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                                      19/00307/B                                     Page  1  of  5

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00307/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs Petr Krejci Proposal : Alterations, erection of extensions and detached garage Site Address : Fern Bank West Kimmeragh Road Bride Isle Of Man IM7 4BA

Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken : 18.04.2019 Site Visit : 18.04.2019 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.05.2019 __

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. For the avoidance of doubt the solar panels hereby approved are required to be integrated solar panels (in-roof solar panels) installed so they run flush with the external roof plane rather than being installed on top of the roof tiles/slates.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenities of the area and the individual property.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings reference numbers 01, 02 and 03 all received on 18th March 2019.

__

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

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Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Fern Bank, West Kimmeragh Road, Bride located on the northern side of the West Kimmeragh Road, and west of Bride Village. The site is access via an existing entrance off West Kimmeragh Road along southern boundary of the site. The southern section of the site where the dwelling is located and its front gardens is characterised as a fairly flat parcel of land, however to the rear of the dwelling the land slopes upwards. The boundaries of the site are made up with mature vegetation, the exception being the road side boundary (south) which is made up of a Manx sod bank only, albeit visiting the site there appeared to be recently plant hedgerow. The existing property is a single storey bungalow, with a 1970's appearance and finish.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for alterations and extensions to property to provide additional living accommodation. The extensions to either gable wall would be the same, measuring 4.4m wide, with a depth of 7m and a ridge height of 4.2m.

2.2 The proposal includes extensions to each gable end of the existing property, replacing any existing conservatory and garage. The works include the erection of a detached garage measuring 5.2m x 6.5m with a height of 4m.

2.3 The whole of the existing property is to be updated, which includes new re-rendered and painted (removal of existing pebble dash), new timber Siberian larch timber cladding to be left unrated and weather naturally, existing concrete tiles removed and replaced with nature slate and all windows removed and replaced with "Chartwell Green" or "Anthracite Grey" uPVC or aluminium windows. The extension would be finished in the same materials. Solar panels are also proposed to the main dwelling house and garage roofs.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are no previous applications which are considered relevant in the determination of this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The application site is within an area recognised as being an area of Open Space (agriculture) under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982. Accordingly, the site is not designated for development. The site is not within an area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. The site is not within a Conservation Area.

4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application;

4.3 Environment Policy 1 states: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative."

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4.4 General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10); (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11); (c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment; (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14); (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services; (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry; (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 No comments received at the time of writing this report.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The principle issue to consider with this application is the potential visual impact of the works to the area and the existing dwelling.

6.2 The starting point is perhaps to consider Housing Policy 16 given the property is of a non-traditional dwelling. This policy states that; "not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public". The proposals which would increase the amount of built development on the site and would increase the floor are from approximately 142.7sqm to 171.4sqm, a 20% increase - albeit the percentage increase is not a consideration in relation to HP16. However, it is a useful figure to judge the amount of additional floor area created. This does not include the detached garage.

6.3 If the extension where to simply just increase the size of the existing character and style of the property, there would likely be concern, as this would essential just be increasing an inappropriately designed dwelling in the countryside further. However, this proposal would also significantly improve the appearance of the existing property with new finishes (as listed previously) which in turn would create a more attractive, albeit slightly larger dwelling. Consideration is also attached that the actually amount of build development as seen from public views would not be significantly more than what exists currently.

6.4 Arguably the main impact is the proposed garage which would be the aspect which is completely new within the site, detached from the main dwelling. However, the garage is finished and well designed, and not of an inappropriate size to result in an adverse visual impact upon the area or the site.

6.5 The applicant's agent has also confirmed that the solar panels would be integrated into the roof plane i.e. so they run flush with the external roof slates, rather than being installed on top of the roof ties/slates. This would visually be beneficial as solar panels which in the past have been installed on top of the existing roofs with brackets etc, can appear rather clumsy additions and detrimental to the appearance of the area/property. The applicant's proposal would avoid this and would help the solar panels appear less obvious. This shoukd be conditioned.

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7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 In conclusion, due to the size increase of the proposed dwelling, it cannot be ignored that the proposal would potentially increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public. However, for the reasons indicated within paragraphs 6.2 to 6.3 of this report, it is considered the proposal would not harm the character or appearance of the site or landscape of the area, in fact be an overall improvement. This is important as the requirements of Environment Policy 1 indicate that the countryside should be protect for its own sake and that development that would harm the character and quality of the landscape should not be allowed. From this policy Housing Policy 16 was introduced to help control the re-development of existing sites in the countryside. Accordingly, whilst in this case it is not considered the proposal complies with the wording of HP16, the resulting development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape which is arguable the most important consideration and therefore it is considered on balance the proposal would be acceptable, complying with Environment Policy 1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. 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 (Article 6(4), 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 (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. __

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:...13.05.2019

Signed :... 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

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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