DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 24/00115/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Charles Williams Proposal: Rear bedroom Extension. Garage Conversion. Site Address: 55 All Saints Park Lonan Laxey Isle Of Man IM4 7LD Planning Officer: Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken: 22.03.2024 Site Visit: 22.03.2024 Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.04.2024

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed extension and garage window works are considered to have an acceptable visual impact on the existing dwelling, streetscene and surrounding area and not to adversely impact highway safety in line with General Policy 2 (b, c, g, h, and i). Although some negative impact from the side extension has been recognised on the side gable window of No. 57 this is not considered to be so unacceptable as to harm their overall living conditions and is considered within the bounds of General Policy 2 (g) and the principles of Section 7 of the Residential Design Guide as to not warrant a result in this case. The proposals also not at odds with Community Policies 7 and 11 and Infrastructure Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following:

• o Drawing No: 01 date received 31/01/2024
• o Drawing No: 02 date received 31/01/2024
• o Email from the agent (including attached photo and copy of dwg) dated 11th March 2024.

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report SITE

1.1 The application relates to 55 All Saints Park, Lonan. PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the erection of a single storey side extension that wraps the eastern gable around to the rear elevation.

2.2 Also proposed is the removal and replacement of the existing garage door with a new window. HISTORY - 3.1 There have been no applications since the dwellings original development. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated as residential on the Area Plan for the East 2020. The site is not recognised as being at any flood risk.

4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies considered materially relevant to the assessment:

• o Strategic Policies 3 and 5 - promote good design and use of local materials and character
• o General Policy 2 (b) (c) (g) - general standards towards acceptable development visual and neighbouring amenity
• o Paragraph 8.12.1 - supports principle of residential development in zoned areas
• o Environment Policy 42 - promotes development taking account of locality in design.
• o Community Policy 7, 11 - prevent criminal activity and reduce spread of fire
• o Infrastructure Policy 5 - conserve the Island's water

4.3 The Residential Design Guide (July 2021) contains the following guidance also considered materially relevant:

• o Section 4 Extensions
• o Section 5 Architectural Details
• o Section 7 Impact on Neighbouring Properties

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Garff Commissioners - no objection (08/03/2024) - in keeping with main dwelling and would cause no significant visual intrusion for neighbours or public. - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - Do not oppose (09/02/2024) - no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. - 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties.

ASSESSMENT

6.1 The keys tests in the assessment of this application are:

• i) principle of development

• ii) visual impact of extension and works to garage
• iii) neighbouring amenity impact of extension works on No. 57
• iv) highway impact and any other matters

6.2 i) Principle

• 6.2.1 Paragraph 8.12.1 states there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing properties in residential zoned areas where they would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area. Therefore the principle for residential extension is accepted and therefore the test falling to the visual and amenity impacts.

6.3 ii) Visual Impact Extension

• 6.3.1 This cul-de-sac comprises a mix of dwellings of single and two storey. The application dwelling mimics a single storey Manx cottage with painted render walls, pitched roof and gable end stacks, although comprises more modern features including an integrated garage and modern window and door styles. The proposal results in an extension towards the rear and wrapping the east side gable, the extension is of size and scale that will appear subordinate to the main dwelling when viewed from the front and in-keeping with the overall pitched roof finish. At the rear the extension is finished with a double gable pitch although this will not be visible from the cul-de-sac. The extension is not considered to adversely harm the overall appearance of the dwelling or the streetscene and is visually acceptable. Garage

• 6.3.2 The most notable visual change from the cul-de-sac is likely to be the change from a garage door to a window, while there is PD for garage conversions the new window is to match the rest on the same elevation, and in this case the proposed window would be much wider than the existing front elevation windows although would have the same head and cill height. As mentioned above, there is a mix of dwellings in this cul-de-sac so whilst the new window might not match exactly the existing windows it would not be so out of keeping given the varied approach to windows in the surrounding area.

6.4 iii) Amenity Impact

• 6.4.1 The land here is sloping meaning the application dwelling sits higher than No. 57, and this height change coupled with the proposed extension will bring the extension building mass considerably closer to the boundary and although still of single storey design and still having a blank end gable closest to the neighbour, this proximity will change the outlook and daylight reaching the side elevation gable window of No. 57.

• 6.4.2 On visiting the site it was confirmed that No. 57's side gable window served an open plan kitchen (as shown on 21/00166/B) but that this open plan space also benefitted from windows and doors on a rear extension and having an open aspect out to the rear garden. So whilst it is acknowledge that there would be some degree of overbearing impact and outlook change to the side gable window and reduced daylight entering this window and part of the side garden, the arrangement of No. 57 having other rear windows not affected by the proposal and the open rear aspect including the size of the rear garden that the proposed extension is not considered to be so significantly adverse as to harm the general living conditions of No. 57 as to warrant a refusal in this case and is considered within the bounds of General Policy 2 (b and g).

6.5 iv) Highway impact and any other matters

• 6.5.1 There remains acceptable space on the existing driveway to accommodate at least two vehicles off the road and so there is no adverse highway safety issues expected as a result of the works in line with General Policy 2 (h and i).

• 6.5.2 The proposal is not expected to result in any new or increased adverse criminal activity, spread of fire or water conservation issues beyond the existing dwelling and its existing residential use and not at odds with Community policies 7 and 11 and Infrastructure Policy 5.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed extension to the side and rear, and the garage window works are considered to have an acceptable visual impact on the existing dwelling, streetscene and neighbouring properties and not to adversely affect highway safety in line with General Policy 2 (b, c, g, h and i) and not at odds with Community policies 7 and 11 and Infrastructure Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 11.04.2024 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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