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20/01349/B Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/01349/B Applicant : Ameya Limited Proposal : Conversion of existing four bedroom duplex into two apartments Site Address : Mona Cottage Marathon Terrace Queens Promenade Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4NH
Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 08.12.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.01.2021 __
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.
C 2. Prior to the occupation of the apartments the garage and bin provision as shown on the amended drawings referenced; 03 Rev B, date stamped received on 16th December 2020 shall be completed and retained in perpuity for use of the apartments as shown on the approved drawing and supporting information.
REASON: In the interest of residential amenity and highway safety.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application is recommended for approval as it meets the policy test of General Policy 2; Housing Policy 4, 17 and Environmental Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings referenced; 01, 02 date stamped received on 17 November 2020 and amended drawings referenced; 03 Rev B, date stamped received on 16th December 2020. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None
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Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Mona Cottage, Marathon Terrace, Queens Promenade Douglas. The property is a mid terrace with retail on the ground floor and two floors of accommodation above. The property also fronts onto Switzerland Road at the rear.
1.2 This short stretch of properties wedged between Switzerland Road and The Queens Public House comprise a mix of commercial uses and retail. The majority of the upper levels are in residential use, with each having a first floor roof terrace above the ground floor shops.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the conversion of the existing four bedroom duplex into two separate apartments. The configuration would see; a 1 bedroom apartment and the other a two bedroom both with their own kitchen facilities. The internal layout would be one apartment per floor, both with a living room on the east elevation facing the promenade and bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen to the rear elevation. Apartment 1 would have the use of the garage for off street parking. Apartment two would be on street parking.
2.2 The scope of works would see the inclusion of an aluminium fire escape stair on the rear elevation and an existing window altered to a tilt and turn upvc window that enables means of escape. There are no other external works to either of the facades of the buildings.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being Mixed Use use under the Area Plan for the East Proposals Map 4.
3.2 Within the written statement accompanying the area plan, the following text is helpful on page 89 of the document;
9.11 Development in areas of 'mixed use' 9.11.1 There are a number of areas of 'mixed use' outside of Douglas town centre. Some are identified by a site number on the Maps and others are not, for instance Village Walk in Onchan does not have a site number.
9.11.2 Development types within areas of mixed use generally comprise a variety of different but compatible uses. Appropriate new uses may include a mix of shops and some services (financial and professional), food and drink, office and light industry, research and development, tourist and residential uses, and other uses such as clinics or health centres, childcare or education, community facilities, and places of assembly and leisure. Uses which are not compatible with residential development will generally not be supported within the areas of mixed use.
3.3 The application site is identified as being within the Douglas Promenades Conservation Area 2002 to the front and rear of the property.
3.4 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application;
3.5 General Policy 2 (GP2) (in part) 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;
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(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; (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'.
3.6 Housing Policy 4 states [in part]: 'New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans'.
3.7 Some of the supporting text to Housing Policy 17 at paragraph 8.13.4: "In recent years, interest has grown in the development of residential dwellings from redundant commercial space, primarily above shops... The Department generally supports the conversion of redundant storage space above shops (which are often outside of residential areas), into residential development unless the occupants would suffer adverse noise, general disturbance or loss of residential amenity from other land uses."
3.8 Housing Policy 17 The conversion of buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential areas 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 principal 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.
3.9 Environment Policy 35 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.
3.10 Other Material Considerations The Department has recently published the Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) which provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. This includes specific guidance on rear and side extensions in Section 7.0 titled; Impact on Neighbouring properties.
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 19/00719/B - Alterations and extension to front and rear of property and change of use from travel agents to restaurant and installation of flue. APPROVED with conditions;
C.2 The flue ventilation system hereby approved shall not be operated between 2300 - 0700 hours, and noise levels from the system outside of these hours shall not exceed 61dB when measured 3m away from the flue or from the window of the nearest habitable room which ever is the closest.
Reason: In the interest of neighbouring living conditions and amenity.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas borough Council have commented (04/12/20; 11/12/20; 17/12/20) initially requesting details for bicycle storage and waste collection, then again on the amended plans with no objection. The amended plans show the waste collection and bicycle storage but seeks
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that "the type of bicycle storage provided is a secure environment as well as protecting bicycles from the elements".
5.2 Highways initially commented on (09/12/20 and 21/12/20) who raised concerns over parking and bicycle storage but latterly on the amended plans do not object subject to a condition to retain the garage and for bicycle parking and waste bin storage to accord with the additional proposed floor plan dated 18 December 2020.
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) The principle of the conversion; (GP2, HP4) (ii) The provision for a satisfactory level of residential amenity (HP17) (iii) Impact on highways (TP7) (iv) Impact on the conservation area (EP35)
6.2 Principle The application site is located within Douglas and an existing area (official designation is mixed use) where residential use in the streetscene is evidenced on Queen Street and Switzerland Road. As such the principle of the proposal would be in accordance with HP4. The existing use of the upper two floors are residential as one dwelling, the conversion to two dwellings would not be seen as incompatible with the surrounding streetscene nor would the use be considered to have an adverse impact on the character of the area or that of the neighbouring amenity and would be read in compliance with GP2 (b,c,g).
6.3 Residential Amenity Each of the apartments is large enough to accommodate a lounge / dining area and separate kitchen. The living rooms are position on the front elevation which benefit from a pleasant outlook that would not be blocked or sheltered and faces out towards the promenade the beach and sea. There would also appear to be adequate space to allow for the drying of clothes within each apartment. The proposed apartments offer safe access points via the entrance to the front and rear that are well lit during the darker hours by street lighting. Both apartments use a communal staircase accessed from the front elevation.
6.4 The rear elevation of the building is set back from the edge of the highway and it is here where the kitchen and bedrooms are positioned with windows to each room looking out toward Switzerland Road and the properties opposite. These properties opposite the site are set at a higher level with steps leading up to the front door and ground floor level, ensuring there is no direct window to window overlooking or loss of privacy.
6.5 To the rear elevation it is proposed to install a rear fire escape, this would not be an incongruous feature as there is already a fire escape on the adjacent property to the north.
6.6 Being with the town centre development there is no outdoor amenity space provided. However there is ease of level access to good public open space that would provide a degree of respite from the activity in the area, namely Douglas promenade and the beach and other leisure areas off the promenade or a short walk into the town centre.
6.7 The current bin provision for the benefit of the apartments is to be in the rear of the site on Switzerland road and storage and access to the bin has been designed in for the benefit of the users and the local authority refuse collection following consultation. On balance, it has been demonstrated that the living environment of the proposed apartments is deemed to be acceptable in accordance with HP17.
6.8 Highways
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The proposal has been through a degree of consultation with highways and also Douglas Borough Services regarding parking, and refuse storage and collection, it is noted following this both consultees do not object to the proposal.
6.9 The site provides parking provision via an existing garage for one car. However Transport Policy 7 requires one parking space per one bedroom apartment and two per two bedroom apartments. Highway Services have noted the IoM strategic plans call for three off road parking spaces. Given the application site is with a town location which is within close proximity to public transportation links, provision is allowed within the strategic plan in Appendix 7, Parking standards, A.7.1 which says "however, in general, the need to find a use for redundant buildings which are in sound condition will outweigh the drawback of any shortfall in parking provision". The strategic plan also allows for a relaxed standard where "In the case of town centre and previously developed sites, the Department will consider reducing this requirement having regard to: (a) the location of the housing relative to public transport, employment, and public amenities". There are also taxi ranks, local services and employment opportunities to encourage pedestrian movement amongst the above. The application site is in a sustainable location and so an objection on grounds of a lack of parking is not considered significant enough to warrant a refusal.
6.10 Conservation area As there are no proposals to alter the facades of the building or amend the existing window configurations or sizes or replacement windows, the impact on the street scene or that of the character of the conservation area would be minimal, posing little to no visual harm and would be read in compliance with EP35.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the alterations would be an appropriate form of development that does not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties and would comply with aforementioned planning policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and is recommended for approval.
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 __
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I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner 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 : Permitted
Date: 15.01.2021
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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