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The application site comprises of a modest stone building that is located within the curtilage of a detached dwelling, known as Baldrine Manor, which is located on Ballagawne Road in Baldrine, Lonan.
The proposed development comprises of the conversion of the building into ancillary guest accommodation for Baldrine Manor.
Whilst the area surrounding the application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications it is considered that none of these are specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
REPRESENTATIONS
Lonan Parish Commissioners recommend that the planning application be refused. The grounds for their objection can be summarised as a belief that the building is too small for the intended purpose and concern that fire safety precautions are inadequate.
The Department of Transport Highways Division do not oppose the planning application.
The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service recommend that the planning application be refused. The grounds for their objection can be summarised as concern that the means of escape in the event of fire are inherently unsafe.
Under the Laxey and Lonan Area Plan Order 2005 the application site is within wider areas of land that are designated as a) open space/agricultural use; and b) of high landscape value and scenic significance. Given that the application site is not designated for any site specific purpose it is considered reasonable to say that it is located within the curtilage of an existing dwelling in the countryside.
There are no policies within the Laxey and Lonan Area Plan Order 2005 that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
Planning Circular 3/89 sets out the Department's general policy regarding the renovation of buildings in the countryside.
The planning application seeks approval for the conversion of the stone building into ancillary accommodation for the adjacent dwelling, Baldrine Manor. This is borne out by the fact the application form states that the applicant wishes to use the building for occasional guest accommodation for friends and family.
The building is structurally intact, requires little external alteration to facilitate the proposed development and is clearly redundant in terms of use. As such the proposal is considered to accord with the general provisions and intentions of Planning Circular 3/89. The area surrounding the building contains adequate car parking space and the impact of the use of the building on public and private amenity is considered limited.
In terms of the objections to the planning application there are two issues raised by the various parties, which can be defined as the viability of the proposal and fire precaution measures. With respect to the first matter it is acknowledged that the building is small but it is not accepted that this is a bar to the intentions of the applicant and the form of the proposed development. The viability of the proposal is matter of concern for the applicant and not felt to be a material consideration in this instance. Due to the close relationship of the building to the adjacent dwelling and its limited size the ancillary nature of the proposed accommodation is partly self-enforcing. As regards the second matter it has to be recognised that domestic fire precaution measures are covered by building regulations and are not a material planning consideration. As such they cannot form grounds for the refusal of a planning application.
It is recommended that the planning application be approved.
It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status:
It is considered that the following party that made representations to the planning application do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status:
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 05.01.2007
C : Conditions for approval
N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This approval relates to the conversion of the building to ancillary guest accommodation as shown in drawing no.s 101-01, 101-02 and 101-03 date stamped the 10th November 2006.
C 3. The accommodation created by this approval must only be used as accommodation ancillary to that of the existing adjacent dwelling, Baldrine Manor. For the avoidance of doubt, no approval should hereby be conferred by this approval for the use of the new accommodation as a separate dwelling.
N 1. The applicant/developer is recommended to contact the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the provision of appropriate fire precaution measures.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 3/1/07
Signed: M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control
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