DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01479/B Applicant: Department Of Infrastructure Public Estates & Housing Proposal: Over cladding of existing roof lights and gable end of sports hall and installation of roof solar panels to South West elevation Site Address: Ballakermeen High School St Catherines Drive Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4BE Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken: 22.01.2020 Site Visit: 22.01.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.02.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, product information and drawing No. 01, 10, 20, 100, 110, 120 date-stamped as having been received on 7th November 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is Ballakermeen Highway School, St Catherines Drive, Douglas, located on the end of St Catherines Drive.

- 2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for overcladding of the roof of the sports hall, remove all existing rooflights and the installation of solar panels on the south west elevation of the roof.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is in an area designated as Buildings or Land for Civic, Cultural or Other Use (Secondary School) under the Area Plan for the East. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application: - 4.3 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."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection to this application (30/12/2020). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (08/01/2021).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The proposed roof tiles would be similar in appearance to the existing roof. It is unlikely that there will be any impact on visual or other amenities from any of the neighbouring properties. - 6.2 Overall, it is expected that the new roof and solar system will provide the facility with better thermal quality and a more comfortable internal environment throughout both the summer and winter months. It's likely that the energy efficiency of the facility will improve.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the reasons that the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan, it is recommended for an approval.

8.0 INTEREST 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 which 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 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: 11.02.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.