DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00261/B Applicant: Mr Tomasz Dziardziel Proposal: Conversion of post office to dwelling and alteration of existing shopfront to windows Site Address: 4 Brunswick Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3LL Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.05.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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. No approval is hereby given to any parking space within the red line boundary on the location plan. Reason: For the avoidance of doubt

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35 and Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, photo, location plan, and drawing no. 1575.1 as having been received on 11th March 2021. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following Government Departments should be given Interested Person Status on the basis that they have made written submissions relating to planning considerations:

DoI Flood Risk Management Division

Officer’s Report

THIS IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE AS IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL CONTRARY TO AN OBJECTION FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is 4 Brunswick Road, Douglas, a three-storey end-of-terrace building located on the northeast corner of Brunswick Road and Berkeley Street.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the change of use from a post office on parts of the ground floor (Class 1.1) and residential on first, second floor and the remainder of the ground floor (Class 3.3) to a dwelling (Class 3.3). The work also includes the removal of the existing shopfront and a shop window and the replacement with uPVC sliding sash windows.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 Retrospective application for the removal of front wall and creation of parking spaces with access onto highway was REFUSED under PA 04/01867/R. - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of the local plan, the site is designated as "Predominately Residential" in the Area Plan for the East. The site is located within the Selborne Road Conservation Area.

4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 4.3 General Policy 2: "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;
• (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."

4.4 Environment Policy 35 states: "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." - 4.5 Transport Policy 7: "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." - 4.6 Appendix 7.6 states that residential terraces should have "2 spaces per unit, if not within curtilage then located as close to units as possible without compromising residential amenity." It also highlights that "parking spaces should not be provided in front of the

• dwellings where this would result in a poor outlook for residents and would detract from the amenity of the area."
• 4.7 Appendix 7.6 also states "These standards may be relaxed where development: (c) is otherwise of benefit to the character of a Conservation Area."
• 4.8 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man) - Policy CA/2, (Conservation Areas); "When considering proposals for the possible development of any land or buildings which fall within the conservation area, the impact of such proposals upon the special character of the area will be a material consideration when assessing the application."
• 4.9 Planning Circular 1/98: The Alteration and Replacement of Windows Set states: Category b) Buildings in a Conservation Area "if the original windows are in place they should preferably be repaired. If repair is impracticable, replacement windows which would be readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same method of opening as the originals. Whatever the material used in their construction, the windows must have the same pattern and section of glazing bars and the same frame sections as the original windows. Windows not readily visible from a public thoroughfare must have the same or similar pattern of glazing bars as the originals, but not necessarily the original method of opening, whatever the material used in the construction."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATION

5.1 Douglas Borough Council objects to this application (18/05/2021). The comment states that given the comments from Highway Services, the proposed on-site parking is considered to increase danger to other road users and disrupting the street scene of the neighbourhood.

5.2 DoI Highway Services does not oppose this application (02/04/2021). The comment states that there is no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and /or parking. Additional comment (12/04/20021) points out that there is no off-street parking for this site as no dropped curb has been or will be approved due to the location of the site. However, as parking permit is available for the site so there is still no concern regarding parking. - 5.3 DoI Flood Risk Management Division states there is no flood risk management interest in this application (15/04/2021).

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The key issues to consider are the suitability of the location for residential purposes, it's impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and parking.

6.2 The site is located in a residential area. The Local Plan designated the area as being Predominantly Residential. The proposal fits within the designation and is therefore acceptable. - 6.3 The proposed replacement sliding sash windows will improve the appearance of the building compare to the previous flat-roof shopfront. Therefore, the design is considered acceptable. - 6.4 According to TP7, the proposed dwelling would need two parking spaces. However, there is no specific parking space to be allocated for this development. As Highway Services have confirmed that they have no objections, and the street has plenty of on-street parking spaces. The additional need for two car parking space does not create a shortage compare to the existing parking conditions.

6.4 In addition, as the proposal improves the appearance of the area, the parking standard can be further reduced. Therefore, it is considered that there is no concern regarding parking. - 6.5 Although the application form suggests there is one on-site parking space, refusal of PA 04/01867/R, objection from Douglas Borough Council and comments from the Highway Service has all suggests that the site is not suitable to have on-site parking. Therefore, a condition will be attached to confirm that no on-site parking provision has been approved.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 35 and Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an 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 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 confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Committee Meeting Date: 14.06.2021

Signed : P SHEN Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).

Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below

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