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15/00330/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/00330/B Applicant : HDF Developments Limited Proposal : Alterations and upgrading of existing three self-contained flats including creation of on-site parking at rear of building Site Address : 5 Princes Avenue Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3JB
Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of No. 5 Princes Avenue, a three storey mid terraced building located on the north western side of Princes Avenue, Douglas. The application building forms part of a row of four buildings. The site lies 12 metres south west of the edge of Ballaquayle Road Conservation Area.
1.2 The building currently accommodates three self-contained apartments; the ground and first floor apartments being two bedrooms and the second floor apartment being 1 bedroom with a store within the roof. There is currently no on-site parking.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the demolition of the existing single storey rear annexe and rear boundary wall and creation of a parking area for two vehicles, installation of new rear access stairs and walkway serving apartments two and three, the removal of an existing window on the ground floor rear outrigger with the resultant aperture blocked up, blocking up of an existing door on the rear elevation of the outrigger and installation of a new window and the installation of two roof lights to either roof slope.
2.2 Also proposed are a number of internal alterations and the conversion of the attic to a bedroom to create an additional bedroom to apartment 3. These works do not require planning permission but may require building regulation approval.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 Planning approval was granted in 1979 under PA 47321 to convert the property into three self-contained apartments.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site lies within an area zoned as predominantly residential under the Douglas Local Plan 1998.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning
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application:
General Policy 2 states: "Development 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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (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; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."
Environment Policy 36 states: "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection to the current planning application (30/04/2015).
5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application but note that due to the geometry of the back lane it would be difficult to manoeuvre two vehicles into the proposed parking space. This space would be suitable for one vehicle or motorcycle/cycles. However, there is little change from existing to proposed which would not require Highways to request additional parking (13/04/2015).
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issues to consider in the assessment of this application are the impacts of the proposal upon the visual amenity of the locality, character and appearance of the building within the street scene and the impact of the proposed new parking area upon highway safety.
6.2 The rear annexe is not overly visible within public view due to its height and height of the existing rear boundary wall. The rear annexe does not appear to be of particular importance in terms of character and appearance and its demolition is not considered to impact upon the visual amenity of the locality.
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6.3 The creation of the new access stairs would be visible from the rear access lane and from neighbouring buildings. However, they would not appear incongruous within the locality. There are a number of buildings within the area that have similar arrangements and other buildings with rear access stairs to a greater extent. Given that the views attainable would be from a rear lane and the rear of other buildings, this element of the proposal is not judged to be objectionable.
6.4 The proposed window and door alterations on the ground floor of the existing rear outrigger are judged to be fairly minimal forms of development and are not deemed to harm the appearance of the building.
6.5 The row of buildings in which the application building forms part of all have roof lights to both the front and rear roof slope. The front roof lights of the buildings are predominantly visible from the junction with Clifton Terrace with the rear roof lights not readily visible from a main public thoroughfare. The installation of the roof lights proposed under this scheme would not be at odds within the street scene and nor would the roof lights proposed appear incongruous within the locality. It is considered that the proposed roof lights would be acceptable in terms of their design, siting and size within the roof slope.
6.6 Turning to the impact of the creation of a parking area. The application site and the remaining terrace are bounded by walling to the rear lane. The removal of the rear boundary wall of the application site would result in a break in this walling. However, the rear boundary wall is not overly prominent from a main public thoroughfare and nor is it considered to add any architectural merit to the locality. As a result, its removal is not considered to harm the visual amenity of the street scene or locality.
6.7 In terms of the impact upon highway safety, as noted by Highway Services, due to the narrowness of the rear lane, two vehicles are likely to find it difficult to manoeuvre into the proposed parking spaces. The area of hardstanding that would be created would be more suitable for one vehicle or motorcycle/cycles. However, there is little change from existing situation to the proposed and as such would not require Highways to request additional parking.
6.8 The lane has a maximum width of just less than 3.5 metres from the edge of application site to edge of the south eastern elevation of Waverley Court Flats. The parking area would have a width of 6 metres. The standard width of a single private parking space is 3.25 metres so the proposed area would fall short by half a metre which is judged to be insignificant and the submitted drawings show two cars parked comfortably.
6.9 Whilst parking might be tight in some instances, depending on the vehicles using the spaces, it is considered that this element of the proposal would not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows. The proposal would create two on-site parking spaces which would lessen the number of vehicles parking on the highway which will likely benefit all users of Princes Avenue as well as the residents of the application site.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 Overall it is considered that the development proposed within this current planning application is acceptable and would not harm views in and out of the Conservation Area. As such, it is concluded that the planning application accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 36 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and as such it is recommended that the planning application be approved.
8.0 PARTY STATUS
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8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material; (d) The Highways Division of the Department; and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 11.05.2015
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.
-- This approval relates to drawing no: 1, 2, 3 and 4 all date stamped as received 25th 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 : 12.05.2015
Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed :... Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
Signed :... Sarah Corlett
Senior Planning Officer
Signed : Michael Gallagher
Michael Gallagher
Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed :... Jennifer Chance
Head of Development Management
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