raise any significant issues in principle.
6.3 USE UPON AMENITY OF LOCALITY 6.3.2 The use of building as a residential unit would likely generate no more, or indeed less, coming and goings than its current use as a workshop. Furthermore, it is highly likely that the building as residential would not produce the same amount of noise levels that a workshop necessarily would. Notwithstanding this, the site is located within the town centre so constant traffic and pedestrian movements and general comings and goings within the locality would not be uncommon.
6.3.2 An additional residential unit in the town centre could add to the support of local services and amenities such as the shops, public houses, restaurants and churches. It is therefore considered that the conversion of the application building to a residential dwelling would not have an adverse impact on the town and amenity of the locality. It may be that the operation of the retail units and nearby public houses could have the potential of causing nuisance to the residents of this unit.
==== PAGE 4 ====
15/01388/B
Page 4 of 6
6.3.3 There are other dwellings within the immediate vicinity of the application site and residential units above commercial and office units in the town and as such this development is not judged to undermine character of the area or impact upon existing users.
6.3.4 There would be two windows in the north east elevation that would serve the living room and kitchen. These windows would be just less than 11.2 metres from the rear of Ports of Call and the Patchwork Café.
6.3.5 There is a single window within the south east elevation which has direct views into the rear yard/windows of Nr 2 Victoria Road. Accordingly, a condition should be attached for this window to be obscure glazed. There would be no additional glazing in the south east elevation of the building and as such the residential amenity of No. 2 Victoria Street is not considered to be affected as a result of the proposal.
6.4 AMENITY STANDARDS IN ITSELF 6.4.1 In terms of whether the unit would provide adequate amenity standards in itself, the proposal does not provide a reasonable garden area. However this is not a facility that many apartments offer and therefore not considered to be a detrimental element of the proposal. Moreover, future occupiers would be aware that the dwelling has no private outdoor space, and would be able to make their decisions as to whether to occupy it in light of that knowledge.
6.4.2 The first floor apartment would provide a rather spacious living area and it is essential the principal rooms have a pleasant and clear outlook. In this instance the living room would overlook the rear of Ports of Call and Patchwork Café and the window serving the kitchen area would overlook an existing industrial unit.
6.4.3 It is considered that the conversion of the building to provide a dwellinghouse would provide adequate living conditions and as such is considered acceptable in this regard.
6.5 CHARACTER OF BUILDING 6.5.1 The site is within a 'Proposed Conservation Area' and therefore some consideration should be given to Environment Policy 35. This policy indicated that development within a Conservation Area would only be permitted if the development would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area and the area is protected against inappropriate development.
6.5.2 The building has a traditional stone finish with green timber framed windows throughout. The existing apertures would be re-used and no additional openings would be created. Planning Circular 1/98 - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows sets out the policy in respect of the alteration or replacement of windows. Part 6 Category b of this planning circular specifically deals with buildings within Conservation Areas. This states that replacement windows must have the same method of opening as the originals and windows not readily visible from the public thoroughfare must have the same or similar glazing bars as the original method of opening, whatever the material used. As the proposed windows would reinstate windows with a traditional opening method of sliding sash, with the same colour framing, it is concluded that the planning application accords to the provisions of Planning Circular 1/98 acceptably.
6.5.3 The proposed extension would not necessarily be visible from a main public thoroughfare given the location of the development. Nonetheless, the extension is modest in add character to the building and is considered to give a high quality and aesthetically pleasing finish and as such is considered acceptable within the street scene. The extension would also blend in with the window frames.
6.5.5 On assessment, the external alterations are not considered to detrimentally affect the fabric or the character of the building and bring the building back to life.
6.6 IMPACT UPON PARKING
==== PAGE 5 ====
15/01388/B
Page 5 of 6
6.6.1 Unlike many town centre dwellings, there would be two parking spaces dedicated to unit with a ground floor garage. Under Appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, one parking space should be provided with this scheme; what can be provided under this scheme exceeds this standard by being able to provide two parking spaces.
6.6.2 In addition to the above, the proposed conversion of the building to form a single apartment would potentially reduce the number of vehicles associated with the building as a workshop which would benefit the parking situation within the immediate area.
6.6.3 Initially, Highway Services raised concerns regarding the visibility splays from the proposed garage onto Victoria Road; however, after discussion with the applicants they no longer have an objection to the proposal.
6.7 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 6.7.1 In terms of damage to property and the rear service lane this is a civil matter between the relevant parties rather than a material planning matters. Again impacts during the construction phases and damage by construction vehicles to the service lane are again not material planning matters.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION 7.1 On assessment, for the reasons set out above the planning application is recommended for approval.
8.0 PARTY STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
(a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) 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; (c) Persons to whom notice has been given under regulation 10(3)(a)(i) (d) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, in this case the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services; and (h) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
8.2 In accordance with Article 6(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013 and paragraph 2(1) of Government Circular No. 01/13, the following persons who have made representation to the planning application are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application:
The owner/occupant of 2 Victoria Road, Port St. Mary
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.02.2016
==== PAGE 6 ====
15/01388/B
Page 6 of 6
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. Obscure glazing (Pilkington level 5 or equivalent) shall be installed in the south-eastern elevation first floor lounge window and shall be retained as such thereafter.
Reason: To preserve the amenities of the occupants of the adjacent dwelling Nr 2 Victoria Road.
C 3. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until the garage works have been completed to provide the required parking for the occupant/s of the apartment in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking in the interests of highway safety.
This approval relates to drawings reference numbers 1510-000, 1510-002, 1510-003 and 1510-008 all received on 23rd December 2015.
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: 16.02.2016
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.
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal