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January 2010
(Appendices A & B corrected April 2010)
Hugh Logan Architects Bridge Court 10 Bridge Street Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1AX
APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 36 AFFORDABLE DWELLINGS AT PULROSE FARM, NEW CASTLETOWN ROAD, DOUGLAS FOR HAVEN HOMES LIMITED
DESIGN AND PLANNING STATEMENT
1.0 Introduction 2.0 The Proposal 3.0 General Planning Policy 4.0 Environmental Policies 5.0 Housing Policies 6.0 Recreation Policies 7.0 Community Policies 8.0 Transport Policies 9.0 Infrastructure Policies 10.0 Energy Policies
Appendix A Calculation of Open Space Provision Appendix B Application for Footpath Diversion Appendix C Secured by Design Consultation Appendix D Consultation with Building Control and DOT Highways Appendix E Consultation with the Drainage Authority
1.1 In November 2006 Haven Homes agreed to purchase this site from Douglas Corporation for the sole purpose of developing the site to provide affordable housing for sale in accordance with the Isle of Man Government House Purchase Assistance Scheme 2002. The sale was approved by the Housing and Estates Office of the Department of Local Government and the Environment (DoLGE), the detail of the scheme being subject to the department's further approval to the detail and general compliance with DoLGE's Guide to Public Housing Standards 2002. 1.2 An approval in principle to the development of the site, PA 04/2088 was granted in 2005. This was accompanied by a plan showing 30 dwellings on the site. 1.3 A subsequent detailed application for 36 three bedroom houses and 10 two bedroom apartments, PA 07/01538/B, was refused consent on 01 February 2010 for three reasons which can be summarised as (1) inadequate provision of public open space, (2) inadequate provision of car parking and (3) over-intensive and unsympathetic design. Notes were included in the refusal notice advising that a survey be undertaken to determine or not the presence of lizards on the site and suggesting that a lower density of development be considered. The Planning Officer's report leading to this decision included a number of specific points of criticism to be addressed. 1.4 The site includes a pair of semi-detached houses and a single detached house remaining in the ownership of Douglas Corporation which needs to be incorporated into any proposed development. These properties are currently let out as public sector housing.
2.1 The proposal is for a development of 12 two bedroom houses, 16 three bedroom houses and 8 two bedroom apartments, all to be offered for sale under the House Purchase Assistance scheme. The apartments are all of the walk up type, each having its own front door at ground level. 2.2 It is proposed to provide a single vehicular access into the estate from the A5 New Castletown Road which is to be widened to provide a right hand turning lane. Within the estate the access road splits into two urban lanes each having a turning head for refuse collection and emergency vehicles. The proposal includes for a new bus lay-by and a pedestrian crossing on New Castletown Road. 2.3 The majority of the proposed houses face onto a central public open space within which will be located a children's play area. Additional public open space is to be provided on the north-east boundary which adjoins the golf course which surrounds the triangular site on two sides. A pair of two storey apartment blocks are located at the apex of the triangle providing a further open aspect to the golf course. 2.4 Whilst the proposed layout of the estate is traditional the proposed form, style and external of the dwellings is contemporary. Wall finishes are a mixture of cedar boarding and painted or self-coloured render, generally white but including four highlight colours to provide variety within the estate and individuality to each building. [Due to the limitations of CAD and reproduction technology the colours will be subject to further approval of samples] Pitched roofs will be covered in grey concrete tiles to provide a contrasting uniformity. Windows are to be dark grey powder coated aluminium with glazed canopies over hardwood entrance doors.
2.5 Car parking is to be provided on plot for the three bedroom houses, 10 of which will have sufficient space to construct a garage at the side. Dedicated parking for the two bedroom houses and apartments is to be provided in open sided courtyards leaving 24 spaces for common and visitor use in the courtyards and lay-bys. 2.6 The existing buildings, Pulrose Farm House and Pulrose Farm Cottages are incorporated into the development by providing two parking spaces for each dwelling within their curtilages and accessed via the new estate road. The road layout has been designed to accommodate future development of the Farm House and the Cottage sites, the latter in combination with an unused area to the north of the estate entrance. 2.7 The proposal has been developed to provide a soft edge to the adjacent golf course on the eastern side and will be enhanced by a soft landscaping scheme to be designed and maintained by Douglas Corporation who will maintain the landscaped areas. The site boundary will be marked by a 1.5 m high Manx hedge with fencing where required between the plots. 2.8 The proposal requires a short diversion of a footpath which meanders across the footpath. This small change will be more than offset by connecting the footpath into the estate road and on to the new pedestrian crossing of New Castletown Road.
3.1 The relevant Planning documents for this proposal are the Isle of Man Strategic Plan of June 2007 and the Douglas Local Plan of 1998. 3.2 In optimising the use of under-used land in an efficient way on a site close to existing infrastructure the proposal accords with the requirements of Strategic Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan. 3.3 By its location within the existing town of Douglas the proposal accords with the requirements of Strategic Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan 3.4 By its location on a bus route and connection into the local footpath network (see para. 6.4) the proposed development complies with Strategic Policy 10 of the Strategic Plan. Furthermore, the proposals include a new bus lay-by on the east side New Castletown Road and a new pedestrian crossing to an existing bus stop on the west side which will be connected to an existing footpath on the adjacent golf course. 3.5 By providing 36 new dwellings the proposal contributes to meeting the housing need identified in Strategic Policy 11 of the Strategic Plan. 3.6 Whilst only about c. $75 \%$ of the site is zoned for residential use in the Douglas Local Plan the whole of the site was included in the Approval in Principle (PA 04/2088) granted in 2005 prior to the sale of the site. The whole of the site apart from the public sector housing was in use as a maintenance resource for the adjacent golf course (also in the ownership of Douglas Corporation). This use has since been relocated elsewhere leaving the site redundant. The proposal therefore complies with Policy D/R/P1 of the Douglas Local Plan.
3.7 The proposal complies with all the relevant aspects of Strategic Plan General Policy 2, in particular items (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j). 3.8 As allowed for by General Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan a Section 13 Agreement will be required to restrict the use of the land to affordable housing as referred to in para 1.1 and for a commuted payment required in respect of a small shortfall in public open space provision (see item 6.2)
4.1 A Presence/Absence Survey in respect of the viviparous lizard has been conducted by the Department of Farming and Fisheries. This concluded that the lizard was not present on the site (refer to Environmental Impact Assessment). The proposal is therefore compliant with Environment Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan and Policy D/NC/P7 of the Douglas Local Plan. 4.2 Whilst there is no record of archaeological remains on this site the applicant offers to permit trial trenching prior to works commencing and undertakes to maintain a watching brief during construction, in consultation with Manx National Heritage and in compliance with Environment Policy 41 of the Strategic Plan. 4.3 In accordance with Environment Policy 24 of the Strategic Plan the applicant has undertaken an Environmental Impact Assessment for the development, the outcome of which is contained within a separate report.
5.1 In providing housing on the site this proposal will contribute to the housing need identified in Housing Policies 1, 2 and 3 of the Strategic Plan. 5.2 Being located on zoned land within an existing town this proposal complies with Housing Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan. 5.3 Being wholly dedicated to the provision of affordable housing as approved by DoLGE this proposal exceeds the requirements of Housing Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan and will make a significant contribution in this regard.
6.1 In accordance with Recreation Policies 1 and 3 of the Strategic Plan and Policy D/R/P1 of the Douglas Local Plan public open space is provided within the development in the form of a central children's play space and amenity space adjacent to the golf course and New Castletown Road, both greater than the requirement set down in the Appendix 6. The play equipment proposed is Venturer Duo as manufactured by Record RSS Limited or similar as approved by Douglas Corporation. 6.2 Due to the unusual shape of the site and the need to optimise the provision of affordable housing there is an aggregate shortfall in public open space provision of 813 sqm. (29\%). This calculation can be found at Appendix A.
6.3 In accordance with General Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan as referred to in para. 3.4 the applicant has agreed to pay a commuted sum to Douglas Corporation towards the provision of off-site facilities in the Pulrose area. As required by Recreation Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan these off-site facilities will accessible by foot and public transport. In this regard the proposal also accords with Policy D/OS/P3 of the Douglas Local Plan. 6.4 A meandering footpath across the golf course connecting Upper Pulrose to Kewaigue passes through the apex of the triangle on the eastern edge of the site. As this is a public right of way an application has been made (see appendix B) for a small diversion of the footpath around this corner of the site keeping it wholly within the golf course. A gateway is to be formed in at the eastern corner of the site to connect the footpath to the new public highway within the site thus reinforcing the local footpath network and providing a connection through to Anagh Coar by way of a new pedestrian crossing of New Castletown Road. This diversion and connection both accords with and responds to Recreation Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan.
7.1 Consultation has taken place with PC Radcliffe of Police Crime Prevention (see Appendix C) to ensure compliance with the principles of Secured by Design. PC Radcliffe's recommendations have been incorporated into the scheme for which application is to be made for registration with Secured by Design. In this regard the proposal therefore accords with Community Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan and Recommendation D/R/R1 of the Douglas Local Plan.
7.2 Consultation has taken place with the Building Control section of Douglas Corporation (see Appendix D). The layout has been designed to accord with Building Regulations Approved Document B5 - Access and Facilities for the Fire Service. The buildings will be designed to accord with other requirements of the Building Regulations. Consultation has also taken place with Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service who require a fire hydrant to be located within the development. In this regard the proposal accords with the requirements of Community Policies 10 and 11 of the Strategic Policy and Recommendation D/R/R1 of the Douglas Local Plan. 7.3 Consultation has taken place with Douglas Corporation with regard to the collection of refuse. The layout has been designed with turning heads for all service vehicles and therefore accords with Policy D/CP/P3 of the Douglas Local Plan. 7.4 Consultation has taken place with Douglas Corporation with regard to the design and maintenance of landscaped areas being the public open space and the open space around the two apartment buildings. Douglas Corporation has agreed to maintain these areas and will provide a detailed planting scheme for submission and approval as a condition to any planning approval. The agreed apportionment of adoption is shown on drawing no. 1154-21B.
8.1 As referred to in para. 6.4 the local footpath network will be reinforced by connection to the golf course footpath. The site is located close to bus and pedestrian routes on the New Castletown Road. In this regard the proposal accords with Transport Policies 1 and 2 of the Strategic Plan.
8.2 Consultation has taken place with the Department of Transport Highways Division (see appendix D). The requirements of the DOT Highways have been incorporated into the scheme including a correctly sized right hand turning lane, a pedestrian crossing of New Castletown Road, a new lay-by for a bus stop and a Home Zone gateway and designation for the estate with reduced speed limits. Consultation has also taken place with Isle of Man Transport regarding the bus stops.
8.3 The road layout has been designed to accord with the requirements of Manx Roads - A Guide to the Design of Residential Roads and Services. The entrance has been designed as a Minor Road capable of serving 50 dwellings which splits into two Urban Lanes, each capable of serving 25 dwellings. The highway infrastructure has been designed to support future development of the Pulrose Farm House and Pulrose Cottages sites. In this regard the proposal accords with Transport Policies 4 and 6 of the Strategic Plan.
8.4 Car parking provision has been made at a ratio of two spaces per dwelling. All 3 bedroom houses are provided with at least one space on the plot, sometimes two. Two bedroom houses and apartments are provided with a single dedicated space close by in a parking court. The balance of spaces [24] in parking courts or lay-bys will be available for visitors and common use. Pulrose Farm House and Pulrose Farm Cottages are all to be provided with two spaces within their respective curtilages and served by the new estate road. In this regard the proposal accords with Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan and Policy D/CP/P6 of the Douglas Local Plan.
8.5 Having due regard to the consultation that has taken place and the information provided the Department of Transport has not requested a Transport Assessment or Statement.
9.1 Consultation has taken place with the Borough Engineers's Department of Douglas Corporation with regard to drainage (see appendix E). The principles for disposal of both foul and drainage have been agreed. The foul drainage will be connected into the main foul sewer in New Castletown Road. This sewer is connected into the IRIS system. The storm drainage will be attenuated and then discharged into existing water courses on the adjacent golf course. Technical details of these proposals are included in the Environmental Impact Assessment. The proposal therefore accords with Infrastructure Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan and Recommendation D/SI/2 of the Douglas Local Plan. 9.2 Mains gas, electricity, water and telecommunications are all available in the vicinity of the site. In this regard the proposal accords with Strategic Policy 1 (c) of the Strategic Plan.
10.1 An Energy Impact Assessment as required by Energy Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan is incorporated into the accompanying Environmental Impact Assessment.
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