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                                      21/00868/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 21/00868/B Applicant : Mr David & Mrs Judith Booth Proposal : Erection of an extension to the rear elevation and creation of raised decking Site Address : 46 Claughbane Drive Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 2BJ

Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken : 13.10.2021 Site Visit : 13.10.2021 Expected Decision Level :

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.10.2021 __

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. The application accords with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the principles of the Residential Design Guide 2021.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing numbers 21 1536 01 and 21 1536 02, and site photographs numbered 1-4 all date received 26/07/2021. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is No. 46 Claughbane Drive a detached bungalow situated part way along a small cul-de-sac within the larger Claughbane residential estate in Ramsey. The dwelling sits towards the upper southern end of the estate and a short distance from Ramsey Hair Pin.

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1.2 The estate comprises similar sized and styled bungalow dwellings although some, such as the neighbour to the west, have dormer accommodation in the roof space. Each property sits close to each other side by side but with generous garden space to the fronts and rear.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks planning approval for the erection of a single storey rear extension and a raised terrace. The extension is to project 4m from the rear elevation and approx. 6.4m wide. The pitched roof extension is to be installed with apex feature glazing on the rear, a single window on the east side and high level window on the western side. The extension works also include some cutting out and lowering of the existing garden area to create a garden store area below the raised deck.

2.2 Cladding will detail the upper gable of the extension and is also proposed on the peak of an existing rear gable.

2.3 New rear access steps will sit on the western side of the extension providing direct access into the garden.

2.4 The 2.5m deep raised deck will sit on the end gable of the extension sitting approx. 1.1m from ground level of the application dwelling, stairs on the east side of the deck will provide access down to the garden.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The site has not been subject to any previous planning applications.

PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The area is identified as being predominantly residential by the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. The site is not within a Conservation Area nor recognised as being at any flood risk. Given the nature of the residential property and the land designation paragraph 8.12.1 and General Policy 2 from the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 are most relevant to its assessment which set out the general standards towards acceptable development. The recently released Residential Design Guidance 2021 is also a material consideration particularly those parts in respect of good neighbourliness and overlooking. Furthermore consideration shall also be given to Community Policies 7 and 11 in respect of reducing outbreak of fire and preventing criminal activity and Infrastructure Policy 5 in respect of water conservation.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Ramsey Town Commissioners - no objections but make an observation that access to the covered man hole should be maintained (26/08/2021).

5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No highways interest (11/08/2021).

5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 Paragraph 8.12.1 from the IOM Strategic Plan indicates that there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing dwellings in residential areas where such extensions would not have an adverse amenity impact on neighbours or an adverse visual impact on the surrounding area in general.

Visual Impact 6.2 In the case of this application the proposed extension sits at the rear and away from prominent public view, its size and scale is subservient and is relatively in keeping with the

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                                      21/00868/B                                     Page  3  of  4

main house. The overall finish is fairly modern although not unacceptable given the existing dwelling is non-traditional and is capable of accommodating a more modern styled approach to extension. In terms of visual impact the proposal is considered to be acceptable.

Amenity Impact 6.3 The 4m projection of the extension will step beyond the nearest elevation of neighbour No. 44, and almost akin to the line of their stepped rear extension and conservatory. The extension includes a high level window which will limit direct views to No, 44 but may introduce some degree over perceived overlooking, however minded of arrangement of these dwellings within the street and estate there is already some degree and accepted overlooking between sites that the perceived level of overlooking would not be so adverse or unobjectionable as to refuse the application.

6.4 Where further consideration is required is in respect of the raised deck adjoining the rear of the extension which would stand around 1m from ground level and between 4-6.5m into the garden. Minded that the wider estate sits on a hill the very nature and relationship between the dwellings is as such that there are already views from upper levels over and towards neighbouring dwellings and gardens, and some views between dwellings which step lower than their neighbour.

6.5 In the case here inter-visibility and overlooking between dwellings is considerably mitigated by boundary fencing and dense hedging which helps to screen and limit direct views at garden level. The sloping topography means that dwellings step down around here, and most have an internal finished floor levels that sits slightly higher than the garden level. During a site visit it was noted that from the rear garden of No. 44 that the tops of the rear elevation windows could be seen beyond the tops of the boundary hedging.

6.6 The extension and the raised deck would create an extended elevated internal floor level which projects much beyond the rear elevation of the current house, with a danger that when adding a person to the rear terrace would result in the eye level sitting around 2.8m above ground level and typically over and beyond a 2m boundary, which when coupled with sloping and stepped level changes could have impact on the amenity of the neighbours.

6.7 The Residential Design Guidance 2021 indicates that where there are terraces or balconies proposed on detached properties "they can be acceptable where they are carefully designed to avoid unreasonable overlooking of neighbouring properties (including gardens). Large separation distances to neighbouring boundaries and habitable room windows will help to avoid such issues" and that "strategically placed solid screens/obscure glazed screens/slatted shutter screens may sometimes help where it is not otherwise possible to avoid overlooking. However, the use of such screens needs to be combined with careful design as such screening may result in a loss of light and/or be an overbearing and dominating feature to the outlook of the neighbouring properties/streetscene". Such balconies or terraces "should not result in views into the rear windows of neighbouring properties at a distance of less than 20 metres" and "it is a requirement to ensure that neighbours' privacy is maintained by installing screening (fence, hedge etc.)".

6.8 In the specific case of this application, there is already substantial fencing and hedge screening along the boundary and when coupled with the slightly stepped in position of the extension on the rear elevation it is likely that this will help to limit any significant overlooking or overbearingness from the terrace, while there may be partial views it is not considered that these would be so significantly adverse beyond the established degree of overlooking between dwellings in the estate so as to cause any significant harm to the general living conditions of the neighbours so as to warrant a refusal.

Other Matters

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6.9 Being an extension to an existing dwelling, the proposal is not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal activity or spread of fire. The extended roof area will increase surface area of the dwelling although water run-off will be dealt with as per the existing arrangement of the main dwelling. The proposed extension will not increase water usage of the dwelling and so there are to be no new issues in this respect.

CONCLUSION 7.1 The application accords with General Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and with the general principles set out in the Residential Design Guidance 2021.

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 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: 25.10.2021

Determining officer

Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

Customer note

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