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16/01395/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 16/01395/B Applicant : Neil Joseph Christian Proposal : Alterations and additions to provide additional living accommodation, including creation of additional parking space Site Address : 5 Scarlett Road Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1NT
Case Officer : Miss Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken : 27.01.2017 Site Visit : 27.01.2017 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing dwelling situated on the northern side of Scarlett Road, Castletown. Number 5 is a semi-detached 1 and half storey bungalow that's rear garden backs onto the recent Knock Rushen housing development site. The property has an existing flat roofed dormer on the front roof pitch and a single integral garage on the west side gable set back from the front elevation which is 2.7m wide and extends back to meet the flat roof kitchen extension at the rear.
1.2 The existing property currently has one bedroom on the ground floor and one bedroom at the first floor both bedrooms using the main bathroom on the ground floor.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the extension and conversion of the existing garage to provide additional living accommodation at both ground and first floor level, the erection of a first floor dormer on the rear elevation and the extension of the existing paved hard standing at the front to provide additional off-road parking spaces.
2.2 The garage extension shall project 1.6m forward from the existing garage and will provide a larger bathroom at ground floor, a separate boiler room which will be accessed from a new proposed single door on the west side elevation and for the internal arrangements of the existing dining room. The new ground floor bathroom proposes a new window on the front elevation.
2.3 The upwards extension of the existing garage will be two storeys high and will include a fill two storey front elevation, in comparison to the roof slope of the 1 and half storey main dwelling house.
2.4 The first floor extension will lead back and connect with the proposed dormers on the rear elevation. The proposed dormers are to be 9m wide and cover the entire width of the rear elevation, the height of the dormers will be 3m and they will start just above the eaves level and join with the central ridge of the main house. The rear elevation of the dormers will include 3 windows, two to serve the proposed bedroom on the eastern side and one to sever the proposed bathroom on the eastern side.
2.5 There are no proposed changes to the existing dormer on the front elevation or to the kitchen extension at the rear.
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2.6 The application also seeks approval for the extension of the existing hard standing at the front of the property by 3.25m wide by 6m long.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There have been no previous applications at the site.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The application site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South 2013 as 'Residential' and as such we must consider General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and paragraph 8.12.1 in the assessment of this application.
4.2 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."
4.3 Paragraph 8.12.1 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."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Department of Infrastructure have commented on the application stating that the existing car parking will remain and that the additional car parking meets the needs of current standards, as such they do not oppose the application (13/01/17).
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The most important aspects to consider in the assessment of this application are the impacts of the development on the amenity and privacy of the neighbours and the impact of the development on the existing property.
6.2 It was discussed with the agent that the design of the proposed two storey extension was as such that the impact of the front elevation created a harness which could be reduced by increasing the the projection of the extension which would involve an increase of the front roof slope along with an increase to the internal spaces, however this was not an available option to the applicant. The agent suggested the use of wall hung tiles to create the illusion of a roof, although this method can prove successful on dormer windows the use on a front elevation was considered to create an increase visual impact. The agent discussed the options with his client and the application remained unchanged with the wall hung roof tiles omitted.
6.3 There is no doubt that the proposed side extension impacts the visual appearance of the property from the street scene, however given that the existing property is of no considerable architectural quality or form it is considered that the proposal is not impacting enough to warrant a refusal. Similarly the location of the property within a small residential cul-de-sac outside of the town centre also reduces the impact and harm of the proposal on the visual amenity of the public.
6.4 During a site visit it was noted that neighbour property 7 Scarlett Road has an existing first floor window on the adjacent gable. Although the proposed extension will sit closer to the side elevation of number 7, its erection does not include any windows at first floor height on the side
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elevation and also eliminates the existing window on the gable of number 5. The proposal essentially improves the privacy of neighbouring property 7 Scarlett Road.
6.5 In terms of the rear dormer, the proposal includes the entire cover of the rear elevation roof slope. The nature of the residential estate is as such that generally there is an expected level of overlooking between neighbouring properties. From the rear garden of the application site you can see a number of existing rear dormers in the surrounding area which overlook the rear gardens of each of the neighbours including number 5.
6.6 In addition to this, directly to the rear of number 5 and number 3 is the new residential development estate Knock Rushen. The topography of the land is as such that the properties within Knock Rushen sit at a level much higher than those in Scarlett Road and consequently there is an overlooking from Knock Rushen down and into the rear garden and rear elevations of both 5 and 3 Scarlett Road. It is expected that even with the proposed dormers that the overlooking and privacy impacts will remain generated from Knock Rushen to the detriment of number 5.
6.7 Generally the application for the proposed extension, rear dormers and increase to the existing driveway is considered to be acceptable and meets the needs as set out in General Policy 2. It is expected that the proposal shall allow for the applicant to upgrade the existing facilities of the main house and to provide additional bedrooms to improve the general day to day routines of the household. The proposal does not generate any impacts on the amenities of the neighbours or to the existing property to warrant a refusal and is therefore recommended for approval.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION 7.1 The application is recommended for approval.
8.0 PARTY STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 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) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (e) 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.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.02.2017
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.
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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.
This approval relates to the site and location plan and existing and proposed drawings all date stamped and received 19th December 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: 10.02.2017
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.
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