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| Application No.: | 13/00385/A |
| Applicant: | Mrs Mary Quayle |
| Proposal: | Approval in principle for erection of two dwellings with new vehicular access |
| Site Address: | Land Adjacent To Ballacraine Cottages Ballacraine St Johns Isle Of Man |
THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY HAVE OBJECTED TO THE APPLICATION WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR AN APPROVAL.
1.1 The application site is the land adjacent to Ballacraine Cottages, Ballacraine, St Johns located along the southern side of the Peel Road and west of Ballacraine crossroads. The site is currently a parcel of undeveloped land which is sloping in nature. The site is overgrown, but does have a number of trees the largest of which run partially along the southern boundary of the site.
1.2 The site which has a roadside frontage of approximately 50 metres has a maximum depth of approximate 21 metres (eastern boundary) which gradually decrease to approximately 13 metres (western boundary).
2.1 The application seeks Approval in Principle for erection of two dwellings with new vehicular access.
2.2 The application includes indicative drawings which show how the site could be split into two plots, including a shared access, driveways and turning provisions. The drawing also indicates the footprint of each dwelling (10 metres x 7.8 metres) and how each dwelling could be sited within each plot. An indicative cross section of each dwelling is also provided and shows the relationship of each dwelling with the Peel Road and how each dwelling could appear depending on the height of the dwelling (two or three storeys).
3.1 There are no previous planning applications which are considered specifically material in the assessment of the current application.
4.1 The site is designated under the St John’s Local Plan (Planning Circular 6/99) as "Residential".
| Case Officer: | Mr Chris Balmer |
| Photo Taken: | 15.04.2013 |
| Site Visit: | 15.04.2013 |
| Expected Decision Level: | Planning Committee |
4.2 Due to the site location, zoning and the type of proposal, the following policies are relevant for consideration:-
4.3 Strategic Policy 1 states: "Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under-used land and buildings, and re-using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space(1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services." 4.4 Strategic Policy 2 states: "New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(2) of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in the exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3." 4.5 The Strategic Plan identifies a hierarchy of settlements that guide what type of development is appropriate within them. Douglas, unsurprisingly, is designated as the main employment and service centre for the Island. Outside of Douglas development is to be concentrated towards the main towns to provide housing, employment and services. Some of the larger villages are also seen as 'service centres' where employment and housing should be provided to meet local needs. Spatial Policy 3 sets out that Area Plans will define the development boundaries of Service Villages. St Johns lies within one of these 'Service Centres' and is thus covered by Spatial Policy 3.
Spatial Policy 4 states: "Area Plans will define the development boundaries of such villages so as to maintain and where appropriate increase employment opportunities. Housing should be provided to meet local needs and in appropriate cases to broaden the choice of location of housing." 4.6 General Policy 2 states: "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:
4.7 Housing Policy 4: "New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(1) of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7,8,9 and 10 ; (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and (c) the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14."
5.1 German Commissioners object to this application on the grounds that the loss of open aspect of the village; more vehicular access onto the busy A1 / previous applications have been refused on these grounds in this area.
Further letter from German Commissioners on the 12 September reiterating their previous comments objection still stands. 5.2 The Highway Division make the following initial comments: "Visibility splays of metres are required due to the nature of the road and the fact there would be more than one dwelling and therefore shortest stopping distances cannot be used.
At 2.4 metres back the applicant can provide approximately 54 metres towards Douglas and 40 metres to Peel.
At 2 metres back applicant is able to achieve approximately 67 metres towards Douglas and 45 metres towards Peel.
The 70 metres may be reduced if accident data indicates no incidents at this location, which would reduce the required splays to 45 metres, which is achievable."
Following additional plans the Highway Division make the following comments: "Highways would not oppose the application, although the 70 metres would be required, however, taking into account accident records ( 2 damage only last 5 years, driver error) and speed ( 85 th \%tile ) (mean speeds ), it was recommended that the reduced splays of would be acceptable for this location (which is achievable)." 5.3 The Manx Electricity Authority makes no comments on the merits of the application but ask an informative note be attached to any approval. 5.4 The owners/occupants of Croit Greanagh, Ballacraine, St Johns have objected to the application on the basis of; highway safety concern due to on street parking in the area which can cause backlogs and with a bus stop adjacent to the site the proposed new access could cause more danger to other road users and members of the public; construction vehicles would make the road more dangerous; and there are several trees on the site in which birds are nesting, we feel it would be unnecessary to these to be felled to make way for new buildings when there are already a vast amount of properties for sale on the Island. 5.5 The owners/occupants of Smithy House Garage, Ballacraine, St Johns have objected to the application which can be summarised as; highway safety concerns both during construction and post construction, due to unsuitability of the highway in this part of the village; due to commuter traffic and school drop offs the Peel Road is very busy and any additional roadside traffic or traffic movement on the site would only make matters worse;
during construction periods builders and contractors vehicles will cause considerable upsets in the roadway with no possible access to the building site, until substantial groundwork's have been achieved; no details for visibility splays or how the foul drainage would be connected into the main sewer up the site; and concern of loss of southern aspects from our property and loss of privacy through overlooking of our garden. 5.6 The owners/occupants of Heart House, Curragh Road, St Johns have commented on the application which can be summarised as; no objection to the principle of development but we would like assurances that the large elm trees are either felled or that excavation is not going to affect their stability; 3 summers ago one of the trees split and cause major damage to our adjacent stables. 5.7 Cornerstone Architects, 79 Parliament Street, Ramsey have written on behalf of the owners/occupants of Ballochmyle, Main Road, St Johns who have objected to the application which can be summarised as; object to the principle of development; and not consider the proposal provides sufficient allowance for the DOI Highway Division planning requirements to provide visibility in each direction and the application should fail on the grounds of road safety. 5.8 The owners/occupants of Hillside, Ballacraine, St Johns have objected to the application which can be summarised as; application in 1973 was previously refused to develop the site; loss of view of the Foxdale Valley and South Burrule; two or three storey property would almost certainly have families large enough to completely overload the proposed car park and tuning area and result in on street parking; traffic along this road has become a problem since the 1960's and due to accidents, speed restrictions have been put in place and railings erected to protect Ballacraine Cottages; and recent years there have been several collisions and my father has had two cars written off whilst parked outside Hillside. 5.9 The owners/occupants of 30 Station Road, Taly Sarn, Caernarfon, Gwynedd (owners of 2 Ballacraine Cottages, St Johns) have objected to the application which can be summarised as; proposed dwelling would be overbearing on our cottage and gives no privacy; make parking in the are more difficult when there were visitors to the properties and would park on road; and height of dwelling would be out of keeping.
6.1 From studying the plans, visiting the site and reading the written representations it is considered there are a number of issues which need to be addressed within this assessment, these are; principle of developing the site for residential use; potential impacts upon neighbouring amenities (loss of light, overbearing impact upon outlook and/or overlooking resulting in a loss of privacy); potential impacts upon highway safety; potential visual impact upon the street scene; and potential impacts upon the trees on the site.
Principle of developing the site for residential use 6.2 The site is within an area designated for residential use under the existing local plan. Consequently, providing the application satisfies the other material planning considerations, then the principle of development is acceptable. Other factors that need to the consideration are; whether the site is large enough to satisfactorily accommodate two dwellings whilst providing acceptable access and turning within the site and whilst not adversely affecting the privacy, outlook or other amenities of those in the adjacent dwellings. These issues will be considered later in this report.
Potential impacts upon neighbouring amenities 6.3 Whilst the application is for approval in principle only and the submitted plans are indicative, the Planning Authority still needs to be satisfied that two dwellings on the site can be provided whilst not having an adverse impact upon neighbouring amenities. In this case
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