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24/00799/C Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 24/00799/C Applicant : Mr Martin Vorster Proposal : Additional use of existing annex as tourist accommodation Site Address : Field House Sir Georges Bridge Abbeylands Isle Of Man IM4 5EH
Planning Officer: Paul Visigah Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.09.2024 __
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. Overall, it is considered that there is no demonstrable harm arising from the application, as the living conditions of the neighbouring properties will not be made worse as a result of the proposal, and there are no physical works to effect the existing building. Therefore, the application accords with paragraph 9.5.8, Business Policy 13, Environment Policy 22, General Policy 2 and Community Policies 7 and 11 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following:
o Cover Letter and Plan List; o Drw. 100 - Site Location Plan; and o Drw. 101 General Arrangement.
All received 16 July 2024. __
Interested Person Status
None
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Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site represents the curtilage of Field House, Sir Georges Bridge, Abbeylands, which sits about 91m northeast of Sir George's Bridge, to the south of Abbeylands crossroads. The house is served by a narrow and steep access which also serves the adjacent house 'Carrera', to the northeast.
1.2 The site is very well screened from the Ballaoates Road (A22) to the south and from both of the neighbouring properties by the mature landscaping that forms the site boundary.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal seeks planning approval for the Additional use of existing annex as tourist accommodation. There would be no changes to the external appearance of the building, nor does the scheme propose alterations to the internal layout or arrangement of the annex.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 Site Specific 3.1.1 The application site is within an area not designated for development on the Area Plan for the East, the site is not within a Conservation Area and there are no protected trees on site, although the site abuts a Registered Tree Area on three boundaries, with the site entrance situated within the Registered tree area. The site is not prone to flood risks.
3.2 The Strategic Plan stipulates a general presumption against development in areas which are not designated for a particular purpose and where the protection of the countryside is of paramount importance (EP 1 and GP3). There is, however, provision within the Strategic Plan for the use of residential properties as tourist accommodation providing certain conditions are met.
3.3 Given the nature of the proposed development, it is important to consider the following policies within the Strategic Plan:
3.3.1 National: STRATEGIC PLAN (2016) a. General Policy 3 - Exceptions to development in the countryside. b. General Policy 2 - General Development Considerations. c. Environment Policy 1 - Protection of the countryside and inherent ecology. d. Environment Policy 22 - Impacts of development on amenity of nearby properties. e. Strategic Policy 1 - Efficient use of land and resources. f. Strategic Policy 8 - Supports tourist development which makes use of existing built fabric of interest and quality, where they do not affect adversely environmental, agricultural, or highway interests, and where they enable enjoyment of our natural and man-made attractions. g. Business Policy 11 - Tourism development to accord with the sustainable development objectives of this plan; policies and designations which seek to protect the countryside from development will be applied to tourist development with as much weight as they are to other types of development. h. Business Policy 13 & Paragraph 9.5.8 - Use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation. i. Business Policy 14 - Tourism development in rural areas. j. Transport Policy 4 - Highway safety. k. Transport Policy 7 - Parking Provisions. l. Community Policy 7 - Designing out criminal and anti-social behaviour.
4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 Policy on the Development of Non-serviced Accommodation (March 2019): 4.1.1 The document seeks to shape a future development strategy for the sector, help inform planning policy and to guide the Department as to what support mechanisms may be required
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to maximise the potential benefits of an expansion on non-service accommodation in the Island.
4.2 Isle of Man Visitor Economy Strategy 2022-2032 4.2.1 The Strategy's headline targets are to grow the annual visitor numbers to 500,000 by 2032 and increase the annual economic contribution of the Island's Visitor Economy to £520m. This will mean attracting an additional 170,500 visitors per year compared to 2019. The aim is to triple the holiday and short break market as well as grow all of the other visitor markets. Combined with an expected increase in average spending per visitor, driven by strong growth in longer staying and higher spending leisure markets, these visitor numbers should result in a more than doubling of annual visitor spending on the Island to £310m, which will support an increase in Visitor Economy jobs to 5,000 and generate an annual Exchequer benefit of £49m.
5.0 Planning History 5.1 The site which is the subject of the current application has not been the subject of any recent planning application that is considered relevant in the assessment and determination of the current application.
5.2 Whilst not directly related to the site, planning approval was granted for Conversion of existing garage roof space into two tourist accommodation units under PA 09/00167/B at the immediate neighbouring property 'Carrera'.
5.2.1 The application was subject to the following restrictive condition (Condition 3): "The accommodation created by this approval must only be used as either a) holiday accommodation for individual lets not exceeding four weeks in duration; or b) accommodation incidental to that of the existing dwelling. In the case of use for holiday accommodation, between 1st March and 1st October in any one year the holiday accommodation hereby approved must only be used for individual lets, each not exceeding four weeks in duration. Outside of this period longer lets are permissible. Holiday accommodation may only be provided to bona fide tourists who are those who have a principal residence elsewhere and who are occupying the holiday accommodation hereby approved for tourism purposes. At all times a written or electronic register must be maintained of occupiers of the accommodation hereby approved, detailing names and home address and dates and duration of stay. This register must be made available for inspection by the planning authority on request. For the avoidance of doubt, no approval is given or implied to use any part of the accommodation as permanent dwellings."
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.
6.1 DOI Highway Services find the proposal to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. The Applicant is advised to consider provided an EV charging point for visitors of the proposals to aid Net Zero ambitions (19 Jul 2024).
6.2 Onchan Commissioners have recommended that the application be approved for planning purposes only (30 July 2024).
6.3 No comments have been received from neighbouring properties.
7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment and determination of this planning application are: i. Acceptability of the principle of the proposed tourist use; ii. Impact of the proposal on the living conditions of the immediate neighbours; and iii. Impact on Parking and Highway Safety
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7.2 Principle of the Development (GP 2, STP 8, Paragraph 9.5.8 and BP 13) 7.2.1 In assessing the acceptability of the principle of the proposed development, it is noted that the site falls outside of a defined settlement boundary within the open countryside, is not designated for residential development with the proposals not according within one of the defined exceptions outlined in General Policy 3. Business Policy 13 however states that permission will generally be granted for the use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation providing it can be demonstrated that such use would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents. Strategic Policy 8 is also clear that tourist development proposals will generally be permitted where they make use of existing built fabric of interest and quality, where they do not affect adversely environmental, agricultural, or highway interests and where they enable enjoyment of our natural and manmade attractions.
7.2.2 Likewise, the site comprises an existing residential property, which would retain its residential use with the proposal seeking for the additional tourist use of the annex for tourist use. Whilst limited information has been provided as to the nature and frequency of such use, the proposed level of accommodation is modest and would not involve alterations to the property to enable such use. It is, therefore, considered that the additional use of the annex is unlikely to result in a material increase in the site's intensification of use or indeed result in a material impact upon the character and appearance of the wider landscape, particularly as no alterations are proposed to the building's exterior.
7.2.3 It is also important to note that the existing strategies on the Island which have been referenced as the other material considerations within section 4 of this report, such as the 'Policy on the Development of Non-serviced Accommodation', and the 'Isle of Man Visitor Economy Strategy 2022-2032', seek to maximise the potential benefits of an expansion on non- serviced accommodation on the Island. As such, it is considered that the scheme as proposed aligns with the tourism strategies for the Island.
7.2.4 Additionally, the site is within close proximity to rural landscapes suitable for hikes, and other tourist activities which benefit from proximity to the rural environment.
7.3 Impact on neighbours (GP 2, EP 22 & BP 13) 7.3.1 In terms of potential impacts on neighbours, it is considered that given the size of the property, and the nature of use which would be mainly for a single family group or small group of tourists, and the fact that the property sits within its own exclusive curtilage screened by the mature landscaping on its boundary with its neighbouring properties, and the rural nature of the area which would be mainly passive in terms of activities, the proposed additional use for tourist purposes is not considered to result in a material impact upon the residential amenities of the adjoining properties.
7.3.2 It is also considered that the use of the site for private rental accommodation would not require planning approval and could result in frequent and continual turnover of residents, although it is recognised that its use as tourist accommodation might have a more frequent turnover and activity associated with it, however given the location and the limited degree of activity in the area, it is not considered that tourist use would have any significant impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring properties. In addition, no objections have been raised by occupants of neighbouring properties to the proposed use.
7.3.2 Given the above, it is judged that the use of the existing residential dwelling as tourist accommodation would not result in adverse impacts upon the living conditions of the neighbouring properties, and as such the proposal would conform to Business Policy 13 of the Strategic Plan.
7.4 Parking/Highway Safety Impacts (GP2, TP 4 & TP 7) 7.4.1 In terms of highway safety impacts, there should be no material change in the effect on highway safety and car parking as there is sufficient parking within the site to accommodate
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the additional tourist us. It is also vital to note that there would be no alterations to the existing vehicular access to the site, which provides safe access and exit from the property in its current state.
7.4.2 Likewise, there is no objection from highway services to the proposal, which indicates that the scheme is acceptable from the DOI Highways perspective.
8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 The proposed development is considered to be acceptable in principle in this countryside location, without detriment to the character or amenities of the wider landscape or the amenities of surrounding residential properties. The proposals are also not considered to result in a material impact upon the safety and capacity of the local highway network. The application is therefore considered to comply with Paragraph 9.5.8, Business Policy 13, Strategic Policy 8, General Policy 2, and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Strategy Plan (2016), and recommended for approval.
9.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 9.1 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.
9.2 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: 13.09.2024
Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON
Jason Singleton
Principal Planner
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