Officer Planning Report 10/00649/B

Application No.: 10/00649/B Applicant: Mr Robert Ferguson Proposal: Installation of replacement windows Site Address: Moaney Moar House Corlea Road Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3BA ### Considerations Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Senior Planning Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consultee : Highways Division Notes : Consultee : Malew Parish Commissioners Notes: do not object.

Officer's Report

The Site

The site represents the curtilage of an existing dwelling situated on the south eastern side of the Corlea Road (B39) which links the Cringle Reservoir with the A3 Ballamodha/Foxdale Road. The property is in basic form a traditional Manx farmhouse which has had a number of unfortunate extensions and alterations undertaken to it including ground floor large windows in stalled, split stone backing underneath these ground floor windows and a single storey lean-to annex added to one side. The untouched apertures have single lights with plastic frames within them.

Planning Status

The site lies within an area of "white land" on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982. On the draft Southern Area Plan which was published on 23rd October, 2009 the site lies within an area of incised Slopes where the draft Written Statement has the following advice: "Incised Slopes - Ballamodha - Landscape Character Area 2 - Ballamodha, Earystane, and St Mark's: This is a fairly resilient landscape which has accommodated incursions of modern built development without severe detriment. However, some of the larger-scale residential developments lack either the topographical setting or the groups of trees which might have mitigated their visual impact."

The draft Planning Policy Statement 2/09 - The Role of Landscape Character in Development states:

"4.5 Type D: Incised Slopes The overall strategy for the protection and enhancement of the Incised Slopes Landscape Character Type is to conserve and enhance: the remote and rural character; the relatively sparse settlement pattern of traditional hamlets and scattered farm buildings; the network of sunken and enclosed rural roads; and the substantial hedgerows and sod banks dividing irregularly-shaped pastoral fields. Key landscape planning considerations in relation to the protection and enhancement of this Landscape Character Type are as follows:-

• Care should be taken to ensure that housing and business development does not detract from the distinctive identity and setting of settlements, and avoids coalescence with other settlements within this Landscape Type;
• The design and layout of new housing and business development should include appropriate native structure planting to soften urban edges and enhance the transition to the wider landscape;
• Approach routes, key views, and gateways to settlements within these landscapes should be enhanced;
• Linear development along roads from settlements that extends urbanising influences into the wider countryside should be avoided;
• The use of local vernacular building styles and materials should be encouraged;
• New farm buildings that would compromise the pattern and scale of farmsteads across the undulating Incised Slopes landscapes should be discouraged;
• Care should be taken to minimise loss of hedgerows, sod banks, and other distinctive boundary features along road corridors;
• Tourist-related development, such as camp-sites, should avoid visually prominent locations, particularly those which can be viewed from higher land and those which would extend urbanising influence along the coast;
• Care should be taken to avoid the suburbanisation of river valleys and stream corridors;
• Tall vertical telecommunications masts or structures which detract from the sloping landform or create visual clutter should be avoided."

Planning History

There have been no planning applications submitted in respect of this site.

Proposal

Proposed is the replacement of the windows in a very similar style to the existing - single lights in the vertically proportioned windows and single side lights in one quarter of the larger windows.

Representations

Malew Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not object to the application.

Assessment

There are no policies which provide guidance on the alteration of existing buildings in areas which are not designated for development. The proposal does not significantly change the appearance or character of the property and whilst the proposed windows are not traditional, the style and shape of the apertures on the ground floor are so far removed from the traditional style that there would be little merit in trying to achieve a more appropriate style of window in the unspoiled apertures.

As such, the proposal is considered to be acceptable.

Party Status

The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 14.06.2010

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

• [ ] Conditions for approval
• [ ] Notes attached to conditions
• [ ] Reasons for refusal
• [ ] Notes attached to refusals

C 1.

The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2.

This permission relates to the replacement windows as shown in the drawings received on 4th May, 2010.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to the Senior Planning Officer. Decision Made: Permitted Date: 28 June 2010 Signed: __________________________ Senior Planning Officer