208471

==== PAGE 1 ====

                                      24/91144/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. 24/91144/B Applicant : Sulby Methodist Church Council Proposal Installation of two Air Source Heat Pumps Site Address Sulby Methodist Church Main Road Sulby Isle Of Man IM7 2HP

Case Officer :

Tom Sinden Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation 13.11.2024

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 application is judged to meet the tests of General Policy 2 and Strategic Policy 4 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the setting of the registered building is being protected, the character of the surrounding area is being respected, and the proposals do not affect adversely the amenity of local residents. The application is therefore deemed to be acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to drawings 01A, 02A, 03A, 04A, 15 and 16, together with the other supporting information received on 30.9.2024.

__

Rights to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:

D.O.I. Highways - No objection Lezayre Parish Commissioners - No objection __

==== PAGE 2 ====

                                      24/91144/B                                     Page  2  of  4

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The site is the grounds of Sulby Methodist Church, Lezayre. Sulby Methodist Church is a registered building (RB 172).

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 This application seeks approval to install two Air Source Heat Pumps adjacent to the church's east elevation. The units are proposed to be Mitsubishi Ecodan R32 Monobloc air pumps, 1350mm high and 1020mm wide, with a sound rating of 53dB at 1 metre.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area defined as Worship on the Sulby Local Plan 1998. The site is not in an area at risk of flooding.

3.2 National policy: THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016

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; and (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.

Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must: (a) Protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings(1), Conservation Areas(2), buildings and structures within National Heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest;

4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 Isle Of Man Renewable Heating Scenarios (January 2022): Key Targets: o To achieve 100% of Heating from Renewable or Carbon Neutral Sources by 2050; o To Develop a Fuel Sourcing Strategy (that considers the fuel requirement of each scenario alongside land requirements (especially for biomass), the technical and economic risks associated with dependency on biofuels, the demand from other sectors, and the effects of relying on indigenous production or importation); and o Ensure a Fair & Equitable (Just) Transition

4.2 Isle Of Man Future Energy Scenarios (2020), in which the Isle of Man Government launched its Future Energy Scenarios Strategy to determine the pathways to meet the following: "Key Targets - To ensure 75% of the island's electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2035 and to deliver net zero emissions by 2050."

4.3 Climate Change Act 2021 - sets out the legal requirement; "to make provision for the setting of interim targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; to make provision about the mitigation of climate change and the enhancement of natural carbon storage; to impose climate change duties on public bodies; to make provision for energy generation and energy use and for the reduction and recycling of waste; and for connected purposes".

==== PAGE 3 ====

                                      24/91144/B                                     Page  3  of  4

4.4 Climate change plan 2022-2027 - Statutory document for climate change which seeks to reduce greenhouse gasses across the Island to become a carbon neutral Island by 2050 and meet interim targets of a 35% reduction in emissions by 2030 and 45% by 2035 and is expected to affect various economic, social and environmental factors.

5.0 PLANNING HISTORY

5.1 There are numerous historic applications within the curtilage of the church. The most relevant application is judged to be 21/00588/CON, which granted registered building consent for internal works involving the removal of pews and concrete plinths, removal of tiled floor and installation of new floor, replacement of existing heating system with underfloor heating, remedial works to stained glass windows and glazed screen and upgrading of kitchen and toilet facilities.

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS

6.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division - No Highways Interest (7.10.2024).

6.2 Lezayre Parish Commissioners have stated that they have no objections to the application (8.11.2024).

7.0 ASSESSMENT

7.1 The principle factors to be assessed with this application are the impact on the setting of the immediately adjacent registered building, and the impact of the proposals on neighbouring amenity.

Impact on Sulby Methodist Church - RB 172 7.2 The air source heat pumps (ASHP) proposed within this application would be sited adjacent (but not physically attached) to the church's east elevation, near to the building's south-eastern corner. The ASHPs are proposed to be installed as part of a substantial scheme to alter the internal arrangement and services supply to the church and to safeguard its long-term future. Although the ASHPs would be visible on the building's easterly facing elevation, their intended position is judged to be one of the least visible parts of the building. This corner of the building does not face either of the public roads that bound the churchyard - the elevation faces the grounds of Sulby Primary School. Given the location and size of the ASHPs relative to the building, I consider that the fabric and setting of the registered building would be protected by the proposals.

Impact on neighbouring amenity 7.3 As mentioned in section 7.2 above, the air source heat pumps (ASHP) proposed within this application would be sited adjacent (but not physically attached) to the church's east elevation, near to the building's south-eastern corner. The sound being emitted by the units does have the potential to negatively impact neighbouring amenity. A review of the constraints of the site shows that the nearest domestic properties to the east (the side of the building on which the units would be sited) are over 150m away. The nearest domestic property to the south is Pine View, over 90m away. On the other side of the church, to the west, permission has been granted for residential use of the site behind the former Sulby shop, Gara Aalin. This property would be over 30m away from the units, and have the mass of the church as a barrier to any sound transmission. An assessment of the noise level that would be emitted by the units has indicated that the level would be slightly below 41db from 30m away. As the accepted pass level for noise levels is 41db, and all of the potentially impacted residential properties are more than 30 metres away from the proposed site, I judge that there would be no significant adverse impact on neighbouring amenity from the installation of the ASHPs in the manner proposed.

8.0 CONCLUSION

==== PAGE 4 ====

                                      24/91144/B                                     Page  4  of  4

8.1 The application is judged to meet the tests of general policy 2 and strategic policy 4 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 as the setting of the registered building is being protected, the character of the surrounding area is being respected, and the proposals do not affect adversely the amenity of local residents. The application is therefore recommended for approval.

9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE 9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: o applicant (in all cases); o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10.

9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal. __

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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 13.11.2024

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.