Loading document...
==== PAGE 1 ====
21/00386/B Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 21/00386/B Applicant : Mr Ian Tuck Proposal : Amendments to residential property (Dwelling One) of approved PA 18/00718/B, Alterations and extensions to create two dwellings from existing house and barns (retrospective). Site Address : Ballacallin Beg Cottage Foxdale Road Garth Crosby Isle Of Man IM4 2HN
Planning Officer: Mr Richard Boyt Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.12.2022 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. This approval relates to Ballacallin Beg Cottage and should be read in conjunction with permission 18/00718/B which still applies to the second dwelling approved on the wider site.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. It is considered that the retention of the design changes to Ballacallin Beg Cottage enhance the appearance of the house as a whole and do not harm the character of the landscape. Similarly, the proposals do not create any adverse impacts on neighbouring or future residents in the locality. For these reasons the proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 (b, c, g,) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and with the general principles of the Residential Design Guidance 2021.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This permission relates to plans submitted with this application named and numbered Location and Site Plan 2021/11 02 and Proposed Replacement Barn (Dwelling Number 1) Floor Plans and Elevations 2021/11 01. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons None
==== PAGE 2 ====
21/00386/B Page 2 of 6
__
Officer’s Report
THE SITE 1.1 Site
The application site is a recently developed dwelling known as Ballacallin Beg Cottage in the countryside near Garth. The house originates from a former L shaped structure consisting of a farmhouse and barns which received permission in 2018 to be converted and rebuilt into two dwellings. Ballacallin Beg Cottage is the larger, northernmost dwelling in the pair.
The house is a stone finished semi detached 1.5 storey building roofed in slate. It has been occupied from about the time of the application in 2021 when it was discovered that the building was not constructed in exact compliance with the approved plans.
Formerly, the application dwelling was part traditional Manx cottage, part attached outbuilding.
1.2 Surroundings The application site is sat down in the rural landscape and forms part of a larger group of dwellings and farm buildings. It is located over 100 metres from the A24 and is not very prominent in the wider landscape which is relatively open in this location.
As well as the approved barn conversion permitted with this dwelling in 2018, there is another barn conversion to the west and a modern bungalow nearby.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal follows inspections by Planning Enforcement Officers in 2021 who noted that there were some minor deviations of the approved plans and two sections of second storey works which amounted to extensions to the original design.
The first area was a new bedroom over the garden room to the front with the introduction of a gable feature facing forwards on the eastern end of the house. The second were small extensions to the rear where pitched roof dormers have been added to facilitate a bigger bedroom and dressing room.
As a whole, the finished layout of the inside of the dwelling is quite different to that approved, although this does not require further planning permission. Of particular note is the fact that the dividing walls between the two permitted dwellings have moved south providing more floorspace in this application dwelling and the application dwelling has gone from 4 to 6 bedrooms.
There a series of other minor external alterations, with many of the rooflights and some of the windows changing dimensions. Another notable change is the roof on the front (northeast) elevation now overhangs by around a metre or so with pillars taking the weight.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The site, and the adjacent land and buildings have been the subject of a number of applications for equestrian and agricultural structures, none of which is relevant to the current proposal. The building to the rear of the structures which are the subject of the current application, was approved for conversion to living accommodation under IDO 39461 in 1975 whilst the works were not strictly carried out in accordance with that approval.
In 2018 planning application 21/00386/B was approved for two dwellings, in a part conversion and part rebuild proposal. This proposal is for minor material amendments to the northernmost of those dwellings.
==== PAGE 3 ====
21/00386/B Page 3 of 6
DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Town and Country Planning (Development Scheme) Order 1982 as not for a particular purpose. The site does not lie within an area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. As such, there is a presumption against development as set out in Environment Policy 1 and General Policy 3 which combine to promote sustainable development and the protection of the countryside for its own sake.
4.2 The Strategic Plan does contain policies which provide for the re-use of redundant rural buildings which are of interest as follows:
Housing Policy 11: "Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where:
(a) redundancy for the original use can be established; (b) the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; (c) the building is of architectural, historic, or social interest; (d) the building is large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building; (e) residential use would not be incompatible with adjoining established uses or, where appropriate, land-use zonings on the area plan; and (f) the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure.
Such conversion must:
(a) where practicable and desirable, re-establish the original appearance of the building; and (b) use the same materials as those in the existing building.
Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form. Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character."
4.3 There is also a policy which guides the extension of rural dwellings of a traditional character:
Housing Policy 15: "The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)."
4.4 There are no policies which promote or support the rebuilding of existing non-residential buildings in the countryside.
REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Marown Parish Commissioners - no objections 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - no objections 5.3 DEFA Ecology - concerns about garden planting and clarification about bats (resolved by applicant because works already complete under earlier permission) 5.4 DEFA Flood Risk - no interest
==== PAGE 4 ====
21/00386/B Page 4 of 6
5.5 No comments received from neighbouring properties.
ASSESSMENT 6.1 Intro The proposals are for the regularisation of the modified construction of Ballacallin Beg Cottage which is in the final stages of construction and already in occupation.
This Authority has in 2018 agreed to the substantial building of the outbuilding that enabled Ballacallin Beg Cottage to exist in the general form it is today, incorporating the original farm cottage. The main external differences from the 2018 approval are a first floor front extension, a front roof overhang and a roof extension and two dormers at the rear.
The scale, height, materials and layout of the house are materially the same as the approved drawings. The principle of development is established and the only matters for consideration are visual impact and neighbour amenity of the changes.
6.2 Visual Impact
The most visible change in the design of the cottage is the inclusion of a first floor bedroom over what was previously approved as a garden room. The garden room was a rather modern feature and not necessarily the most attractive or desirable part of the approved design. Therefore its loss by creating a bedroom over it with a gable ended roof is considered a visual improvement over the 2018 design.
Another noticeable change is the overhanging roof on the front elevation, propped up by several pillars along the front of the house. This feature is again a slight improvement over the approved design in that the approval had the design characteristics of a modern dormer bungalow. The overhanging roof has an alpine accent that punctuates what would otherwise be a plain front aspect to the house and is considered good quality design.
Staying on the front elevation, the rooflight sizes and positions have been changed, again for the better due to the omission of a large singular rooflight which would have dominated the front roof slope, especially with the lights on at night.
To the rear, there has been a small increase in first floor space enabled by a squarer roof shape and the inclusion of 2 new dormers. These dormers are in keeping with the other dormers in the house and are in keeping with the overall design of the house. Being to the rear in the courtyard, they are not prominent and do not harm the overall appearance of the dwelling.
All of these design changes accord with the principles set out in the 2021 Residential Design Guide and accord with Policies such as HP11 and GP2 (b and c) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and are recommended for approval as an enhancement of the dwelling.
6.3 Neighbour Amenity
The proposals on the front of the building do not affect any neighbours due to the remote location of the site.
To the rear, the new dormers are situated on an elevation that already has a number of habitable room windows facing in the same direction over the rear courtyard. The nearest dwelling a barn conversion to the west which is already overlooked by this development and this relationship was considered acceptable in 2018. Amenity policies have not changed since that time and the proposed dormers are considered in a neighbourly arrangement and not unduly overlooking that property.
==== PAGE 5 ====
21/00386/B Page 5 of 6
No objections from neighbours have been raised to this application and the proposals are considered to respect the amenity of residents throughout in accordance with Policy GP2 (g) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
6.4 Other material considerations
None of the proposals alter the fundamental permission granted in 2018 and the principle of two dwellings at the site. The proposals also do not change the ecology impact of the development and they do not impact on the planting proposals raised by the DEFA Biodiversity Officer. The matters raised by DEFA regarding the planting must be dealt with outside of this planning application.
For the record, this approval only relates to Ballacallin Beg Cottage and not the other dwelling yet to be completed.
No objections from interested parties have been raised to these retrospective proposals.
CONCLUSION 7.1 It is considered that the retention of the design changes to Ballacallin Beg Cottage enhance the appearance of the house as a whole and do not harm the character of the landscape. Similarly, the proposals do not create any adverse impacts on neighbouring or future residents in the locality. For these reasons the proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 (b, c, g,) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and with the general principles of 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: 16.12.2022
==== PAGE 6 ====
21/00386/B Page 6 of 6
Determining officer
Signed : J SINGLETON
Jason Singleton
Principal Planner
Customer note
This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal