DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00867/B Applicant: Ms Patricia Whyte Proposal: Alterations and erection of a rear extension (in association with 19/00868/CON) Site Address: 10 Woodbourne Villas / 42 Alexander Drive Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3QG Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken: 21.08.2019 Site Visit: 21.08.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.09.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to drawing 251-01 (Plans and elevations, site location plans), date stamped received on 1st August 2019 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage 10 Woodbourne Villas/42 Alexander Drive, a mid-terrace two storey dwelling. The site is within Selbourne Drive Conservation Area. To the rear of the site there is a narrow access lane, with a large vacant plot of land behind.

1.2 The dwelling itself has a small single storey utility extension and shed with single pitched roof which has been attached to the rear two storey kitchen outrigger.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is a single storey mono-pitch extension along the side and rear of the existing kitchen outrigger on the dwelling. The extension would 'wrap around' the kitchen area and would incorporate the existing utility extension to the rear, replacing the shed adjacent. The extension would have three roof lights on the side section, and a flue protruding from the roof by approximately 4 metres. A new access to the rear would be created via double patio doors.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is planning history related to residential alterations to the property and surrounding properties, none of which are specifically materially relevant to the assessment of this planning application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The proposal site is in an area designated in the Douglas Local Plan 1998 as Predominantly Residential. The site is within Selbourne Drive Conservation Area. - 4.2 Given the land use designation, General Policy 2 (in part) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 applies "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 Environment Policy 35:

Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development

4.4 Whilst not planning policy, the Department's recently published Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) will be referenced in this report and is capable of being a material consideration.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DoI Highways have confirmed that there is no highways interest in the application (16.08.19). - 5.2 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application (22.08.19).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key considerations in the assessment of this application are the potential for impact on the neighbours, and the visual character and appearance of the site and wider Conservation Area. - 6.2 Neighbour amenity

• 6.2.1 The proposed lean-to roof on the extension would result in its height being approximately 1.3metres taller than the stone partition wall at the boundary with No.12 Woodbourne Villas to the west. There would be no new window openings other than to the

• rear at ground floor level and therefore no heightened risk of overlooking into either of the adjoining properties.
• 6.2.2 The risk of overshadowing or overbearing of any extension close to the boundary of a neighbouring terraced property is often high. Overbearing in this case in not considered likely due to the single storey nature of the extension, and the existing high stone wall and fencing. Overshadowing and loss of light to habitable rooms of neighbouring properties is calculated as set out in the Design Guidance Section 7.3: "A simple check can be undertaken in relation to this issue.

• o A side view is drawn which includes the proposal site and the main face of the neighbouring property.
• o A point is identified which is 2 metres above ground level on the closest wall with a relevant window of the neighbouring building.
• o A line is drawn from this point at a 25 degree angle towards the application site. If no part of the proposal is above this line, there will still be the potential for good daylight to the interior."

• 6.2.3 The east-west movement of the sun means that , for both adjacent properties, any shadowing resulting from the extension would not be unacceptably above that already experienced from the 2 storey outrigger on the dwelling. Overall, the proposal is not considered likely to result in a detrimental impact on neighbour amenity.

6.3 Character and Appearance

• 6.3.1 This consideration relates to General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 as per section

4 of this report. The key test is contained within Environment Policy 35 which requires that all development within Conservation Areas must 'preserve or enhance' that area.

• 6.2.2 The proposed extension is modern, but would feature a pitched roof to match that seen on the main dwelling and existing annexes. It would not be highly visible from any public thoroughfare, or from the access lane to the rear, nor would it be an 'untidy' or overly large feature. The single storey nature of the extension, and the effect of infilling the part of the rear yard closest to the rear elevation would ensure that it remains secondary to the main building. It is considered that, due to the semi-secluded nature of the extension proposed, and the existing situation on the site, this aspect of the proposal would accord with EP35 and GP2.
• 6.2.3 With regard to the flue at the rear, whilst it would not be an attractive feature, for the same reasons as outlined above, it is not considered likely to have any impact on the wider Conservation Area nor would it be an unusual feature for a residential area such as this.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 In summary, the proposed extension and flue are in overall accordance with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. The application is recommended for approval. - 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 can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 26.09.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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