DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01257/B Applicant: Elliot Construction Ltd Proposal: Erection of garage to the rear of the property Site Address: 19 Waterloo Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1DT Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 11.01.2021 _________________________________________________________________ Reasons for Refusal R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons R 1. The proposed garage given its size would result in the loss of off road parking spaces from two to one space without demonstrating that the loss would not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality and therefore would be contrary to Housing Policy 17, General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following persons should be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

21 Waterloo Road, Ramsey as they satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status (July 2018).

_____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 19 Waterloo Road, which is currently a vacant (approved works for five one bedroomed apartments within the property appears to be taking place when visiting site) traditional 4 storey boarding house to the middle of a terrace of properties to the North East of Waterloo Road. The property itself is almost an end of terrace property with its neighbour to the north being a different property in size and type.

1.2 The property features a basement level, three full levels and an attic level above, with pitched roof dormer windows at both the front and rear elevations. The front elevations feature 4 pane sliding sash timber windows on the primary levels.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval of the erection of garage to the rear of the property. The proposal would measure 5m x 6.2m and would be a flat roofed design. The proposal would be built on the form hardstanding to the rear of the property which would provide two off road parking spaces. The proposal also includes a pedestrian gate to serve the rear of the building.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The following planning application are considered relevant in the determination of this application: - 3.2 Conversion of an apartment (class 3.4) into two apartments (class 3.4) - 20/00530/B APPROVED - 3.3 Conversion of boarding house to provide five self-contained apartments - 19/01277/B REFUSED on the following grounds: "R 1. Whilst the proposed change to self-contained apartments seems viable the basement flat does not provide a suitable pleasant clear outlook from the main principle room or the secondary principle room and as such is against Housing Policy 17." - 3.4 Alterations and conversion from boarding house to 4 apartments - 19/00835/B APPROVED

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the following policies: - 4.2 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:

• 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;

• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.3 Housing Policy 17 states "The conversion of buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential area provided that:

• (a) adequate space can be provided for clothes-drying , refuse storage, general amenity, and, if practical, car parking;
• (b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principle rooms and
• (c) if possible, this involves the creation of parking on site or as part of an overall traffic management strategy for the area.

4.4 Transport Policy 1 states "New development should, where possible, be located close to existing public transport facilities and routes, including pedestrian, cycle and rail routes." - 4.5 Transport Policy 7 states: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.

The current standards are set out in Appendix 7."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services do not object making the following comments (20.11.2020): "Reference made to approval of 20/00530/B and that Planning is satisfied for a reduction to one on-site car parking space given the use by residents of the adjacent car park."

• 5.1.1 Following these comments the Department emailed Highway Services making the following comments: "Could I just ask about your comment we have received from Highway Services in relation to the above planning application. The comment states: "Reference made to approval of 20/00530/B and that Planning is satisfied for a reduction to one on-site car parking space given the use by residents of the adjacent car park." The officer makes reference to the fact there isn't sufficient off street parking for all the apartments, but I can't see an acceptance made to only one space being provided (maybe wrong). I cannot find any reference by the planning officer that "a reduction to one on-site car parking space" is acceptable. The previous application approved the building to be used for five apartments which I understand included two off road parking spaces to the rear. This new proposal for the garage will likely reduce this further to one space. Can Highways confirm that they believe this is acceptable? We will attach a condition that the garage must be used by future occupants, as there is the potential it may not be given it location (it could be easily separated)."
• 5.1.2 In response Highway Services state: "I interpreted that under the previous application there was already a shortfall on-site and that it had been accepted that the car park was going to be used, so I was following the same logic. Highway Services would prefer that two spaces were retained on site and the garage omitted. If it is felt that this is unreasonable, then the garage should be retained for its stated purpose and for use by residents of one of the apartments."

5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (20.11.2020). - 5.3 The owner/occupier of 21 Waterloo Road, Ramsey makes the following comments (05.01.2021); "This is a building which has been converted to a block of 4 flats. This already brings too many cars to an area with no available parking spaces. To then remove the parking in the rear of the building is totally unacceptable. Why on earth would you build a single car garage in an area which can currently park 3 cars for a building which is essentially being changed into 4 dwellings from one? It used to be the case that if you build flats, you had to be able to provide parking spaces for all of them. What happened to that?"

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The fundamental issues with this application are the potential impacts upon the character and visual amenities of the street scene and the potential loss of parking provision. - 6.2 Character and visual amenities of the street scene

• 6.2.1 The proposed garage would mainly be apparent form the rear car park which is located to the rear of the site. The character of the area is the service area (bin storage etc) of the adjacent shopping centre, car parking (i.e. large areas of hardstanding) and the rear of properties along Waterloo Road, which includes a number of flat roofed garages. Accordingly, the proposed flat roofed garage of this size would be acceptable in this location in terms of the visual amenities of the street scene.

6.3 Potential loss of parking provision

• 6.3.1 Arguably the main issue to whether the proposal would represent the loss of a single off road parking space. The previous approvals result in the rear of the site accomodating two off road parking space for use by some of the residents of the new apartments.

• 6.3.2 The approvals results in five one bedroomed flats which generally requires a parking requirement of five space. This cannot be achieved on the site, but it was concluded that with the two spaces proposed and as the site is within close proximity to the town centre and public transport links that a reduction in parking requirements could be made in line with The Isle of Man Strategic Plan. However, the issue with this application is that it clearly results in the reduction of a single parking space, in an area of high demand. Certainly no evidence has been submitted to contradict this view, which is required as per Appendix 7 of the IOMSP i.e. it can be demonstrated a reduced level of parking will not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality.
• 6.3.3 for information the Manuel for Manx Roads indicated that a single garage measures 6 metres by 3 metres (minimum door width of 2.4 metres). The proposed garage would have an external length of 6.2m which is acceptable; however its width of 5m (or 4.7m internally) is not acceptable.
• 6.3.4 Whilst in some locations where no car parking spaces can be provided within the curtilage of old guest houses/ large Victorian properties etc (i.e. the site just cannot accommodate them), the Department has approved conversion schemes with little or no parking, on the grounds of their closeness to town centres/it has been demonstrated that a reduced level of parking will not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality. Again this application does not. In this case the loss of parking for the proposed garage is considered to be contrary to the relevant policies of the IOMSP.
• 6.3.5 The design and location of the garage also raises concern that the garage could be used for garaging not in association with the converted building. It is noted no pedestrian access from the garage to the rear of the property is include, which is unusual. Accordingly, it is consider there is a potential now or in the future that the garage could be used for other purposes.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to be contrary to Housing Policy 17, General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore it is recommended for a refusal.

8.0 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 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

Decision Made : Refused Date : 11.01.2021 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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