Officer Report

Application No.: 24/91107/B Applicant: Mr Noel Gill Proposal: Conversion of existing garage to hobby room and erection of first floor extension to form ancillary living accommodation above. Site Address: 46 Erin Crescent Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6FD Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 25.11.2024 _________________________________________________________________

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 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, date received on 23rd September 2024;

• o Drawing No. 24 1850 01
• o Drawing No. 24 1850 02
• o Drawing No. 24 1850 03
• o Drawing No. 24 1850 04
• o Photographs of the site _________________________________________________________________

Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services - No Objection Local Authority - No Objection/no comments received

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the residential curtilage of No.46 Erin Crescent, Port Erin which is a semi detached two storey dwelling situated to the Southern side of Erin Crescent. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the alteration of the ground floor garage door to a window to use the ground floor as a hobbies room and additional utility room and the extension of the first floor to encompass the area above the existing garage. The extension will be slightly below the existing ridge of the main dwelling and stepped inwards from the front elevation building line.

2.2 With the proposal is also the alteration of the front elevation to create an additional car parking space to the East of the property by removing the existing garden to the boundary. - 2.3 All materials are to match the existing dwelling.

PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There is one previous application which is relevant to the assessment of this application, PA07/01147/B which was for, "Alterations, erection of a first floor extension over existing garage and conservatory to rear elevation," which was Permitted.

3.2 When looking at the previous application in relation to this application the first floor extension in this application is the same with there being slight material changes and the alteration to the ground floor level. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Proposed Residential," on the Area Plan for the South, Map 7 - Port Erin/Port St Mary. The site is not within a Conservation Area, nor a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the site and the land designation, the most relevant Isle of Man Strategic Plan policies would be General Policy 2 which sets out the general standards towards acceptable development and Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7 which sets out the relevant parking standards.

4.3 The Residential Design Guidance (2021) is also relevant and 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. - 4.4 Furthermore consideration shall also be given to Community Policies 7 and 11 in respect of reducing outbreak of fire and preventing criminal activity and Infrastructure Policy 5 in respect of water conservation.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summary;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state, "After reviewing this application, Highway Services HSC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as any parking demand for the proposals can be catered for on the driveway or on-street." (14.10.24)

5.3 Port Erin Commissioners have stated that the application will be brought forward at their meeting on the 12th November 2024, no additional comments have been received at the time of writing this report. (25.11.24)

• ASSESSMENT
• 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - impact on neighbouring amenity (GP2, g)
• - highway issues (TP7)
• - other matters (RDG, CP7, 11 & IP5)

- 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, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.

• 6.2.2 The proposed extension will not result in any over-development of the site and its finish will be in keeping with the existing dwelling. Whilst the proposed extension is not subordinate to the main dwelling, the proposed works are deemed acceptable by providing a suitable extension for the property.

• 6.2.4 Overall from a character and appearance point of view the proposal is deemed to be an acceptable form of development that complies with those sections of General Policy 2(b) & (c) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

- 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

6.3.1 Turning toward neighbouring amenity, due to the location of the proposed extension, it is considered that there are no neighbouring properties considered to be adversely affected as a result of the development through light or privacy impacts.

- 6.4 HIGHWAY ISSUES

6.4.1 The proposal to remove the existing garage, with this in mind the applicants have proposed an alteration to the front of the property to extend the existing driveway to the East of the site, which will create additional parking space to the front elevation.

• 6.4.2 It should be noted that the proposed drawing shows parking on the existing pedestrian part of the front entrance into the property, which due to the elevation change of the driveway to the front of the property, is unlikely to be parked on and as such the proposed space available to the front measures 4.85m not the 6.65m provided, which does not match the size required within the Manual for Manx Road for two parking spaces. Whilst this is the case, Highway Services, who have been provided with the application and the photographs on the application of the site, have no issues with the proposed parking.
• 6.4.3 As such noting that Highway Services have no issues with the proposed parking on the driveway, it is taken that the parking will be in accordance with Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

- 6.5 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.5.1 The proposed works are an extension to an already existing dwelling, as such the proposal is not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal actively or spread of fire. The proposal whilst increasing the surface area of the dwelling, any water runoff will be dealt with as per the existing arrangement of the main dwelling. The proposed extension will not increase water usage of the dwelling and therefore there are no new issues in this respect.

CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall the proposal is considered to be acceptable by not to result in any new or increased impacts on the public highway nor will it impact the visual amenity of the surrounding

streetscene or neighbouring amenity and as such the proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

8.1 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). - 8.2 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.

8.3 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. - 8.4 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.

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: 25.11.2024 Determining Officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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