53163

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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 21/00311/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs Neal & Erika Crookall Proposal : Erection of replacement dwelling to include additional use as tourist accommodation with improved vehicular access Site Address : Ballakewin Farm Foxdale Road Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3DW

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 15.04.2021 Site Visit : 15.04.2021 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.05.2021 __

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. Prior to the commencement of any works on the approved development, the access arrangements as shown on drawing no. 4D must be provided (including visibility splays, internal vehicle and pedestrian arrangements) and these arrangements shall be retained as such thereafter.

Reason: to ensure that the proposed dwelling has a safe means of access into and from the site.

C 3. Upon completion of the new entrance as shown in the approved plans, the existing entrance must be permanently blocked up with either rendered or stone walling up to the height of the bottom of the existing wall capping on the pillars either side of the entrance, and these pillars must be retained.

Reason: to ensure that the proposed dwelling has a safe means of access into and from the site.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to accord with Environment Policies 1 and 2 and Housing Policy 14 of the Strategic Plan and the provisions of the Area Plan for the South.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

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This decision relates to drawings 1, 3B, 5, 6, 7 and LS-01 all received on 22nd March, 2021 and 4D received on 14th April, 2021. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

Department of Infrastructure's Flood Risk Management Team is a Government Department which raises material considerations and as such should be afforded interested person status in this case. __

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE REPLACEMENT DWELLING DOES NOT SIT ON THE FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY AND COULD BE CONSIDERED TO NOT BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH HOUSING POLICY 14

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing dwelling, Ballakewin, which sits right alongside the A3 Foxdale Road just to the south of its junction with the Grenaby Road (B41). The applicant also owns land in the vicinity including the field immediately to the north of the application site and which forms the south western corner of the junction of the A3 and the B41. This field accommodates a detached agricultural building.

1.2 There are relatively few dwellings in the vicinity of the site: Thie Vane, now called Grenaby House - a blue roofed detached house of non traditional design and appearance sits on the northern side of the junction and has recently received planning approval for replacement of the existing house with a much more modern property (20/01077/B). Across the road from that are two relatively new dwellings which are traditionally styled - Silverdale House and Merrywood and to the south of that, just north of the application site, is Ballahott Cottage, a modest and older, traditional Manx cottage which fronts onto the highway.

1.3 The application property presents a traditional gable to those approaching from the north, with a substantial stack in the middle of the pitched roof with a catslide annex to the rear. However, when one gets level with the roadside elevation, it is apparent that the original cottage has three eaves level dormers which are not particularly vernacular and also, the property has been extended to the south with a larger dormer in the front pitch of the stone faced with render above link piece which adjoins a larger extension which is taller than the original cottage and which presents its gable to the highway with a large, horizontally proportioned window in the first floor and three smaller, vertically proportioned windows underneath.

1.4 Access into the site is between the house and a roadside, single storey outbuilding and between them sit two stone round gate pillars. To the south of the outbuilding the roadside boundary is formed by a stone wall with vertical stone capping.

1.5 There is a small monopitch roofed, stone outbuilding at the rear (western side) of the site.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the replacement of the house with a new dwelling which is set back from the highway by 16m. The new front boundary where the existing house sits is to be re-aligned further back with a small grass verge between the boundary and the carriageway in line with discussions with Department of Infrastructure to provide for potential future road widening. The existing entrance is to be blocked up and a new entrance formed further north. This takes the form of an angled stone wall leading 6m back to a new set of gate pillars that the applicant has agreed can be round to match those either side of the existing entrance, either side of a 4m wide opening. Car parking for seven vehicles is shown on the footprint of the existing

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house in addition to the garage outbuilding to the south which is to be retained along with the other single storey monopitch roofed outbuilding to the west.

2.2 The new house will be 7.6m high to the ridge and will have a footprint of 195 sq m (12.6m (frontage) by 13.4m) with a small front porch and side annex: a total floor area of 360 sq m compared with the existing house which has a footprint of 177 sq m and a total floor area of 327 sq m and is 6.6m high at its highest point, the original cottage being 5.3m high. The proposed dwelling is therefore 11% larger than the existing.

2.3 The proposed dwelling will be traditional (a five bay larger farmhouse type dwelling) at the front facing the highway and at the rear a more contemporary approach is used with larger scale windows and balconies on the first floor. Stonework will be used for the front porch and sections of the rear elevation. The house has a square footprint which takes the elevated form of a double pitched roof arrangement.

2.4 A construction exclusion zone is shown around the existing trees on the site which are all to be retained. Other than three palms and one small tree in the middle of the proposed access (although the Planning Statement suggests that no trees are to be removed to facilitate the development).

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as not for a particular use (2013). The site contains a small area where there is a low likelihood of surface water flooding on the national flood maps and the site is outwith the Silverdale Conservation Area and none of the trees or buildings on the site is Registered.

3.2 The site lies within an area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 and within an area of Incised Inland Slopes on the Landscape Character Appraisal contained within the Area Plan where the following advice is provided:

Ballamodha, Earystane and St Marks (D14) The overall strategy is to conserve and enhance the character, quality and distinctiveness of the area, with its wooded valley bottoms, its strong geometric field pattern delineated by Manx hedges, its numerous traditional buildings and its network of small roads and lanes. The strategy should also include the restoration of landscapes disturbed by former mining activities.

Key Views Distant views prevented at times by dense woodland in river valleys and by the cumulative screening effect of hedgerow trees, which tend to create wooded horizons. Open and panoramic views out to sea from the higher areas on the upper western parts of the area where there are few trees to interrupt views.

Implications of the landscape character assessment in this case are:

i. To protect and enhance the identity of Ballasalla by conserving the rural character of the adjacent landscape. ii. In terms of Langness, to resist any development that would detract from the unspoilt character and appearance of the rugged coast or from the sense of openness in the area. iii. Protection of the tranquil, rural character of the area with its open views. iv. Sensitive location of new buildings and the use of screen planting. v. Avoidance of physical or visual amalgamation of roadside housing.

3.3 There is a presumption against development in undesignated areas as set out in Environment Policies where the protection of the character and quality of the landscape is the most important consideration in the determination of applications for development. General Policy 3 sets out exceptions to this and which includes the replacement of existing rural dwellings and more advice is provided at Housing Policy 14 of this:

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"Where a replacement dwelling is permitted, it must not be substantially different to the existing in terms of siting and size, unless changes of siting or size would result in an overall environmental improvement; the new building should therefore generally be sited on the "footprint" of the existing, and should have a floor area(1), which is not more than 50% greater than that of the original building (floor areas should be measured externally and should not include attic space or outbuildings).

Generally, the design of the new building should be in accordance with Policies 2- 7 of the present Planning Circular 3/91, (which will be revised and issued as a Planning Policy Statement).

Exceptionally, permission may be granted for buildings of innovative, modern design where this is of high quality and would not result in adverse visual impact; designs should incorporate the re-use of such stone and slate as are still in place on the site, and in general, new fabric should be finished to match the materials of the original building.

Consideration may be given to proposals which result in a larger dwelling where this involves the replacement of an existing dwelling of poor form with one of more traditional character, or where, by its design or siting, there would be less visual impact."

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Planning approval has been granted for agricultural buildings here (86/00528/B). Permission for the conversion and extension of the barn to create a garage under 92/01349/B and the conversion of this building to ancillary accommodation was refused under 11/00855/B for reasons relating to the paucity of visibility of the access, the inclusion of an extension and the lack of information on the redundancy of the building. Alterations to the first floor windows in the house were approved under 11/00499/B. Permission was granted for the additional use of the house as tourist accommodation under 18/01315/C.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners were consulted on 07.04.21 and have not commented at the time of writing.

5.2 Highway Services do not object subject to conditions which requires the access to be set out in accordance with drawing 4D and an advisory note relating to Section 109(A) of the Highway Act (21.04.21).

5.3 Department of Infrastructure's Flood Risk Management Team have no flood risk management interest in the application (26.04.21).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue in this case is whether the proposal would have any adverse impact on the character and quality of the landscape, having regard to Housing Policy 14 which provides specific advice on the replacement of houses in the countryside.

6.2 The character of the existing property is of a partly traditional property with modern and rather unfortunate alterations and extensions and set very close to the road. What is proposed will differ from that in that the house is a different shape with different proportions and set back from the highway. The benefit of this is that provision can be made for road widening and better visibility not only for users of the application site but also those using the junction to the north. The only other property which is right alongside the road in this area is Ballahott Cottage with the other properties a little distance away and with Grenaby House set back in a landscaped setting.

6.3 The re-siting of the property is not considered to have an adverse impact on the character of the area given its context and the benefits to highway safety which will accrue as a result. It

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is relevant that the two outbuildings on the site are to be retained, retaining some of the existing character of the site.

6.4 The proposed dwelling is only 11% larger than the existing and whilst taller will comply with the design recommendations of HP14 and Planning Circular 3/91. The incorporation of more modern glazing at the rear is considered acceptable given the limited visual impact of this.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal is considered to accord with Environment Policies 1 and 2 and Housing Policy 14 of the Strategic Plan and the provisions of the Area Plan for the South.

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 in Article 4(2) 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: 24.05.2021

Signed : S CORLETT 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

Customer note

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