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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 21/01436/B Applicant : Dr And Mrs Barry And Vera Redfearn And Walker Proposal : Installation of solar panels, heat pump, cylinder, tesla power wall and replacement roof light. Site Address : 28 St Germans Place Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1BZ

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

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.01.2022 __

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. Approval is hereby given for the installation of either an Ecodan PUHZ-W85VAA (-BS) or an Ecodan PUHZ - WM112VAA (-BS) only, and there shall be no more than one Air Source Heat Pump installed at the property.

Reason: the application has been assessed on this basis only and in the interest of the amenity of the neighbours in respect of noise.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Subject to a condition relating to the specific ASHP to be installed, the application is considered to have an acceptable visual and amenity impact and to accord with General Policy 2 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing numbers 01 and 02, Ecodan Product Specification x 3 pages and Keylight Specification Brochure x 3 pages all date stamped and received 23/11/2021, and two emails from the agent dated 18/01/2022 and 19/01/2022 containing MCS calculations for both ASHP Ecodan PUHZ-W85VAA and Ecodan PUHZ - WM112VAA. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

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None __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 28 St German's Place, an existing two storey mid terrace property in Peel. The existing dwelling fronts directly onto St German's Place and a rear elevation facing over the rear yard and towards a small access lane also serving the rear of a number of properties fronting Creggan's Avenue.

1.2 At the rear of the terrace are a number existing single and two storey extensions of various sizes, length and design. The application dwelling in this case has a two storey flat roof outrigger at the base of which is a flat roof extension and conservatory infilling the area between the side boundary walls and looking into the small rear yard area. Within the rear yard is an existing oil tank and water cylinder.

1.3 The site sits outside of the Peel Conservation Area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for a number of works across the rear of the property including the installation of an air source heat pump (ASHP) to replace the existing oil tank, the installation of solar panels across the rear roof slope and atop of the rear extensions, the installation of a 'tesla' power bank in the rear yard, the replacement of the water cylinder and enclosure and the replacement of 4 light tubes with one roof light on the rear extension.

2.2 The application is provided with details for two different air source heat pumps, the agent explains that dependant on the outcome of the finalised energy calculations and energy demand needed for the property that either could be installed at the house. The two models to be considered are: o Ecodan PUHZ-W85VAA (-BS) - heating capacity 8.3kW o Ecodan PUHZ - WM112VAA (-BS) - Heating capacity 11.0kW

2.3 Both units measure 1050mm wide, 480mm deep and 1020mm tall, and either unit is proposed to sit nearest the walled boundary with No. 26 and approx. 10m behind the main two storey elevation of the terrace and approx.. 2.2m from the application dwellings rear conservatory.

2.4 Details submitted by the agent from the supplier of the ASHP unit (Manx Solar Electrical Ltd) indicate that using the MSC calculation process that the noise levels from either unit would be 41dB.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The dwelling has been subject to three previous applications circa 2005 relating to the rear extensions and replacement front door and rear windows, although none of these are considered materially relevant in the assessment and determination of the current application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The application site is within an area recognised as being 'residential' on the Peel Local Plan. Aforementioned the site is not within the Conservation Area. . It is important that any development here complies with the general standards towards acceptable development set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, along with the principles in the Residential Design Guidance 2021 in particular those parts in respect of good neighbourliness. Consideration shall also be given to paragraph 12.2.8 and Energy Policy 4 in respect of

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renewable energy sources and Environment Policies 22 and 23 in respect of noise, smell, vibration and environmental impacts on neighbouring amenity.

4.2 A notable material consideration in the assessment of this application is the recently updated Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (updated 2019) which includes at Class 23A works for the installation or replacement of air source heat pump within a residential curtilage subject to a number of strict conditions including the need for the units to be at least 1m from the boundary and noise levels not exceeding 42 dB LAeq 5 mins.

4.3 Class 23A Air Source Heat Pumps "The installation, alteration or replacement of an air source heat pump and any associated underground pipework within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse.

Conditions: (a) the general conditions applicable to Section A; (b) no part of the pump may be nearer than 1 metre to the boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse; (c) no part of the pump may be nearer to any highway which bounds the curtilage of the dwellinghouse than the nearer of - (i) that part of the dwellinghouse nearest to that highway; or (ii) 20 metres; (d) no part of the pump may be installed on any part of a wall that fronts a highway; (e) only one pump may be installed on a property - additional pumps at the same property require an application for planning approval; (f) the volume of the pump's outdoor compressor unit (including housing) must not exceed 1 cubic metre; (g) the pump must not result in a noise that exceeds 42 dB LAeq 5 mins; (h) the pump's specification must be displayed externally on the pump's outdoor compressor unit; (i) the lowest part of the pump's outdoor compressor unit must not be more than 1 metre above ground level; (j) the pump must be used only for heating purposes; (k) the pump must be removed as soon as practicable after it is no longer required for heating purposes; and (l) the pump must be installed, operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specification.

For the purposes of paragraph (g) - (a) "LAeq 5 mins" means the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level over 5 minutes when measured at 1 metre external to the centre point of any relevant door or window to any neighbouring building as measured perpendicular to the plane of that relevant door or window; (b) "neighbouring building" means a building that is used - (i) for a purpose that falls within Part 3 of the Schedule to the Use Classes Order; or (ii) that is used - (A) as a residential school; (B) as a hostel; or (C) as secure residential accommodation, as defined by the Use Classes Order; (c) "relevant door or window" means a door or window other than a door or window to a garage, greenhouse, poly tunnel, shed or summerhouse; and (d) "Use Classes Order" means the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019. For the purposes of paragraph (i), "ground level" means the level of the ground measured directly adjacent to the pump's outdoor compressor unit and, where the ground is sloping, it is the highest part of the ground next to the unit."

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

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5.1 Peel Town Commissioners - no comments received as of (20/01/2022).

5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No highways interest (13/12/2021).

5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The application comprises a number of works relating to the installation of renewable energy sources. The proposal in principle will accord with GP2 (n) in respect of non-renewable energy consumption and meet with the general support for renewable energy in Energy Policy 4. The application is not required to provide an EIA. The key issues in this case would be the visual and amenity impacts of the roof light and solar panels, and whether either of the proposed ASHP units would have any noise impacts on the living conditions of the neighbours.

Roof Light and Solar Panels 6.2 The rear of the terrace already has a varied and mixed appearance and one which is capable of accommodating the proposed roof light changes and the installation of solar panels both fixed to the rear roof slope and freestanding on top of the existing rear extensions without any adverse visual harm to the overall appearance of the rear of the existing dwelling and without harm to the wider terrace as a whole. The solar panel installation will be recognisable to the immediate neighbours, but visual outlook on a whole is not to be negatively affected. Dependant on the position of the sun there could be some glare from the panels, although this is not expected to be any worse than glare from an existing window across the terrace and so no adverse harm is expected on overall living conditions.

Air Source Heat Pump 6.3 The apparatus is modest in size and is to be located within the existing yard in place of the previous oil tank where existing boundary treatments already limit both neighbouring and public views.

6.4 The Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order (PDO) has recently been updated in 2019 and now includes the installation of ASHP subject to a number of parameters which must be adhered too so as to comply with the PDO, one of which specifically refers to noise levels being no greater than 42dB.

6.8 Information later submitted with the application includes two MCS calculations indicating that the calculated noise levels from either of the proposed ASHP units in the proposed location will be no greater than 41dB.

6.9 Minded of the already accepted visual impacts of the unit being within the curtilage of the property and away from prominent views, and minded of the sound calculations for this specific unit in this location that the proposal is considered to be acceptable and not to result in such a significant adverse harm or noise impact on the living conditions or amenity of the immediate neighbours.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposed works are considered to have an acceptable visual impact on the existing dwelling and surroundings and the environmental benefits weigh in favour of the proposal in line with GP2 (b, c, n) and Energy Policy 4. Either of the proposed ASHP is indicated to have a noise level calculated on the provided MCS as no greater than 41dB and thus below the general accepted standard allowed for under the PDO, and on this basis it is not considered that the proposed ASHP will result in any significant adverse or detrimental impacts on the living conditions of the neighbours so as to refuse the application in this case.

7.2 A suitably worded condition shall be added to specify either ASHP on which this application has been considered.

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8.0 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: 20.01.2022

Determining officer Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

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.