DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00715/B Applicant: Manx Utilities Authority Proposal: Installation of a heat pump Site Address: Fern Bank West Kimmeragh Road Bride Isle Of Man IM7 4BA Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.08.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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 the following plans and drawings, date stamped received 24th June 2019:

• o Location plan 1:2500
• o Site plan 1:300
• o Site Plan 1:100
• o Site Plan 1:50
• o Annotated photograph of site
• o Technical Specifications of the heat pump _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 'Fern Bank', a detached bungalow in a triangle shaped plot of land on the northern side of West Kimmeragh Road, surrounded by small hills. There are also a number of mature tall trees to the rear of the site.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the installation of an air source heat pump (ASHP) to generate renewable heating for the dwelling. The air source heat pump would be 1.05m wide, 0.48m deep and under 1.5m in height - at the rear elevation of the bungalow. - 2.2 Noise levels provided by the product specifications submitted indicate that the noise emitted by the unit would be 45dB @ 1 metre.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site is identified as being in an area of 'white land' - land not zoned for any development as per the 1982 Development Plan (North Map). It is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Given that the area is not zoned, there is a general presumption against all development that does not meet the exceptions within General Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016:

"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(1) 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."

3.3 Whilst not zoned for development, the proposal is domestic in nature and the below General Policy 2 is a material consideration:

"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 and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

3.4 The Strategic Plan also provides guidance on the installation of renewable energy apparatus:

"12.2.8 The Department is fully supportive of the need to secure greater energy efficiency in new and existing development and has recently introduced additional energy efficiency requirements in the Building Regulations 2003. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources are covered in General Policy 2(m) of the Building Regulations. At the same time the Department recognizes that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts. The idea of a wind turbine Installation is currently being investigated and considered by the Manx Electricity Authority. Any feasible site is likely to be exposed and have considerable visual impact. There may also be other impacts such as noise. On a smaller scale, the popularity of domestic wind turbines has been increasing in recent years in response to rising energy prices and increasing awareness of climate change. Planning applications for domestic wind turbines are unlikely to require the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment. The Department will assess any proposals for wind turbine installations by weighing the benefits of using such renewable energy sources against the environmental impact arising in any particular site. It is likely that the visual impact would be less detrimental on a coastal site than on a rural or upland one. Accordingly:

3.5 Energy Policy 4: Development involving alternative sources of energy supply, including wind, water and tide power, and the use of solar panels, will be judged against the environmental objectives and policies set out in this Plan. Installations involving wind, water and tide power will require the submission of an EIA."

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 Planning approval was recently granted for the site (19/00307/B) for an extension and the provision of solar panels.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DoI Highway Services have stated that there is no highways interest in the application (22.07.19).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The proposal will accord with GP3 as it constitutes development on previously developed land, as well as GP2(n) in respect of non-renewable energy consumption and the general support in the Strategic Plan for the installation of renewable energy installations. The apparatus is modest and its positioning at the rear of the dwelling, not visible from the road, in a non-residential area is likely to limit its visual impact. - 6.2 In terms of noise impact, the sound pressure level of the heat pump at 45dB @ 1 metre would not be greater than that expected from an outdoor oil boiler. For reference, 50dB is similar to the noise generated by light traffic, 60dB that of normal conversation or an air conditioner. There will be a background noise generated but this is not considered likely to have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the neighbours given the 60+ metre separating distance to the closest dwelling.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered to accord with GP3, GP2 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and 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:

• * whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• * 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 : 12.08.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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