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Application No.: 16/00160/B Applicant: Mr Mark Shuttleworth Proposal: Erection of garden walls, garden gates, vehicular entrance, pergola and retaining walls associated with the new dwelling at Ashdowne House Site Address: Ashdowne House Ballavale Road Santon Isle Of Man IM4 1EH Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 30.03.2016 Site Visit: 30.03.2016 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DUE TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE
This application was considered by the Committee at its meeting of 12th December, 2016 and a decision was deferred pending the submission of clearer information. This information has now been received.
1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of a developing house situated on the western side of Ballavale Road which links the Old and New Castletown Roads close to Santon Railway Station. Planning approval was granted under PA 12/00355/B for the details of the replacement dwelling which is a substantial modern property with integral "living wall" vegetation and this was varied in terms of some of the detailing and the garden walling under PA 15/00902/B. The building is constructed in basic form and the external detailing is currently being applied. The existing site access is wider than that which will eventually form the access to the site from Ballavale Road and as such the building will eventually be less visible than it is currently. - 1.2 The boundary with the road to the railway station is currently very open with no discernible walling, hedging or boundary treatment. A number of trees at the end closest to Ballavale Road have been removed although part way up there are still a number of trees close to and on the boundary. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Now proposed are alterations to the approved scheme. The alterations do not concern the overall position, height, design or mass of the building but are responding to requests by the applicant to changes of detail which have arisen as the dwelling is being constructed and a desire to retain the former field gated entrance as an entrance into the site. The changes are:
the introduction of a cypress gate, retaining wall and bamboo fencing and gate on the internal pathways around the water cascade to the south of the house the introduction of an open shed immediately to the south of the house retention of the widened construction access to provide access to the water cascade area and the introduction of two lengths of Japanese wall on the western and northern boundaries of the site with manx stone walling on each side of the northern length
2.2 This will be 2.3m high at its highest point with 1.1m high bamboo fencing on each side. The gate will be made from Cypress trellis frames. This will be close to the western boundary of the cascade area with the field beyond. RETAINING WALL - 2.3 The retaining wall will be created to form a semi-circular seated area, providing elevated viewing areas to the south. The retaining wall will be 2.5m high using local granite with a natural face outwards. The seat will be formed from local granite with timber. This is located just down from the Cypress gate. SHED - 2.4 The shed is to be introduced part way down the cascade area and will be formed by screen walls with a copper pitched roof and bamboo fencing on each side. The shed will be set down within an area with retaining wall terraces around 2m high. ACCESS - 2.5 The construction process has utilised an existing field gated entrance from Ballavale Road which has been widened to give access to a construction site car parking area. The entrance is to be reformed with a length of wall 3.4m long and 2.2m high within which will be a set of two 2m high wooden sliding gates. Visibility from the entrance will be 2.4m by 36m in both directions with a paved area up to and beyond the gates to provide parking for a single vehicle. JAPANESE WALL - 2.6 Finally, two sections of Japanese wall are proposed - one alongside the lane leading from the Ballavale Road to the railway station and secondly, running at right angles to this across the rear of the plot. The walling alongside the lane will be a small part of the length of the boundary, most of which will be formed by a Manx stone and sod hedge with a short section of Japanese walling in the centre, 15m long (the boundary to the lane is over 100m long) and new images have been prepared to illustrate this. The rear boundary will be formed entirely by Japanese walling - 2.4m high with a Manx a stone plinth and a core of rendered walling of decreasing width. The wall will have a small pitched roof feature on the top which is traditional for this type of walling. The applicant has provided additional images of this to help illustrate the concept. Where this is proposed alongside the path to the railway station, there is currently an unmarked boundary formed currently by safety fencing with intermittent vegetation and trees. - 2.7 The proposal has been amended to avoid the root protection areas of existing trees on or near the line of the proposed walling. The plans also update the information relating to existing trees which have permits for felling issued from DEFA. The construction of the walling around the roots will involve no digging and the natural stone laid on the undisturbed surface and built up. PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY
3.1 The site lies within an area of open space not designated for a particular purpose and also of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance on The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982. As planning approval has already been granted for the dwelling, the relevant consideration is whether the proposed changes adversely affect the impact of the approved scheme on the surrounding area. PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 As stated above, planning approval was granted for the erection of a replacement dwelling under PA 12/00355/B. Overall, it was concluded in that case that the planning application recognises the issues that resulted in the refusal of the two previous planning applications and addresses these through a high quality innovative design that suitably limits the visual impact of a larger dwelling on the application site, thereby according with the provisions of Housing Policy 14 as larger replacement dwelling within the countryside. This was amended through PA 15/00902/B.
4.2 Since then planning approval has been granted for and work has commenced upon a four application proposal to create a botanical garden (PAs 13/00830/B, 13/00831/B, 13/00832/B and 13/00834/B). The part of that scheme closest to the application property intends to create a water cascade which feeds the lower ground floor swimming pool and the creation of a Japanese garden whose influence has been carried on into the rear garden of the dwelling. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application subject to nothing being planted or erected within the visibility splays which may exceed 1.05 metres in height (22.02.16).
5.2 Santon Commissioners are not averse to the proposal but are concerned at the length of time which the project is taking, particularly the hoardings which intrudes into the road about which they have complained but apparently to no effect (09.11.16).
ASSESSMENT 6.1 As stated above, the critical issue is whether the proposed changes significantly alter the character and impact of the scheme which was approved initially and whether, if what is now proposed was shown originally, would the Planning Committee have still approved the application.
6.2 The additional buildings proposed are modest in scale and are unlikely to have any significant public impact due to their siting and materials being used. It is considered that the structures and features will complement the character of the gardens to be created.
6.3 The most visible elements will be the retention of the vehicular access from Ballavale Road and the stone features either side which are in keeping with the landscaping theme within the site, but quite different from the natural and existing streetscene which is mostly grassed banks and trees. Similarly the introduction of the Japanese walling alongside the lane to the railway halt will also introduce elements which are compatible with what is going on within the site but not necessarily in keeping with the rest of the lane. However, this is clearly the boundary of a residential property which has a theme and character of its own and as such, for the sections of Japanese walling which will be visible, it is considered that they will form features of interest rather than discord. The Japanese walling alongside the lane is only a small part of the overall length of the boundary. The Forestry Officer has confirmed that the works as proposed will not adversely affect the health or future of the trees. - 6.4 Overall the building project is still considered to be an exciting and well designed scheme which will add interest to the streetscene where it can be seen and otherwise will not have any adverse impact and the proposed changes are recommended for approval. - 6.5 Whilst the Commissioners' concerns about the hoarding are understood, the hoardings are an unfortunate part of an on-going building process, the timing and completion of which the planning process has no control. As such, it is not considered that this concern is sufficient to justify the refusal of the application.
7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
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: 20.02.2017 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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 decision relates to drawings 1106 X003, 1106 P001 B, D05, D06, C11, D04, 1106 P920, D07, B29, D02, D03, D01 all received on 15th February, 2016 and 1106 P921 received 24th October 2016, unless otherwise stated.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : …Permitted.. Committee Meeting Date:…03.04.2017
Signed :……S CORLETT………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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