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1.1 The site is a parcel of undeveloped land (Plot 143) which is located to the rear of the residential property Greenmantle. The site is located within the Tromode Park Estate within Douglas and located to the north-eastern side of Dreeym Beary.
1.2 The site is characterised as a slightly sloping site, rising upwards from the Dreeym Beary estate road towards the rear of Greenmantle. The boundaries of the site are mainly comprised of a mixture of landscaping types and heights. The south-western boundary which fronts onto the Dreeym Beary comprises of a 2 metre high timber fence. The site appears to be one of four plots of land along the Dreeym Beary which have not been developed.
2.1 The application seeks approval in principle for the erection of a dwelling. No details are submitted in terms of the new dwelling.
3.1 The application site is mainly within an area recognised as being an area of "Predominately Residential Use" under the Douglas Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area.
3.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:
3.3 Strategic Policy 1 states: "Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under-used land and buildings, and re-using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space(1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services."
3.4 Strategic Policy 2 states: "New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(2) of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in the exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3."
3.5 Spatial Policy 1 states: "The Douglas urban area will remain the main employment and services centre for the Island."
3.6 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." 3.7 Housing Policy 4 states: "New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(1) of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10; (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and (c) the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14." 3.8 Transport Policy 4 states: "The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan." 3.9 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." 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 11/01161/A proposed the principle of a dwelling on this same site and was approved. 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Corporation have no objection to the application (received on 18.03.2016). 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highways Services do not object (received on 08.03.2016) although they note that the drawings the applicant has provided do not illustrate the prooposed access or visibility splays. If the access was to be located in the middle of the plot, then visibility splays of metres can be achieved to the right and in excess of 36 metres to the left. This is
sufficient for this category of road and that the applicant needs to demonstrate the parking arranagements and visibility if this application is approved.
5.3 MU have no objections (06.07.16).
6.1 Given the land-use designation and the type of development the following elements are relevant to consideration in the determination of this application; (a) principle of development; and (b) other matters.
6.2 The first issue to consider is the general principle of residential development within the application site. In this respect, as stated earlier, the application site is located within a wider area designated as predominantly residential use under the Douglas Local Plan. Furthermore, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan has been adopted (June 2007 & 1st April 2016). Within this document Strategic Policies 1 and 2 require that new dwellings be located within existing sustainable settlements. Spatial Policy 1 also indicated that Douglas urban area will remain the main employment and services centre for the Island.
6.3 More recently, an update to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 has been undertaken and adopted, which identified that a total of 2440 new dwellings are required to be provided between the years of 2011 to 2026 in the east of the Island alone. A total of 5,100 dwellings are required over this same period throughout the Island. Given Douglas is regarded as the main employment and services centre for the Island, it is reasonable to consider the majority of these dwellings are likely to be provided in or around Douglas.
6.4 Overall, as such the general principle of residential development is concluded to be acceptable. The primary purpose of the planning application is therefore to assess site specific impacts and acceptability.
6.5 The application seeks that all matters (siting, design, external appearance of the building, internal layout, means of access and landscaping of the site) to be determined at the any future Reserved Matters Application. Accordingly, at this stage only the principle is being considered and for the reasons listed in paragraphs 6.2 to 6.4 the proposal is considered acceptable. Again given this, the potential impacts upon neighbouring amenities, potential impacts upon the visual amenities of the street scene; parking and access provision and potential amenities of future occupants of the dwelling; are all matters which would be considered at any future Reserved Matters Application.
7.1 Overall, for the reasons indicated with this report it is concluded the proposals complies with the relevant planning policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Douglas Local Plan and therefore it is recommended the application is approved subject to the conditions listed.
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 as modified by the Transfer of Planning and Building Control Functions Order 2015, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
16/00620/A
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning \& Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.07.2016
C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun either before the expiration of four years from the date of this approval or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters.
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013.
C 2. Application for approval of the reserved matters shall be made to the Department before the expiration of two years from the date of this approval and thereafter the development shall only be carried out in accordance with the details as approved.
Reason: To avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals. C 3. Approval of the details of siting, design, external appearance of the building[s], internal layout, means of access, landscaping of the site (hereinafter called "the reserved matters") shall be obtained from the Department in writing before any development is commenced.
Reason: To comply with the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013.
C 4. The application for the reserved matters must demonstrate that visibility splays of metres can be achieved to the right and in excess of 36 metres to the left which is considered sufficient for this category of road.
Reason: in the interests of highway safety.
This approval relates to drawings reference Site Plan and Location Plan all received on 31st May 2016.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made: Permitted Date: 07.07.2016
Signed: S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer
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