DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00684/B Applicant: Mr Graham & Mrs Dee Worsley Proposal: Alterations, creation of a roof terrace and additional parking Site Address: 8 Victoria Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4ER Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.07.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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. Within 6 months of the demolition of the existing front annex as shown in the approved plans, the applicant must have approved by the Department a scheme for the treatment of the newly expanded frontage, including details of paving and any planting and the timing of such works and the development must be undertaken in accordance with these details.

Reason: to ensure that the development has an appropriate visual impact and particularly given the proximity of the adjacent Conservation Areas.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings 1, 2, 3 and 4 all received on 14th June, 2019. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing semi-detached house situated on the southern side of Victoria Road between Broadway and Stanley Place. To the south west of the site are 4 and 6, Victoria Road - commercial properties adjoining 50, Broadway, also a commercial unit. On the other side of the lane which separates the application site from 6, Victoria Road are the rears of 42-48, Broadway, Broadway Baptist Church and 1-8, Sherwood Terrace. These properties are 2, 3 and 4 storeys in height with the Victoria Road properties being single storey. - 1.2 The application property itself is a three storey dwelling, a storey higher than its neighbour to the north, number 14. Both properties have single storey projections which lead out to the highway and the application property also has a two storey, flat roofed annex to the south west, set back at the rear of the property. - 1.3 The rear of the dwelling is more interesting and attractive than that which fronts onto Victoria Road, with a two storey bay window, heavy cornice and on the ground floor, having three sets of patio doors. - 1.4 The property is arranged as a single dwelling with living space on the ground floor and nine bedrooms on the two floors above. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the removal of the front projecting annex to create an additional car parking space - 5 in total. Also proposed is the creation of a roof level balcony, recessed into the roof slope and protected by a 1100mm high glazed guard. Slate roofing will continue underneath the guard. - 2.2 Handrails are proposed alongside the steps to the patio doors at the rear. - 2.3 Internally, en-suite bathroom facilities will be provided although planning approval is not required for this. - 2.4 The applicant has indicated that they do not wish the extended car parking area to simply be an expanse of concrete but have yet to decide how the area will be treated in a way that looks visually attractive but which also provides sufficient protection, security and privacy for the occupants of the house as the frontage is often used by those passing the site at night, and ensuing anti-social and litter impacts.

PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan of 1998 as Predominantly Residential. The site abuts The Promenades and Ballaquayle Road Conservation Areas.

3.2 The works should be considered in the light of General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan as follows:

General Policy 2: "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;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space and
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."

3.3 Due to its position alongside two Conservation Areas, Environment Policy 36 is also relevant:

Environment Policy 36: "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."

3.4 In assessing GP2b, c and g it is relevant to consult the Department's Residential Design Guidance of March 2019 which provides advice on the style of development, its impact on the living conditions of those in neighbouring property and the creation of car parking facilities.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 Planning approval was granted for the principle of the erection of a dwelling in the rear garden of the property under 10/01850/A but no reserved matters application was submitted. This approval has now expired. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application (03.07.19). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issues in this case are whether there would be any adverse impact on highway safety as a result of the widening of the hard surface area and the removal of the single storey projecting annexes. Also it is necessary to consider the impact of these works on the two Conservation Areas immediately alongside and finally, the impact from the introduction of the roof level balcony on the living conditions of those in adjacent property must be considered. Highway safety

6.2 The provision of an additional parking space for a property of this size and where on-street parking does not exist, is welcome in principle. Whilst this would increase the area of hard surfacing to the full width of the site, which is generally discouraged in the RDG, the removal of the existing projecting annex will significantly improve the appearance of the property. Impact on the Conservation Areas - 6.3 The property is not currently in particularly good repair and this does not contribute positively to the character of the two CAs. The works will remove fabric which is in poor repair and of poor form and in this respect will enhance the setting of both CAs. The works to the rear will not be publicly visible and will therefore have no effect on the character or appearance of either CA. The works to the front will involve the removal of fabric which is unattractive and if the resulting parking area is treated appropriately, this will result in an enhancement of the site. A condition should be attached which requires details of the treatment of the frontage following the demolition of the existing fabric as proposed in the application. Effect on the living conditions of those in adjacent property - 6.4 The introduction of high level balconies can sometimes introduce overlooking and intervisibility issues which do not presently exist. In this case, however, the impact of the balcony is mitigated by its position within the roof and allowing little different a view from that of the existing second floor windows immediately below it.

CONCLUSION

7.1 It is not considered that any of the works would adversely affect highway safety, the character or appearance of the CAs or the living conditions of those in neighbouring property and as such the application is supported. 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 the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 01.08.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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