Planning Statement Meary Voar Replacement Building

Meary Voar 1 Limited

Decision
Appeal

Meary Voar, Arragon, Santon, Isle Of Man

Received 9 (12) (13) 1391454 DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING and BUILDING CONTROL DIVISION Town and Country Planning Act 1999 Isle and Officer Initials

Planning Statement

IN SUPPORT OF PLANNING APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION AND REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING BUILDING TO PROVIDE TWO STOREY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ANCILLARY TO MAIN HOUSE PROVIDING SWIMMING POOL WITH SAUNA/STEAM ROOM AND FITNESS FACILITY AT MEARY VOAR, ARRAGON, SANTON, ISLE OF MAN. (Amendments to PA. 11/01715/B)

Kaz Ryzner Associates

Chartered Town Planning Consultants 36 Woodlands Park, Guildford, Surrey. GU1 2TJ. Tel: 01483 570982 Email: [email protected]

November 2013

Introduction 1
The Application Site and Surrounding Area 2
The Proposals 3
Review of Relevant Planning History 4
Review of Relevant Planning Policies 5
Summary and Recommendation 8

1. Introduction.

1.1. This Planning Statement is provided in support of the planning application submitted by Meary Voar 1 Limited (“the Applicant”) which seeks full detailed approval for the demolition and replacement of an existing building sited immediately adjacent to Meary Voar, Arragon, Santon.

1.2. The existing building, the subject of this planning application, comprises residential and office accommodation together with large storage areas. Under PA. 11/01715/B, detailed approval was granted by decision notice dated 24th July 2012 for a three storey replacement providing principally ancillary office space, storage areas, guest accommodation, gymnasium with a swimming pool on the lower ground floor. This approval was granted subject to 6 conditions as set out on the approval notice.

1.3. The amended application reduces the height of the previously approved building from three to two storeys. In addition, the proposed replacement building will now only accommodate a swimming pool with sauna/steam room and fitness centre.

1.4. The new planning application comprises;

Planning application forms, ownership certificate and Planning Application Check List.
Location Plan as Existing – Plan Ref. WL/11/1224/1.
Site Location Plan – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/07.
Site Plan as Existing – Plan Ref.1053A P/3/06.
Site Plan and Site Elevations as Proposed – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/05 Rev. A.
Photographs as Existing – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/08.
Existing Floor Plans and Elevations – Plan Ref. MV 09 G11.
Ground Floor Plan as Proposed – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/01 Rev. A.
First Floor and Roof Plans as Proposed – Plan Re. 1053A P/3/02.
Elevations as Proposed – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/03 Rev. A.
Sections as Proposed – Plan Ref. 1053A P/3/04 Rev. A.

2. The Application Site and Surrounding Area.

2.1. The application site is located in Santon to the south of the A25 immediately west of Santon Head. The submitted location plan, reference WL/11/1224/1, identifies the boundaries of the application site in red and adjoining land under the control of the Applicant in blue. The submitted location and site plans indicate the position of the recently completed adjoining main house together with the existing building the subject of this application.

2.2. Photographs provided on plan reference 1053A P/3/08 confirm that the existing building is a substantial structure with two storey rear (south) elevation and single storey front (north) elevation. The existing building has a footprint of approximately 215 square metres and provides approximately 430 square metres of floorspace over two levels. In addition, the existing building has a split level roof height of between approximately 5.6 and 6.2 metres and is constructed of stone. It has been accepted that the existing building is in relatively poor structural condition and not capable of reasonable refurbishment and/or extension.

2.3. Vehicular access to the application site is via a private drive that runs directly north and north west of the main house which links with the A25 Old Castletown Road. This vehicular access passes through the Arragon House Estate which is a substantial development to the west of the application site and significantly larger than Meary Voar.

3. The Proposals.

3.1. Full details of the amended proposals for the replacement building are provided on the submitted plans listed in paragraph 1.4 above.

3.2. In terms of uses, the amendments to the proposed replacement building will now only provide a swimming pool, changing rooms, sauna and Jacuzzi on the ground floor with a gymnasium and utility room on the upper floor.

3.3. At 410 square metres, the proposed replacement building will have a similar footprint to that previously approved. The total floorspace of approximately 614 sq. metres for the current amended proposals is significantly less than the approximate 1010 square metres previously approved. In addition, the height of the amended proposal relative to the main house will be approximately 0.9 metres lower than that approved under PA. 11/01715/B.

3.4. The overall design for the amended proposals is different from that which was previously approved.

3.5. Details of the materials to be used are set out in plans references 1053A P/3/03 Rev. A and 04 Rev. A. and will include “Burlington slate to pitched roof slopes with lead flashings” for the roof with “platform roof to be lead finish all to match existing house.” With regard to chimney vents, these will be “smooth cement rendered as per house with natural stone copes”. The external walls will be “natural stone re-used from downtakings of building to be demolished and/or locally source” In addition, walls to new terracing will be “colour rendered with stone copes as per main house.”

4. Review of Relevant Planning History.

4.1. Since 1991, there have been a number of planning applications submitted and determined in relation to the broader application site. In providing an overview of the current proposals the most relevant are the following;

Pa. 05/01851/B.

4.2. This application sought approval for the erection and replacement of the existing main dwelling and extension to outbuilding to provide a storage and boiler room. The application was approved on 20th December 2005. The new dwelling has been built but the extension to the outbuilding has not been constructed.

Pa. 11/00962/B

4.3. This application sought approval for the replacement of the existing building the subject of the current application. The application was withdrawn on 11th October 2011.

Pa. 11/01715/B.

4.4. This application sought approval for the erection of a replacement to the building the subject of this application to provide ancillary office space, storage areas, guest accommodation, gymnasium and swimming pool and represents the previously approved application referred to above.

4.5. On the recommendation of the Director of Planning, this application was approved by the Planning Committee by decision notice dated 24th July 2012 subject to 6 conditions as set out in the decision notice. Condition 1 provides a 4 year time limit for the approval. The second condition lists the approved plans and documentation. The third condition, confirms that the approved development “..may be used only in association with and ancillary to the adjacent dwelling Meary Voar as guest accommodation and a swimming pool and as an office”. The fourth condition refers to the approved external finishes. The fifth condition requires, so far as practicable, the stone from the demolished building to be re-used for the approved development. The final

condition removes permitted development rights under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012.

4.6. To date, this permission has not been implemented and the Applicant now seeks approval to major changes to this previously fully supported scheme.

5. Review of Relevant Planning Policies.

5.1. The application site is not located in any part of the Island that is the subject of an approved Local Plan and therefore the relevant “Area Plan” is the 1982 Development Plan (“the 1982 Plan”).

5.2. Under the provisions of the 1982 Plan, the application site lies within a broader area designated as an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. The application site also lies on the boundary of the area identified in the 1982 Plan where there are building height restrictions or other air-safety regulations. In relation to both the previously approved scheme and the current proposals for a replacement building, height is not considered an issue as the proposed height of the replacement building is lower than the relatively newly completed main house to the immediate west approved in 2005.

5.3. In addition to any extant Area Plan requirements, all matters relating to the control of development in the Isle of Man are presently guided by the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 (“the Strategic Plan”). In terms of policy considerations, the following policies are considered relevant.

Strategic Policy 1.

5.4. 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 and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services."

5.5. The Applicant intends to salvage stone following the demolition of the existing building and the replacement building will therefore re-use scarce indigenous building materials in compliance with subparagraph (a) above.

General Policy 3.

5.6. As the application site is located outside any area zoned for development in an Area Plan, General Policy 3 is relevant and states;

“Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of;

(a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10); (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic or social value and interest (Housing Policy 11; (c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment; (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14); (e) location dependant development in connection with the working of minerals or then provision of necessary services; (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture and forestry; (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and

(h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage."

5.7. The Applicant accepts that the proposals do not fall directly within any of the above exception categories. However, the application seeks approval for a replacement of an existing substantial building which has existing use rights for offices, a manager’s flat the use of which is not restricted by any agricultural occupancy condition.

5.8. General Policy 3 does not deal directly with the replacement of existing outbuildings the principles of which have since the adoption of the Strategic plan been dealt with on the basis of individual merit. The Applicant considers that the current proposals for a replacement are materially less visually impacting than those previously approved by the Planning Committee and for which there is an extant approval.

Environment Policy 1.

5.9. Environment Policy 1 states;

“The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A3.6 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 overriding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative.”

5.10. The replacement building will be sited using the footprint of the existing building and the size and scale relate well to the main house. In addition, relative to the main house the replacement building will be lower in height to that already approved. The Applicant considers that the proposals will not conflict with Environment Policy 1.

6. Summary of Grounds in Support of the Application.

By decision notice dated 24th July 2012 and on the recommendation of the Director of Planning, full detailed approval was granted by the Planning Committee for a replacement building under PA. 11/01715/B. This approval is valid for 4 years up to 24th July 2016. To date no work has commenced on the approved proposals.

The previous approval proposed a replacement dwelling comprising ancillary office space, storage areas, guest accommodation, gymnasium and swimming pool provided on three levels. The current application seeks approval for a smaller replacement building with only swimming pool, with sauna/steam room and fitness facility provided over two levels.

The amended proposals reduce the height of the previously approved replacement building relative to the main house by approximately 1.2 metres. In addition, the previously approved total floorspace of approximately 1010 square metres will be reduced to approximately 614 square metres.

The Applicants considers that the amended proposals will not unacceptably conflict with existing policies in either the 1982 Plan or the Strategic Plan. In particular, the amended proposals will not result in any unacceptable harm in landscape terms and therefore will not conflict with Environment Policy 1.

The proposals will continue to be in keeping with the scale of the buildings on the application site where there are a number of existing large barns and outbuildings. The Applicant considers that the proposed replacement building will not detract from the visual qualities and setting of the main house.

EXISTING HOUSE VIEW FROM SOUTH WITH BUILDING TO BE REMOVED