Loading document...
==== PAGE 1 ====
16/00298/B
Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 16/00298/B Applicant : Mr David Brierley Proposal : Alterations and extensions to dwelling Site Address : Greenlands Barnell Lane Patrick Isle Of Man IM5 3AN
Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken : 06.04.2016 Site Visit : 06.04.2016 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of a detached residential dwelling - "Greenlands" - located on the western side of Barnell Lane in Patrick. It is a bungalow of fairly inauspicious architectural design that sits at the northwestern edge of a short row of houses of different designs here, which is otherwise surrounded by open fields. It sits 22m NW of the nearest dwelling, "The Elms", views between the two properties being strongly screened by the presence of a garage within the latter's curtilage.
1.2 The site is readily visible from Barnell Lane, but from the more frequently used Patrick Road to the north is well-screened by existing, semi-mature trees that line the highway in this area. Views of the site are somewhat long-distance and the dwelling is also 'read' against the other dwellings here rather than being standalone. The hills to the rear also provide a strong backdrop, reducing the visual impact of the Barnell Lane dwellings.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Full planning approval is sought for a number of alterations to the dwelling, which would be largely contained within its existing footprint. The result would be the conversion of Greenlands into a part-dormer bungalow and part-two-storey dwelling.
2.2 The existing single and double garages, both of which are together and suffer from a flat roof, would be removed and replaced with a two-storey, gable-projecting extension that would be the most significant alteration to the appearance of the property and also represents the primary extension of the footprint. This extension would run perpendicular to the main body of the bungalow and extend both to the front (northeast) and rear (southwest) elevations. Within the side of the projecting gable feature would be a pair of floor-to-ceiling window panels, one of which would face southeast and would represent the only additional fenestration proposed to face towards The Elms.
2.3 A new single garage would be provided, with a pitched roof above to match that running along the main body of the dwelling but which is proposed to be interrupted by the aforementioned two-storey extension.
2.4 The more minor alterations include a pair of flat-roofed dormer windows and two rooflights to the rear along with a further two rooflights to the front roof pitch; a new, pitch-roofed front porch; the replacement of three of the picture windows to the rear with floor-to-ceiling window
==== PAGE 2 ====
16/00298/B
Page 2 of 4
panels; the removal of one of the dwelling's two chimneys, and the repositioning of one window and the insertion of another in the northwestern side elevation.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 While the collection of dwellings along Barnell Lane have been the subject of previous applications, none is considered to be of material relevance to the assessment of the current proposal; the most recent application at the only immediate neighbouring property - The Elms - related to the erection of a conservatory under PA 00/01293/B.
4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
4.1 The site lies within an area of Woodland within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982. Greenlands is not of a particularly attractive design and would probably be considered by most people to be of "poor form". As such, and in view of the nature of the development proposed, Housing Policy 16 and Environment Policy 2 apply.
4.2 Moreover, while General Policy 2 might be said not to apply in view of the fact that the site is not zoned for development, it is equally the case that Housing Policy 16 allows for the principle of the development proposed and therefore the provisions of GP2 are appropriate to consider. The wording of the policies is relevant and helpful in assessing the proposal in terms of its impact on neighbouring properties' living conditions as well as design.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Highway Services offered no objection to the proposal on 18.03.2016.
5.2 Patrick Commissioners initially deferred making comment on 31.03.2016 in lieu of their next public meeting. Following that, the Commissioners, in comments received 13.04.2016, commented that they had no comment to make.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 Housing Policy 16 requires that dwellings located within the countryside and deemed to be of poor form will only be permitted to be altered where the changes proposed will not increase the impact of the dwelling as viewed by the public. Should the current application be found acceptable against this policy test, it follows that it will also comply with Environment Policy 2, which requires that development in sensitive countryside such as this will only be approved where it can be shown there will be no impact on the character and quality of the landscape.
6.2 The existing dwelling is, as noted, not particularly attractive. It appears to have been added to historically but even its original form would probably not be considered by many people to be of an appropriate style to this attractive countryside location. (It either case it is certainly not of traditional Manx vernacular.) As such, then, any application to improve the appearance of Greenlands is to be welcomed.
6.3 The alterations proposed will not result in a more traditional appearance for the property. They will, however, give it a more cohesive appearance and remove some of the more unfortunate aspects (the quite large flat roof in particular). The use of some gable windows and floor-to-ceiling window panels will provide some interest by breaking up the somewhat stark expanses of walling, while the simple addition of the porch is particularly welcome in this respect.
6.4 The loss of the chimney is perhaps ever so slightly unfortunate in removing a feature from the roofline, but the other alterations proposed as noted above more than make up for this.
==== PAGE 3 ====
16/00298/B
Page 3 of 4
6.5 It is noted that there will be one additional window pane facing in the direction of a nearby dwelling: this is a minor alteration, especially given the distances involved, and neither this nor any of the other development proposed could be considered to impact unduly on the living conditions of those living nearby. The two-storey element will allow for some additional, if really quite oblique, views of the garden associated with The Elms, but not to a degree sufficient enough to warrant an objection. The proposal is therefore considered acceptable in the context of General Policy 2.
6.6 In view of the fact the proposals can be readily seen from Barnell Lane - though decidedly less so from the nearby Patrick Road - it is inarguable that the dwelling's visual "impact" would certainly be "increased" (as per the wording of Housing Policy 16). However, it is equally considered the case that the resulting impact will be an improvement over the existing situation. As such, it is considered that while the proposal might not necessarily meet the specific wording of Housing Policy 16, the application remains acceptable in the context of Environment Policy 2, as well as General Policy 2, and therefore no objection is raised on this ground.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 In view of the favourable conclusions as outlined above, it is recommended that the application be approved.
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:
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 The Highways Division 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: 14.04.2016
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal O : Notes attached to refusals
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.
==== PAGE 4 ====
16/00298/B
Page 4 of 4
--
The development hereby approved relates to the following plans, date-stamped as having been received 11th March 2016: 15/52/01, 15/52/02, 15/52/03 and 15/52/04.
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: 14.04.2016
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
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