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May 2010
Hugh Logan Architects Bridge Court 10 Bridge Street Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1AX
PLANNING APPLICATION FOR A REPLACEMENT DWELLING AT SANDYGATE HOUSE, JURBY, ISLE OF MAN
DESIGN AND PLANNING STATEMENT
1.0 Site, Access and Existing Buildings 2.0 Planning History 3.0 Planning Policy 4.0 Consultations and Design Development 5.0 Response to Planning Policy 6.0 Drainage 7.0 Sustainability 8.0 Summary and Conclusion
Appendix A Application Drawings Appendix B Photographs of Site and Existing Buildings Appendix C Planning Officer's Report for PA 08/00711/B Appendix D Planning Officer's Report for PA 09/01612/B
1.1 The site for this proposal is located at Sandygate, a small hamlet located at the junction of the A14 and B5/A13 roads, one and a half miles east of Jurby in the north of the Isle of Man. The site is substantial, being 0.24 hectares in area. The main building on the site is Sandygate House which is set back from, and fronts out onto, the A14, to the south of the road junction. 1.2 The majority of the site lies behind Sandygate House, is generally open and contains a number of mature trees. There are long, open views to the southwest and west from the rear portion of the site. The site also contains an old stone barn which stands c.4.0m back from the rear part of Sandygate House, and the remains of a pig sty. There are existing hedges, shrubs and trees on all of the site boundaries. 1.3 Sandygate House is a traditional two storey cottage with another two storey building to the rear set at right angles to the original cottage and a single storey lean-to extension set into the corner formed by the two storey parts of the building. At some time in the past the buildings have been combined to form a single four bedroomed dwelling. 1.4 The internal arrangement of Sandygate House is not satisfactory or commensurate with modern living standards. Each of the two storey parts of the building contains and requires a staircase to access the first floor. The only bathroom is located on the ground floor. The remainder of the ground floor contains two small reception rooms, a kitchen and a breakfast room. The total area of the existing dwelling, measured outside the external walls, is 196.6 sqm. 1.5 To the east of the main portion of the site and to the north-east of Sandygate house lies Sandygate Cottage, a two storey dwelling which also fronts east onto the A14, Clenagh Road. The Cottage has first floor rear views to the west over the rear, open portion of the site.
1.6 To the south of Sandygate House lies Gollane Cottage, a two storey dwelling which also fronts east onto the A14 highway and has rear views west to open fields and beyond.
1.7 To the north of the site and the mature trees that stand within it lies 'Ashdene', a two storey house which fronts onto the B5 highway.
1.8 The site has existing, gated vehicular and pedestrian accesses on the east side from the A14 highway. The site also has another vehicular access on the north side from the B5 highway between 'Ashdene' and Sandygate Cottage. This access is used as the primary vehicular access whilst the other gives access to the existing septic tank on the south side of the existing buildings.
1.9 Photographs of the existing site and buildings are provided at Appendix A.
2.0 Planning History
2.1 A planning application, No 07/00494/B, for full detailed approval to alterations and an extension to Sandygate House was refused consent under a Decision Notice dated 30 July 2007. This was confirmed following an Appeal. Two Reasons for Refusal were given, being firstly
'The overbearing nature of the proposal on the residents of Sandygate Cottage would be unacceptable' and secondly
'The additional first floor windows overlooking Gollane Cottage would have an adverse impact on the living conditions of the residents in that dwelling.'
2.2 A planning application, No 08/00711/B, for full detailed approval to alterations and an extension to Sandygate House was granted consent under a Decision Notice dated 24 June 2008. The Planning Committee adjudged that this application overcame the objections of the owners of both Gollane Cottage and Sandygate Cottage which gave rise to the Reasons for Refusal of PA 07/000/94/B.
2.3 The Planning Officer's Report on PA 08/00711/B (see Appendix C) considered that the use of obscure glazing in bathrooms and landings would overcome potential problems of overlooking the neighbouring properties.
2.4 A planning application, No 09/01612/B, for full detailed approval to a replacement dwelling for Sandygate House was granted consent under a Decision Notice dated 11 December 2009. The Planning Committee adjudged that this proposal concurred with relevant policies and was very similar in form and design to that approved under PA 08/00711/B.
3.0 Planning Policy
3.1 The principal planning policy documents relating to this application are the Isle of Man Strategic Plan of July 2007 (the Strategic Plan) and the 1982 Development Plan having effect in this case as a Local Plan.
3.2 Strategic Plan General Policy 3 item (d) and Housing Policy 4 item (c) permit the replacement of existing rural dwellings where compliant with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14
3.3 Strategic Plan Housing Policy 12 arises from para. 8.11 concerning 'Replacement Dwellings in the Countryside' and states that, The replacement of an existing dwelling in the countryside will be permitted unless: (a) the existing building has lost its residential use by abandonment; or (b) the existing dwelling is of architectural or historic interest and is capable of renovation. As neither of these exceptions applies in this case, replacement is permitted.
3.4 Strategic Plan Housing Policy 13 concerns the tests required to consider whether residential use has been lost by abandonment and is not relevant in this case.
3.5 Strategic Plan Housing Policy 14 also arises from the considerations of para. 8.11.2 concerning Replacement Dwellings in the Countryside and states that,
'Where a replacement dwelling is permitted, it must not be substantially different to the existing in terms of size, unless changes in siting or size would result in overall environmental improvement; the new building should therefore be generally sited on the 'footprint' of the existing, and should have a floor area (1), which is not more than 50% greater than that of the original building (floor areas should be measured externally and should not include attic space or outbuildings). Generally, the design of the new building should be in accordance with Policies 2-7 of the present Planning Circular 3/91, (which will be revised and issued as a Planning Policy Statement). Exceptionally, permission may be granted for buildings of innovative, modern design where this is of high quality and would not result in adverse visual impact: designs should incorporate the re-use of such stone and slate as are still in place on the site, and in general, new fabric should be finished to match the materials of the original building.
Consideration may be given to proposals which result in a larger dwelling where this involves the replacement of an existing dwelling of poor form with one of more traditional character, or where, by its design or siting, there would be less visual impact.'
A footnote refers to a definition of Floor Area in Appendix 1 which states that,
'Where there are references to 'floor space' and 'floor area', the space or area in question should be measured externally, and should not include attics or outbuildings.'
3.6 Strategic Plan Environmental Policy 1 arises from the considerations of para. 7.5.1 concerning 'Protection of the Open Countryside' and states that, 'The countryside and its ecology will be protected for it's own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative.'
Sandygate is not included within the schedule list of 'existing settlements which have the size and characteristics of a town or village' in Appendix A, item A.3.6 in the Strategic Plan. 3.7 Strategic Plan Environment Policy 3 arises from the considerations of para. 7.7 concerning 'Woodland and states that, 'Development will not be permitted where it would result in the unacceptable loss of or damage to woodland areas, especially ancient, natural and seminatural woodlands, which have public amenity or conservation value.' 3.8 On the map that defines the 1982 Development Order the site lies in a small area designated as a 'Private Woodland or Parkland' The outline of buildings is also apparent on the plan. Given that this site is well hidden from public view, it is arguable that the trees on the site have any public amenity or conservation value. Furthermore, the accepted Planning Officer's Report for PA 09/01612/B (see Appendix D), 'considered that [Strategic Plan] Environment Policies 1 and 3 could be discounted due to the residential nature of the application site and the implications of the subsequent relevant housing policy $[14]^{\prime}$.
4.1 The applicant was unhappy with the design of the building approved under PA 09/01612/B and commissioned a new design which has resulted in the current application. The Area Planning Officer was consulted at the outset and during the design development process. The Highways Officer was also consulted on the two vehicular accesses which it is acceptable to retain. 4.2 Apart from a new triple garage which stands over the remains of an old pigsty, the proposed dwelling is located over the footprint and takes a similar form to that of the existing buildings on the site. 4.3 Consideration was given to the incorporation of the existing barn into the new proposal with a glazed link back to the new dwelling. This was rejected due to the size and condition of the barn and the size of the resultant building. Instead it was decided to incorporate the materials of the barn into a new 'barn' structure incorporated into the end of a new building. 4.4 The existing building is c.196sqm. in area. Had it been feasible to incorporate the barn a $50 \%$ enlargement of the dwelling would have created 98 sqm to which could have been added the two storeys of the barn at 80 sqm . plus allowable modest extension, giving a total of up to 400 sqm . in area. The dwelling now proposed is a very similar size at 383.6 sqm . in area, representing a $95 \%$ increase over the existing building. 4.5 As with the building approved under PA 09/01612/B the form and detail of the existing front cottage is reproduced to present almost the same elevation to the east. The second cottage is again reproduced in form behind the first but separated from the other by a stairwell which is expressed as a timber and stone clad recess on the outside of the building. The windows in the second cottage have been increased from two to three on each floor in keeping with traditional design.
4.6 As with the previous two approvals a single storey extension is hidden behind the front cottage, set in 0.9 m from the northern gable. This single storey element runs back 13.8 m westwards from the front cottage and provides enclosure to an entrance courtyard and vehicle turning area on the north side of the proposed building.
4.7 The ridge line of the two cottages is the same as in the previous approval, slightly higher than the existing building. Beyond the second cottage the ridge line steps down 500 mm to marry in with the lean-to roof on the north side, before stepping down a further 500 mm over the new, stone clad 'barn' which incorporates a two storey kitchen/breakfast area with an open gallery leading back to the master bedroom.
4.8 The south elevation that faces towards the back garden of Gollane Cottage is 1.0 m shorter in length from the east to west than the distance from the front of the existing cottage to the western end of the existing barn. The existing 4.0 m gap between the two buildings is marked by a 3.6 m wide fully glazed dining room recess under a timber clad projection and roof overhang over the master bedroom. To the right of this the two existing cottages are expressed and separated by the stone and timber clad recess to the main staircase. The first floor windows proposed would be obscure glazed where indicated to a bathroom and dressing room and to prevent overlooking of the adjoining property. Views from other windows are screened by vegetation.
4.9 The south elevation begins with the gable end of the replaced cottage at the eastern end. Beyond this the roof sweeps down over the single storey portion of the building before stepping back to the stone clad side of the 'barn'. The single storey section incorporates an entrance door which is likely to become the most commonly used entrance to the house. Despite filling in the gap between the house and the barn the visual impact is reduced by the attractive sweeping nature of the roof in comparison to the unsightly, exposed back of the existing rear cottage.
4.10 The 'barn' end of the building projects westwards into the garden and is celebrated by a fully glazed gable end to the 'barn' and a fully glazed half gable to the adjacent living room, the latter chamfered to open up the view to the adjacent decked area and main garden beyond.
4.11 The garage is a simple single storey structure to be finished in similar materials to the proposed dwelling. It provides a third side of enclosure to the entrance courtyard and vehicle turning area after the southern entrance elevation to the new dwelling and the existing hedge and fenced boundary with Sandygate Cottage.
4.12 As mentioned in the previous Planning Officer's Report (see Appendix D) 'the significant level of vegetation which borders the site... would screen the majority of the application site from the neighbouring properties of Gollane Cottage (to the south) and Sandygate Cottage (to the north). This, together with setting back of the dwelling from the roadside, would further reduce visibility of the application site and property in the locality'.
4.13 The size of dwelling proposed is well suited and in proportion to it's site and location. 5.0 Response to Planning Policy 5.1 Strategic Plan Environment Policies 1 and 3 are complied with insofar as is necessary in this location.
5.2 The main test for this proposal is Strategic Plan Housing Policy 14 as set out in para. 4.6. The proposal complies with this policy for the following reasons:
5.2.1 The location is not substantially different from the existing in size or siting, especially so if the existing barn is also taken into consideration.
5.2.2 The change in size has resulted in an environmental improvement by hiding the unsightly north and eastern elevations of the existing buildings behind an attractive, sweeping slate roof.
5.2.3 The design of the building generally follows traditional forms as set out in Policies 2-7 of Planning Circular 3/91, albeit with some more modern but subtle design features and devices used to 'separate' the buildings on the south elevation and in the fully glazed gable ends of the new 'barn', none of which are particularly visible from outside the site.
5.2.4 The design incorporates the re-use of such stone and slate as can be successfully recovered from the buildings to be demolished and new fabric is generally finished to match the materials of the original buildings.
5.2.5 Due to its location and the surrounding vegetation, this site and the buildings upon it have very little visual impact. Whilst the enlargement of the building is more than 50%, the design does result in less visual impact by hiding the unsightly north and eastern elevations of the existing buildings behind an attractive, sweeping slate roof.
6.0 Drainage
6.1 The foul drainage from the current dwelling is dealt with by a septic tank. If necessary this will be replaced with a Klargester Bio Disc packaged treatment plant or similar approved by the Department of Transport Drainage Division.
6.2 Surface water will be collected and discharged to soakaways on the site. The sandy nature of the local soils is ideal for this purpose.
7.0 Sustainability
7.1 Materials specified for the external elevations are to be taken from natural sustainable sources where possible. Insulation standards generally will exceed the requirements of the Building Regulations.
7.2 Construction energy will be reduced by the local sourcing of labour and materials and the use of recycled materials wherever possible. Energy requirements will be reduced by aspiration to an "A" rating from the BRE Green Guide to Housing Specification, taking into account the whole life environmental impacts of materials, and by the construction of energy efficient building envelopes.
7.3 Energy and water saving devices will be used wherever possible throughout the building. 7.4 The potential for both passive and active solar collection systems has been incorporated into the design. 7.5 Excavated materials will be re-used on site wherever possible. 8.0 Summary and Conclusion 8.1 This proposal for a replacement dwelling is a well considered and sensitive design that responds well to its site and locality. 8.2 The size of dwelling proposed is well suited and in proportion to its site and location. 8.3 This proposal satisfies the requirements of all relevant planning policies, in particular Strategic Plan Policy 14.
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