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24/00048/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 24/00048/B Applicant : Onchan District Commissioners Proposal : Installation of new lifts including access extensions, alterations to apartment block access, extension to existing car parking facilities and installation of roof mounted photo voltaic panels. Site Address : Springfield Court Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 4LF
Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.05.2025 __
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.
N 1. The Applicant/Owner is reminded of their legal obligations under the Wildlife Act 1990 in respect of bats, and in any event that such a protected species or roost is found advice should be sought from DEFA Ecosystems team.
N 2. Allowing surface water runoff onto a public highway would contravene Section 58 of the Highway Act 1986 and guidance contained in section 11.3.11 of the Manual for Manx Roads.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, dated received on 23rd January 2024; o Drawing No. 001 o G1 Solar Photovoltic Panel Specification Sheet
This decision also relates to the following plans and drawings, dated received 22nd January 2025; o Drawing No. 005 Rev C
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o Drawing No. 006 Rev A o Drawing No. 100 Rev B o Drawing No. 101 Rev B o Drawing No. 102 Rev B o Drawing No. 103 Rev B o Drawing No. 104 Rev B o Drawing No. 105 Rev B o Drawing No. 106 Rev B o Drawing No. 107 Rev B o Drawing No. 108 Rev C o Drawing No. 109 Rev C o Drawing No. 110 Rev C o Drawing No. 111 Rev B o Drawing No. 112 Rev B o Drawing No. 113 Rev C o Drawing No. 114 Rev C o Drawing No. 115 Rev B o Drawing No. 116 Rev B o Drawing No. 117 Rev C o Drawing No. Existing Site Plan Rev P02 o Drawing No. Drainage Proposals Rev P03 o Drawing No. Planning Statement
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Interested Person Status
It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):
No 6. First Avenue, Onchan, as they do not satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is within the overall curtilage of Springfield Court, which is situated to the South of Second Avenue. The site includes properties 1 to 66 Springfield Court. The dwellings are within the ownership of Onchan District Commissioners along with the highway access, grassed areas and parking areas.
1.2 There are three separate blocks of two storeys, with ranging amounts of flats within each block. The first floor of the blocks of flats are accessed via an uncovered walkway and stairs.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the following but not limited to;
2.2 New car parking apron adjacent to Block 4 which is to provide 5 car parking spaces and 2 disabled car parking spaces.
2.3 All Blocks
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2.4 Phase 1 - Block 1
2.5 Phase 1 - Block 2
2.6 Phase 1 - Block 3
2.7 Phase 1 - Block 4&5
2.8 Phase 2 - Block 1 & Community Room
2.9 Phase 2 - Block 2
2.10 Phase 2 - Block 3/ Boiler & Oil Stores
2.11 Phase 2 - Block 4&5
2.12 Phase 2 - Block 6&7
2.13 The Planning Statement received, states the following for reasoning, "As part of the refurbishment, the applicant is seeking to introduce additional lifts to provide easier access to less mobile residents and in particular afford wheelchair use of first-floor apartments/ Replacement of existing failing roof coverings to all pitched roof areas and installation of roof mounted photo voltaic panels to provide sustainable power to the communal areas.
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Upgrade and refurbishment of existing hand rails which serve the access to apartments at first floor level."
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The previous applications upon the site are not relevant to this assessment.
3.2 The site lies within an area zoned as "Predominantly Residential" on the Area Plan for the East, Map 6 - Onchan. The site is not within a Conservation Area and whilst most of the site isn't within a Flood Risk Zone, the proposed new parking area is situated within an area of Surface Water - High Likelihood.
3.3 ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 3.3.1 In terms of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered relevant in the determination of this application: Strategic Policy 3 and Environment Policy 42 focus on the visual design of development and its impact upon the character and identity of its immediate locality which should be preserved. Strategic Policy 5: development should be designed to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. 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 meets the relevant criteria. The relevant criteria in this instance are considered to be (c), (g) and (n): (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; (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. Environment Policy 23 states "When considering alterations and improvements to existing facilities the Department will require that consideration be given to the potential adverse impact of the proposed changes to existing neighbours." Environment Policy 42 - seeks to preserve character and local distinctiveness Energy Policy 3 and 4: seeks to promote environmental benefits to the Island where and when opportunities arise provided impacts upon heritage assets such as Conservation Areas is given due consideration. Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7 - general parking standards.
3.4 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Residential Design Guide (2021): Section 2.3 on Building Design, particularly paragraph 2.3.2 which deals with the provision of renewable technology is also considered relevant to the current scheme.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;
5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state, "Highway Services HDC have reviewed the updated information for application 24/00048/B, dated 22nd January 2025 online and HDC continue to not oppose (DNO) the application. (23.01.25)
5.3 No comments have been received from Onchan Commissioners at the time of writing this report.
5.4 DEFA Ecosystem Policy Team have objected to the proposal due to a lack of information and request that a preliminary assessment is done for roosting bats and nesting birds. (31.01.25)
5.5 Highways Drainage Comments: "Allowing surface water runoff onto a public highway would contravene Section 58 of the Highway Act 1986 and guidance contained in section 11.3.11 of the Manual for Manx Roads.
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Recommendation: The applicant should be aware of and demonstrate compliance with the comments above."
5.6 The owner/occupier of No. 6 First Avenue, Onchan originally wrote in on the 5th March 2024, of which further correspondence was received after further information being received. The owner/occupier has queried several items including which plans are to be approved and the removal of trees. (11.02.25)
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:
6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE 6.2.1 There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.
6.2.2 When looking at the following specific items, the proposed three extensions, general refurbishment items upon the structures such as the solar panels, upgrading of access paths, groundworks such as stairs etc., whilst the scale of what is proposed is fairly large, the site itself as a whole is accepting of the extensions and alterations without the proposals impact the overall streetscene, nor the neighbouring amenity of the surrounding streetscene. With the majority of the proposed alterations and extensions to the flats being considered likely to result in an overall improvement to each flat by making them more accessible.
6.2.3 It is also noted that the proposal to render the existing brickwork, the change of material for the balustrade and new roof will update the existing dwelling and are all works which would not impact the overall streetscene.
6.2.4 Overall, the works proposed to the blocks of flats raise no concerns in terms of the visual amenities of the area/street scene and the individual properties.
6.3 HIGHWAY SAFETY 6.3.1 It is noted that the proposal has provided an additional car parking area to the Western side of the site which is to provide five additional parking spaces and two additional disabled spaces. Overall the work proposed within this area is deemed acceptable and it's noted that Highway Services have considered the new parking layouts and changes in detail and have raised no concerns.
6.4 FLOOD RISK 6.4.1 It is noted that a the majority of the site is not situated within a Flood Risk Zone, with the only place with possible flooding being where the proposed new car parking area to the west is. When accounting for the already existing car parking and that the discharge will be into the existing private SW sewer, then into the public SW. It is deemed that the proposal will not be increasing flooding above and beyond what would already be in place.
6.5 ECOLOGY IMPACT 6.5.1 Turning towards the comments received from DEFA Ecosystems, Paragraph 7.8.6 and Environment Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 seek to protect species and habitats of importance, stating that development will not be permitted if it adversely affects any proposed or other recognised site of conservation value including areas of ecological interest. Environment Policy 5 follows on from Environment Policy 4 and states that only in
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exceptional circumstances, when an application is approved will it be appropriate to add conditions to best conserve, or minimise and mitigate any loss or disturbance.
6.5.2 In the case of this proposal, the objection and comments from DEFA Ecosystems highlight that the site is situated within "close proximity to fields with high broadleaved tree cover and which area immediately adjacent to a wooded river corridor." It should be noted that whilst the site itself is not situated within an ASSI, or another ecological interest site/ proposed to be within one, it does have registered trees.
6.5.3 The scope of Permitted Development has been increase to include works to roofs of buildings other than a dwellinghouse, which included there full replacement, subject to conditions. Whilst these works can be done without the need for a Planning Application, this does not negate the applicants responsibility under other legislation and so they would still need to be aware of the Wildlife Act 1990 in their undertaking.
6.5.4 Whilst there are features in the area which may increase the potential for bats, equally they may not. Minded of the separate legislation covering bats as a protected species, it is not considered necessary in this case to apply any condition seeking any survey being undertaken and submitted before the works start. Instead a note will be added to the application to remind the applicant of their separate legal obligation under The Wildlife Act 1990.
RECOMMENDATION 7.1 It is considered that the works as a whole will improve the visual amenity of the streetscene and the amenity of the individual flats by making them more accessible. In this, the proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 and Residential Design Guide 2021 and is recommended for approval.
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 a Principal Planner 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 and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 20.05.2025
Determining Officer
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Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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