DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/01571/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Brian Bell Proposal: Erection of a detached garage and storage building (part retrospective) Site Address: 1 Kneale Court Claughbane Drive Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 2AP Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.04.2022

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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal complies with General Policy 2, Transport Policy 7 and Environment Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 30th March 2021: o Drawing No. SM21/564/1 Rev B

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

DOI Highway Drainage have written in to raise comments regarding the site and should be afforded interested person status as they have raised material planning considerations as per Article 4(2) of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status (January 2020). _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of 1 Kneale Court, Claughbane Drive, Ramsey which is a detached bungalow currently being constructed. The property is situated to the East of Claughbane Drive in a block of 4. - 1.2 To the South East of the property is tandem parking for two cars. - 1.3 There is a public right of way which is situated to the North of the site and follows the site around the rear to end in Laurys Avenue. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval in two parts, firstly for the erection of an external store to the North of the dwelling, which is part pitched and part flat roofed and secondly for the creation of an additional access onto and off the highway. - 2.2 The proposal also has the installation of 14 solar panels for the main roof. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are several previous applications on the site of which the Reserved Matters application for the property was approved under PA16/01413/REM. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the residential property and the land designation paragraph 8.12.1 and General Policy 2 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are most relevant to its assessment which set out the general standards towards acceptable development, followed by Transport Policy 7 in accordance with Appendix 7 which sets out parking standards. - 4.3 Turning towards the proposed solar panels, the most relevant policies in assessing these points are paragraph 12.2.8 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

4.3 The recently released Residential Design Guidance 2021 is also a material consideration particularly those parts in respect of good neighbourliness and overlooking.

4.4 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

5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state "The proposal raises no significant road safety or highway network efficiency issues. Accordingly Highway Services Development Control raises no objection to the proposal subject to all access arrangements to accord to drawing No.SM21/564/a Rev B." (13.04.22) - 5.3 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the proposal and state they have no objection. (20.01.22) - 5.4 DOI Drainage have considered the application and recommend (3.02.21) additional information regarding the private drainage arrangements for the new access.

• 5.4.1 Amended drawings were received which removed the proposed second entrance, no further reply has been received from DOI Drainage. ASSESSMENT
• 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - renewable energy (EP4)
• - impact on neighing amenity (GP2, g)
• - highway services (GP2 h & I, TP7)
• - other matters (RDG, CP7, 11 & IP5)

- 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.
• 6.2.2 In the case of this application the proposed garage is situated within a highly prominent public vantage point due to its location upon the site and due to the public footpath directly next to the site. Whilst this is the case, the half and half of the proposed roof has a minimal impact upon the whole streetscene.
• 6.3 RENEWABLE ENERGY

• 6.3.1 Turning towards the proposed solar panels upon the roof, generally the proposed solar panels could be installed under the Permitted Development Order 2012, the reasoning for them being attached to this application is PA16/01413/REM which was the Planning Application for the dwelling build had Condition 4 attached which removed all Permitted Development rights to the property and as such they need to be assess.
• 6.3.2 Solar panels are generally not an unknown feature these days within housing estate or separate dwellings within the countryside, with most solar panels taking up almost all of a particular side of a roof. As such the proposed solar panels will not look out of place in the overall streetscene and as such comply with GP2 and EP4.

- 6.4 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.4.1 With regards to neighbouring amenity, the proposed garage/ store is not expected to create any perceived or actual overlooking/ overbearing impact to the neighbouring site to the North.

6.5 HIGHWAY SAFETY

• 6.5.1 The proposed driveway works will result in an increased width to an already operational access into the site. The changes are not expected to make worse any existing arrangements or visibility from the access and thus no new highway safety issues are expected and the level of development proposed is acceptable and to comply with General Policy 2 (h and i).

• 6.5.2 The main consideration when looking at driveway extensions are whether they will alter how the property is viewed within the overall streetscene. Whilst the proposal here is removing more than 50% of the overall front garden, this could be done without prior Planning Approval.
• 6.5.3 Whilst this is the case, part of the front garden has been proposed to be retained, namely in front of the property and to the boundary with the public right of way which assists in the front of the property in not appearing as a car parking area. It can be seen from the application that the garage will be providing an electric charging point for the applicant's cars and as such parking needs to be available outside the garage. With this in mind the proposed in and out of the parking is considered acceptable.
• 6.5.4 It is also noted that the drop down kerb is not a matter that can be dealt with via this application and requires a separate Section 109 agreement with DOI Highways.

6.6 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.6.1 The proposed works are creating a garage to an already existing dwelling, as such the proposal is not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal activity or spread of fire. It is expected that any water run- off will be dealt with as per the existing arrangement of the main dwelling and it's not deemed that the proposal will increase the water usage of the dwelling. CONCLUSION
• 7.1 The proposed garage is acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing a suitable extension to an existing residential property and as such complies with General Policy

1. The proposed highway alterations whilst Highway Services have objected due to the double entrance, is acceptable in Planning terms and as such is deemed to comply with General Policy 2 h & I and Transport Policy 7.

7.2 With regards to the solar panels, these would accord with GP2 (n) in respect of nonrenewable energy consumption and the general support in the Strategic Plan for the installation of renewable energy installations as set out in EP4, whilst working with the Climate Change Strategy Bill.

7.3 Overall the application is recommended for approval. 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 the Head of Development Management 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 : 25.04.2022 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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