183868

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                                      19/00743/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00743/B Applicant : Mr Richard & Mrs Penelope Higgins Proposal : Widening of existing driveway and vehicular access Site Address : 25 Close Famman Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6BL

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 30.07.2019 Site Visit : 30.07.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Refused Date of Recommendation: 19.08.2019 __

Reasons for Refusal

R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons

R 1. The proposed works would have an adverse impact on the character of the site and surrounding area, contrary to General Policy 2b, c and g by virtue of the hard surfacing of more than half of the available site frontage which is contrary to the advice provided in the Residential Design Guidance July 2019 (paragraph 6.3.4).

__

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing dwelling situated on the southern side of Close Famman, a residential cul de sac of properties which abuts the Cherry Orchard in the west and Ballafesson Road in the east. The property sits almost at the western conclusion of the cul de sac.

1.2 The property has an existing paviored driveway which is currently 4m - around one third of the frontage. The remainder of the frontage is lawned with two small trees.

1.3 The streetscene is characterised by varying forms of boundary treatment and front gardens, some having substantial planted boundaries which screen the property within - such as those properties directly opposite the site, others having simple lawned and planted front gardens covering at least half of the frontage, such as the application site and those close by and others have hard surfaced front gardens but where the access is limited to one or two

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vehicle widths. However, the property immediately alongside to the west has no planting or lawn in the front garden, despite its approved details showing half garden, half paved surface. This is currently being investigated.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the extension of the paving to reach the far side of the porch which is central to the frontage. This will increase the paved area to 7.5m - over 60% of the frontage and would accommodate three vehicles.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as Residential. As such, the following parts of the Strategic Plan are relevant:

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; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways".

3.2 The Department has recently published the Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) which provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. The guidance also includes the provision of parking spaces and the following advice is provided:

"2.4.2 Consideration should be given to imaginative ways to provide adequate levels of car parking without it dominating the streetscape. The use of the most appropriate type of parking (within the curtilage, shared parking areas and/or on-street) and both hard and soft landscaping can help to ensure that the visual impact of car parking is minimised."

"6.3.4 Proposals which result in the loss of more than 50% of the existing front lawned/landscaped garden will not normally be supported, to ensure the character of the street scape is retained and avoid frontages of properties appearing as one large car parking area, detrimental to the appearance of the street scene and to the outlook of residents. It is important that the design of a driveway maintains a balance between hard and soft landscaping and contributes positively to the street scene. Proposals are unlikely to be supported where they do not meet the following guidelines:

o the area intended for the driveway should be the minimum space necessary (see the Manual for Manx Roads); o where possible, the impact of the driveway is lessened by retaining mature trees and shrubs and/or creating areas of new planting (for example, a planted strip or hedge between the vehicular and pedestrian access can help to break-up the appearance of the hardstanding whilst planting around the fringes of the driveway can also be used to good effect and may be used to help screen the vehicle); o if an opening is made in an existing wall, fence or other boundary feature, the ends should be made good with matching or sympathetic materials (i.e. pillars); o where possible, separate pedestrian access should be retained/provided (existing gates should normally be retained and any new gates should not open out over the highway);

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o any new gates, walls, fences or other boundary features should reflect the traditional style of the local area; o consideration should be given to a strip of grass or gravel placed in the centre of the hardstanding can hide leaked oil and maintain the look of a front garden; and o parking spaces should be avoided directly in front of any Primary Window as the resulting outlook can be undermined by the presence of parked cars."

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The dwelling was approved under 11/00770/B and 13/91177/B. The dwelling alongside was approved under 14/00633 and subsequent applications proposed the additional use as tourist accommodation and the installation of a flue (16/00666/C and 16/00832/B). Both 14/00633/B and 16/00832/B show the frontage being half lawned half hard surfaced.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Port Erin Commissioners have no objection (14.08.19).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The recently approved Residential Design Guidance makes it clear that hard surfaced car parking should not dominate the plot or the streetscene and the general guidance is that this should occupy up to a maximum of 50% of the frontage. In this case the proposal would increase the hard surfacing to more than 50% of the frontage with a resulting detrimental impact on the character of the plot which will become dominated not by green lawn but by hard surfacing.

6.2 There is currently provision for the parking of two vehicles on the driveway in front of a garage. This complies with the requirements of the Strategic Plan to accommodate two vehicles on the site. The cul de sac is relatively lightly trafficked and there are opportunities for the parking of vehicles on the highway - as already happens, without adversely or significantly affecting traffic flow or highway safety. It is therefore not accepted that there is an overriding need for any additional spaces on the site to outweigh the visual impact of the additional hard surfacing.

6.3 There is not considered to be any adverse impact on highway safety as a result of the proposal as, whilst vehicles would have to either reverse in or out of the spaces, the road is lightly trafficked and the plot situated at the end of a cul de sac and where such manoeuvres could take place without significant impact.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposed works would have an adverse impact on the character of the site and surrounding area, contrary to General Policy 2b, c and g.

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

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o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

[provide the address] as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. __

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 : Refused Date: 23.08.2019

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note

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