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15/00241/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/00241/B Applicant : Miss Jane Knowles Proposal : Installation of an external gas meter Site Address : 7 Malvern Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5AS
Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 18.03.2015 Expected Decision Level :
Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 7 Malvern Road, Douglas; number 7 is a two storey, mid-terraced property. It is situated to the south west of the highway. 7 Malvern Road is within the Selborne Drive Conservation Area.
1.2 The terrace along the south west of Malvern Road is characterised by the strong, crenellated facades with double-storey bay windows. These unusual features are complemented by the unusual brickwork of the properties, which consist of primarily yellow brick with red brick decoration.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the installation of a gas meter box to the front elevation. It is not immediately clear what size the meter box would be, although the applicant has indicated that it would be of a similar size as the neighbouring dwelling's meter (49cm x 44cm x 22cm). The applicant also indicates that the meter would be placed in front of the grey brickwork and would be painted grey.
3.0 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. Retrospective approval for the installation of a satellite dish was granted in 2013 under PA 13/00518/B.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is designated as Predominantly Residential under the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998 Map No. 2 (South).
4.2 Malvern Road is within the Selborne Drive Conservation Area.
4.3 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. The parts of General Policy 2 relevant to this application state: "Development
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15/00241/B
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which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality".
4.4 As Malvern Road is within the Selborne Drive Conservation Area, Environment Policy 35 also applies. It states that: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development".
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Douglas Borough Council offered no objection to the planning application on 27.03.2015.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 Given the nature of the planning application, it is important to consider the impact the addition of the meter box would have on the appearance of the dwelling itself in the context of the Selborne Drive Conservation Area. Meter boxes are not mentioned as having any form of permitted development rights, whether they are within or without Conservation Areas. However, the scale and nature of the proposal is such that the impact on the Selborne Drive Conservation Area is considered the most important factor to assess.
6.2 In the first instance, it cannot be ignored that there are a number of meter boxes such as that proposed both in the vicinity of the site and, in general, around the Island. They can be unobtrusive if positioned and coloured appropriately to the extent that they have a 'neutral effect' on the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. In this instance, the existing white meter boxes are utilitarian, obtrusive (when set against the characterful yellow and grey brick frontages with decorative red brick banding) and could not be said to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area - indeed, quite the opposite. It is evident that they are later additions not envisaged when the dwellings were originally conceived.
6.3 However, there is no planning history for those meter boxes and so limited weight can be given to their existence. What is important is the negative effect they have on the streetscene. That being said, were they coloured to match the facing brick they could be said to have a neutral effect on the streetscene and thus be in compliance with EP35. It is therefore considered a condition requiring the meter box to be coloured in a manner to match the facing brick (whether it be grey, red or yellow or a combination, depending on where it is eventually sited) would be appropriate and would make the development acceptable.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 It is recommended that the planning application be approved subject to the imposition of the aforementioned condition.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
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15/00241/B
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8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application; Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.04.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal O : Notes attached to refusals
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. Within 28 days of its installation, the meter box hereby approved shall be painted or otherwise coloured in a manner to match the facing brickwork on which it sits.
Reason: in the interests of the character and appearance of the site and Conservation Area in which it sits.
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The approval hereby issued relates to the three photographs and the single site plan (unscaled), all received 3rd March 2015.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 02.04.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed :... Chris Balmer
Signed :... Sarah Corlett
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15/00241/B
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Senior Planning Officer Senior Planning Officer
Signed :... Michael Gallagher
Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed : Jennifer Chance Jennifer Chance
Head of Development Management
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