Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 22/00733/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Alex & Rachel Leonard Proposal: Alterations and erection of a 2 storey extension to rear elevation Site Address: Homefield Cottage Barrule Road Foxdale Isle Of Man IM4 3ES Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.02.2025 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed alterations are acceptable by means of their design, form and appearance and as such the proposal is deemed to comply with General Policy 2 (b) & (c), Housing Policies 15, and Environment Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 17th June 2022,

• Drawing No. 01
• Drawing No. 02
• Drawing No. 03 Photo Sheets Covering Letter and
• Drawing No. 04 Rev B
• Drawing No. 05 Rev B both dated received 17th February 2025

Interested Person Status None

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Homefield Cottage, Barrule Road, Foxdale. The dwellinghouse is a traditionally styled cottage, two storeys high, with a three over two window configuration to the South elevation and 'bookended' with chimneys. Over time the dwellinghouse has had single storey extensions to the Eastern elevation. - 1.2 The property is situated very close to the adjacent highway and can be seen when driving along North to South and also South to North, with the latter being the most traditional view of the property. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the erection of a two storey extension to the Northern side of the dwelling. The proposed two storey extension will measure approximately 12.2m by 4.5 to 6.2m at ground floor level and approximately 12.2m by 5.3m to the first floor level. The approximate height of the proposal is 6m with a link roofed extension to connect the existing dwelling and proposed extension. - 2.2 The proposed extension is to be partly modern and partly traditional. The part which is situated to the North and West Elevation closest to the road is to be traditional in its form and appearance, with the second half of the extension situated to the East of the dwelling is to be modern in form and appearance. - 2.3 The proposal also includes alterations to the main dwelling. - 2.4 No alterations are proposed to the existing highway entrance/driveway. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There is one previous application which is relevant to this assessment, PA46582 which was for an "extension to provide additional living accommodation," which was permitted on the 12th May 1978. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as an "not zoned for a particular purpose" on the Area Plan for the South. The site is not within a Conservation Area, Flood Zone, nor an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.

4.2 In terms of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, paragraph 8.12.2 states, "As there is a general policy against development in the Island's countryside, it is important that where development exists, either in an historic or recently approved form, it should not, when altered or extended detract from the amenities of the countryside." With that in mind the key policy for this application is Housing Policy 15, which states (in full), "The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)." - 4.3 There are a number of other relevant policies within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, as summarised below;

• - Strategic Policy 5 sets out that new development should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island.
• - General Policy 2 sets out general 'Development Control' considerations which are arguably relevant even where a proposal is not in accordance with the land-use designation including design (respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them), wider impact (the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality) and parking/access/highway safety.
• - General Policy 3 indicates development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan other than a number of stated exception, which do not include the extension of existing dwellings.
• - Environment Policy 1 seeks to prevent development which would adversely affect the site other than in exceptional circumstances.

4.4 The Department has published the Residential Design Guide (2019) which, although focused on dwellings within settlements, does offer advice in relation to visual impact and the impact on neighbours. - 4.5 It is also relevant to note Planning Circular 3/91 "Guide to the design of residential development in the countryside," which provides advice on residential development within the countryside.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have considered the application and state, "No Highways Interest." (01.07.22)

5.2 Malew Parish Commissioner have considered the application and have no objections. (06.07.22) ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - principle of development (GP3, EP1 and HP15);
• - character and appearance (GP2, HP15, EP1)
• - Impact upon neighbouring amenity (GP2)

- 6.2 PRINCIPLE

• 6.2.1 The site is not designated for development, nor does it meet the expectation criteria in EP3. However, Housing Policy 15 and its supporting text clearly allow for residential extensions in the countryside where they would not detract from the countryside which, in the case of the extension of traditional buildings means that the proportion and form of the building is sensitively balanced and extensions of inappropriate size or proportions will not be acceptable where these destroy the existing character of the property.
• 6.2.2 Therefore the principle of an extension is acceptable, it is however necessary to consider the character and appearance of the proposed extension and whether there is any impact on neighbouring amenity.
• 6.3 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.3.1 The starting point when assessing the character and appearance of the proposal upon the property is the existing dwelling, where it is noted that there is a large unsympathetic extension situated to ground floor level, that was mostly approved under PA46582, which does not respect the traditional proportion, form and appearance of the existing property, with the existing dwelling being in the most part traditional in its appearance and character. The extension is situated to the Eastern side of the property and whilst it can be seen from a public vantage point, it does not erode the traditional aspect of the main dwelling enough that the property would not be assessed under Housing Policy 15, whilst this is the case, the existing single storey extension is not sympathetic to the traditional aspects of the main dwelling.

• 6.3.2 The main focus of the policies for extensions in the countryside is to reduce the impact of the proposals on the countryside and also to respect the host dwelling. This can be seen by paragraph 8.12.2 which states in part, "As there is a general policy against development in the Island's countryside, it is important that where development exists, either in an historic or recently approved form, it should be, when altered or extended detract from the amenities of the countryside. Care therefore, must be taken to control the size and form of extensions to properties in the countryside. In the case of traditional properties, the proportion and form of the building is sensitively balanced and extensions of inappropriate size or proportions will not be acceptable where these destroy the existing character of the property."
• 6.3.3 With the above in mind, when assessing the visual impact of the proposed scheme, there was initially concern regarding the initial scheme, as the proposal did not respect the traditional proportion, form or appearance of the existing dwelling. The most recent proposal has altered the most viewed part of the dwelling, which is the rear extension to create a double piled dwelling, to a traditional appearing property. This part of the dwelling now appears traditional when you are viewing it when driving North to South, as such this part of the proposal is now an acceptable extension as per Planning Circular 3/91, and respects the portion, form and appearance of the existing dwelling.
• 6.3.4 Turning towards the more modern part of the proposal, whilst the proposal does not match the existing in proportion, form nor design, due to where the dwelling is situated within the streetscene, the speeds of which traffic will be travelling and the now change to a traditional appearance Northern extension, the proposed modern extension will appear subordinate to the main dwelling.
• 6.3.5 It is noted that the North Eastern part of the modern part of the extension is flush with the traditional part of the dwelling and could appear less subordinate from this vantage point, whilst this is the case, there is enough of a change in the materials and appearance for there to be a clear separation in the traditional aspects and modern aspect of the proposal for it ultimately not to have an impact on the main dwelling enough to warrant a refusal.

- 6.4 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.4.1 In terms of the nearest neighbour and any adverse impact, it is pertinent to assess this against the nearest neighbour to the site, which would be Lea House situated to the East of the dwelling, across Barrule Road. When considering whether there would be any loss of light or overshadowing from the built form of the extension, given the orientation of the two properties and the distances involved it would not be considered to have an overbearing effect.
• 6.4.2 The level and scale of the extensions are alterations to the dwelling house are considered to be relatively modest in the overall scheme when compared to the size of the property within its own curtilage and not judged to cause harm to the neighbouring amenity.
• 6.4.3 It is noted the local authority do not object and we have not received any objections or comments from the adjoining neighbours. On balance, these aspects would be considered to be compliant with those sections of General Policy 2(g).

CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall the proposed alterations are acceptable by means of their design, form and appearance and as such the proposal is deemed to comply with General Policy 2 (b) & (c), Housing Policies 15, and Environment Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);

• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; .
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: 19.02.2025 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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