Planning Officer Report Recommendation

Application number: 03/1604 ### Page of #### Planning report and recommendation ##### General Report Site visited: yes The site lies within a cul-de-sac of houses opposite Onchan Primary School off School Road. The properties are two storey terrace houses with a lane running behind each terrace. Proposed here is the provision of car parking within the front garden. The works involved would be removal of part of the front walling which is low enough to permit visibility for drivers of emerging vehicles. The parking area would be paved in block paviors. The roadway is narrow and parking is prevented by the introduction of double yellow lines on the southern side of the road. The environment is poor and the gardens to do not contribute in any meaningful way to the character of the cul-de-sac. Also, as there are parking restrictions in front of the property the access to the new parking space will always be available without taking parking space from the roadway. It could be possible to retain a strip of planting/grass between the footpath and the boundary with number 15. Better still would be to provide the car parking space where the footpath is and retain half of the frontage as garden. The garden is presently grassed. The rear lane is wide enough to achieve parking within the rear yards and indeed there is a number of rear yards which have been turned over to car parking. There are no other car parking areas in the front gardens and before this front garden is hard surfaced and given over to parking, we should be satisfied that there is no alternative parking in the rear yard. The applicant has explained in her letter of 16th December, 2003 that their rear yard is he only sunny private space that they have and that they would lose this if the car was to be parked in the rear yard. They would also lose a shed which they would prefer not to do. They are happy with the amended scheme which I proposed including retaining half of the garden and planting a tree therein thus if anyone or everyone else in the street wanted to follow suit, the result would be an improvement in the streetscene. I have checked with Whitestone Garage and their largest Mercedes (S-class) is 5163mm long which would fit into the front garden with enough space to pass between the car and the front elevation contrary to the suggestions of Mr. Moore. #### Summary of objections/views Onchan District Commissioners - object detrimental to the appearance of the area and to adjacent properties Moore - object - fire risk and inadequate space for vehicle to park #### Recommendations Approve Signed: __________________________ Date: __________________________ {{table:505401}}