18 April 2016 · Planning Committee (21.09.2015) with final decision by Interim Director of Planning and Building Control (Jennifer Chance)
Croftbank, Clifton Drive, Ramsey, Isle Of Man, IM8 3nd
The proposal involves building 66 houses on a roughly rectangular, undulating site with scattered trees, marshy pockets and adjacent to the Grove Museum of Victorian Life. It includes 11 two-bed, 44 three-bed, 9 four-bed and 2 five-bed dwellings arranged around the site edges with a central 'circus' layout, two accesse…
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The officer acknowledged difficult balance due to unclear Ramsey Local Plan zoning under R/R/P2 A: Thornhill, which limits an ambiguous area to 6 houses to preserve Grove Museum setting, but found the…
Thornhill (Ramsey Local Plan)
Limits area south of Thornhill Manor/west of Grove to no more than 6 houses to preserve settings; unclear if site included, but protection of Grove setting paramount. Officer weighed against Strategic Policy 1, finding 66 dwellings acceptable with visual mitigations as objection unsustainable at appeal.
Strategic Policy 1
Requires efficient site use considering access/landscaping/open space; tipped balance in favour as low-density inefficient in town with good infrastructure, outweighing Local Plan.
General Policy 2
Requires respect for site/surroundings (siting/layout/scale/design), no adverse landscape/amenity/highway/flooding impacts, tree incorporation; complied via conditions on materials, trees, highways, flooding mitigations.
Environment Policy 7
Protects watercourses/wetlands; low-lying marshy areas addressed by raised floors, attenuation, proposed managed wetland (conditioned).
Environment Policy 10
Requires flood risk assessment/mitigation where risk; applicant's engineer addressed via 1:50 attenuation, raised plots above road low spot.
Environment Policy 42
Design to reflect local character/landscape; muted materials on Grove-facing plots controlled by condition.
Housing Policy 5
25% affordable on sites >=8 dwellings; 16 units secured by Section 13 agreement.
Transport Policy 7
Parking per standards (2 spaces/unit); provided despite tandem/on-street concerns, adequate for safety.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Method Statement (phasing/open space)
Prior to the commencement of any development on the site, a Method Statement shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The statement shall include the phasing of the provision of the public open spaces shown in drawing 1283-002K, and the phasing and siting of any construction compound and details of any fencing. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Method Statement.
Materials approval (specific plots)
No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including roofs, of Plots 21, 22, 23, 24, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51 have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Bat survey
No development shall commence until a bat survey has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The bat survey shall identify impacts on bat species together with mitigation, where appropriate, including a timetable for its implementation. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Tree protective fencing
No site works or clearance shall be commenced until protective fences which conform with British Standard 5837:2012 (or any British Standard revoking and re-enacting British Standard 5837:2012 with or without modification) have been erected around any existing trees and other existing or proposed landscape areas in positions indicated on the approved plans. Unless and until the development has been completed these fences shall not be removed and the protected areas are to be kept clear of any building, plant equipment, material, debris and trenching, with the existing ground levels maintained, and there shall be no entry to those areas except for approved arboricultural or landscape works.
Tree/hedge replacement
The existing trees and hedges shown as being retained shall be in accordance with the approved details. Any retained tree or hedge which within five years of the approved development being occupied or completed (whichever is the later) dies, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced by a similar species, of a size to be first approved in writing by the Department, during the next planting season or in accordance with a programme of replacement to be agreed in writing with the Department.
Arboricultural Method Statement
Prior to the commencement of development, and also prior to the removal of any trees on the site, an Arboricultural Method Statement shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Such a Statement should include but not be limited to (a) irrigation (timing, frequency and volume required); (b) formative pruning; (c) annual assessment of tree health and development; (d) regular assessment of mammal, human and other external damage; (e) checking of above ground support systems; (f) management of competing vegetation, and (g) the replenishment of mulches. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Statement.
Visibility splays
The visibility splays identified on plan 1283-002K, date-stamped as having been received 21st August 2015, shall be constructed in accordance with the approved plans and thereafter kept permanently clear of any obstruction exceeding 1050mm in height above adjoining carriageway level.
Parking/turning areas
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Access/footways/lighting
Prior to the occupation of any dwelling, there must be between any such dwelling and the Clifton Drive highway an access, including footways constructed to at least base course level and it must also be adequately lit.
No front garden hardstanding
The front gardens to the dwellings hereby approved shall not be replaced with hardstanding without the prior written approval of the Department.
Request 16 affordable units via Section 13 agreement due to waiting lists
No objection to tree removal; concerns on plot proximity/services addressed via conditions (tree protection, method statement, planting maintenance)
Reasonable avoidance measures for frogs/lizards; lighting plan/bat considerations (addressed via condition)
Bus stop relocation acceptable
Multiple consultees provided responses on PA 15/00167/B, with Manx National Heritage objecting to scale and density due to heritage impacts, while others raised concerns on trees, ecology, affordable housing, utilities, and parking but generally did not object subject to conditions.
Key concern: scale and density conflicts with Ramsey Town Plan limiting site to no more than six houses to preserve Grove Museum and Thornhill Manor settings
Manx National Heritage
ObjectionDevelopment of this area should be completed using housing of mixed densities... This area should be used for no more than six houses, sited and designed such as to acknowledge and preserve the setting of Thornhill Manor and Grove House.; we remain to be convinced that the setting of the Grove would not be visually compromised; Trees, hedges and meadow refuges require appropriate management if they are to retain wildlife interest
Conditions requested: bat friendly street lighting; implementation of landscape planting proposals in full; landscaping after-care resolved as part of mitigation measures by planning condition; management scheme for wetland carefully specified and resourced; conditions to safeguard livestock grazing from wetland risks and domestic animals
DEFA - Andrew Igoe, Assistant Forester, Forestry, Amenity and Lands Directorate, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Conditional No ObjectionIf the tree protection zones are implemented as per the arboricultural report then the trees marked for retention stand a good chance of surviving.; To minimise the chance of conflict occurring in the future these plots should be moved further away from these trees or the developer should negotiate the removal of these trees.; I disagree with the reports assessment that these are category C trees and would place them in the higher value, category B.
Conditions requested: developer confirms installation of services outside root protection areas; trees planted and maintained as per BS8545 'Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape' Sections 10 and 11; plots 38-47 moved further from 'GB' trees or trees removed; plots 24, 48 & 58 moved further from 'G10' trees
DEFA - Richard Selman, Senior Biodiversity Officer (Zoologist), Forestry, Amenity and Lands Directorate, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Conditional No Objectionlighting should be planned to avoid unnecessary spillage into the trees, so a lighting plan would be useful.; The retention of the tree lines will be an important factor in retaining the bat interest.; A habitat management plan is recommended, to include the meadows, once designed in detail.
Conditions requested: reasonable avoidance measures for frogs/lizards at pools and log piles; check bungalow site for Schedule 8 species and separate/remove prior to works; lighting plan to avoid spillage into trees; habitat management plan including meadows
Department of Health and Social Care Housing Division
Conditional No Objectionif the Committee is minded to approve the application then it should be subject to the developer entering into a Section 13 Agreement for the provision of affordable housing; some 16 units (66 x 25% = 16.5) should be provided as affordable homes.
Conditions requested: developer entering into a Section 13 Agreement for provision of 25% affordable housing (16 units)
Manx Utilities
No ObjectionPlease contact our Network Operations Department... to discuss working practices around cables and overhead lines which may be required to be diverted; All work to be carried out with reference to Health and Safety Executive Guidance Notes HS(G)47 & GS6.
Conditions requested: contact Network Operations Department (Tel. 687687) to discuss working practices around cables/lines; contact for Electrical Site Safety documents (Tel. 687766); contact Planning Department (Tel. 687781) to discuss electricity supply; 24 hours unrestricted access to cables in public highway
Ramsey Town Commissioners
No ObjectionThere is concern that the layout as provided will result in a lack of resident car parking and visitor parking which will result in on-street parking thereby reducing vehicle movements within the estate roads.; It is also considered that the road layout as submitted results in a poor and inappropriate footpath provision.
