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22/00583/B Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 22/00583/B Applicant : Mr G Kinrade Proposal : Conversion of building into a single dwelling with integral garage Site Address : Former Bakery Christian Street Ramsey Isle Of Man
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.09.2022 __
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. The garage to the ground floor level must only be used as a garage/store and not as additional living accommodation. For the avoidance of doubt, no approval is granted nor should be inferred to the use of the garage as permanent occupation.
Reason: in the interests of Flood Risk Safety
C 3. All replacement windows hereby approved shall match the existing in style, design, colour and opening method and shall be retained as such thereafter.
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to satisfactorily protect the character and appearance of the area.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
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22/00583/B Page 2 of 5
This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 5th May 2022; o Drawing No. SM22/574/1 o Drawing No. SM22/574/2
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
Department for Infrastructure's Flood Risk Management Team should be afforded interested person status as they are a Government Department which has raised material planning considerations. __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is a pre-1900's former bakery, currently an office/residential site situated to the West of Christian Street upon a corner plot. The building has a square appearance, situated over 4 floors with standard fenestration.
THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to alter the existing structure to provide a residential dwelling.
2.2 The alterations proposed are but not limited to the installation of a garage door to ground floor level to create a garage/ store room and alterations to the East ground floor level windows and installation of door. Internal alterations to first, second and third floor with the installation of a balcony to the roof level.
PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 There is one previous application PA08/00596/B which is relevant to the assessment of this application.
PLANNING POLICY
4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Mixed Use, Town Centre" on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2 (South), the property isn't within the Ramsey Conservation Area but is within a Flood Risk Zone. The Ramsey Local Plan 1998 has one policy which is relevant to this application R/TC/P3.
4.3 R/TC/P3 of the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 states, "The use of upper floors as retail units, offices and apartments shall be encouraged particularly where premises are currently vacant."
4.4 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider Strategic Policy 2 which seeks that new development is within our existing town centres, Strategic Policy 10 which seeks that new development is close to existing highway services, Housing Policy 4 which seeks that new housing and Transport Policy 1 which seeks that new development be located near existing public transport links and 7 which seek the provisions of car parking.
REPRESENTATIONS
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5.1 Highway Services have considered the application and "Do not Oppose" stating, "The proposal raises no significant road safety or highway network efficiency issues." (27.05.22)
5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection. (24.05.22)
5.3 DOI Flood Risk Management Division have considered the application and do not oppose subject to a condition in which the ground floor cannot be changed to residential accommodation. (20.06.22)
ASSESSMENT
6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:
6.2 PRINCIPLE
6.2.1 Firstly when looking at the principle of the proposal, in terms of the land use designation of the area as "Mixed Use," within the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 Written Statement it states, "The importance of residential uses within the town centre is generally recognised, and in addition, it is considered that residential use on upper floors of commercial buildings should continue to be permitted in order to assist in the building's maintenance and refurbishment." As such there is a presumption in favour of any residential development. However, this is not an automatic reason to allow development as further material planning matters as indicated above need to be considered.
6.3 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE
6.3.1 When looking at the character and appearance of the proposed property, the main alterations are limited to the alterations to ground floor level and to the attic level, with the other floors being unchanged.
6.3.2 The installation of the ground floor garage door to the South elevation, will have a minimal impact upon the overall streetscene, this is due to the proposal being within a rear lane where the appearance has more of a rear lane appearance, with garage doors already being in place.
6.3.3 With regards to the other alterations to the East elevation, currently the property has the existing windows within this site blocked in, the replacement of these windows with a door would have a minimal impact upon the streetscene and has the potential to have a positive impact by removing the existing unsightly brickwork.
6.3.4 Turning towards the proposed balcony, within the previously approved application PA08/00596/B there was a dormer window, which as the application has been started, can be built, which would arguably have more of an impact upon the overall streetscene, than the proposal within this application.
6.3.5 As such whilst views can be seen from several areas of these alterations, they would have a minimal impact upon the overall streetscene and deemed to comply with the relevant policies within the Strategic Plan.
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6.4 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY
6.4.1 The proposed property itself is situated within an area which is zoned as "Mixed Use, Town Centre" which means that there are a variety of uses surrounding the proposed property from retail to offices.
6.4.2 In proposals such as these, concern can lie with the potential to cause disruptions to the immediate and adjoining neighbouring properties. In terms of differentiating an office from residential it is often difficult to define how each would behave. Generally office hours are between the times of 9am to 5pm with the occasional office working out of these hours due to the service they provide. Offices are generally quiet with the potential to not be disruptive. When a property is someone's home they have the potential to be home more, could invite friends or family around and have parties which have the potential to be noisy. In general the majority of people tend to behave well and raise no concerns, although there will always be a percentage that may not behave.
6.4.3 Another item to look at is the general noise and disturbance of the shops surrounding the proposed property. In the close vicinity there are takeaways, supermarkets and bars, all of which would cause their own noise. Whilst this has the potential to be disruptive to the occupants of the proposed property, there are several shops within the area which have living accommodation above them. There is also the factor that anyone who would be occupying the proposed property would know that there would be a certain amount of underlying noise due to its location.
6.5 LIVING CONDITIONS
6.5.1 Turning towards whether the proposal has a suitable living space for future occupants. With regards to parking, this has been discussed below.
6.5.2 It is noted that there is no outside amenity space available within the red-line boundary apart from the balcony to roof level. Whilst this is the case it is not unknown for there to be any amenity space available for applications such as this within the town centre. The property is situated within a short walk to public amenity spaces such as the beach/harbour and a slightly longer walk to the public open playing fields / Mooragh Park, as such in this regard the proposal is deemed acceptable.
6.5.3 With regards to the amenity space available inside of the property, it can be seen that there is suitable space within the property for the drying of clothes, whether this is by a tumble dryer or via a line. The outlook available is mostly from the third floor where there is an open plan kitchen, living, dining room. The outlook is acceptable with the properties surrounding the site to the East, South and West, being at the most three stories high, the property to the east, or two stories high, properties to the South and West. As such the outlook from the third floor is deemed acceptable with there being a suitable amount of daylight coming into the property.
6.6 HIGHWAY SAFETY
6.6.1 Turning towards Highway Safety, the proposal is to include one car parking space to the ground floor level which will turn into the rear lane behind the property. Overall Highway Services have no objection to the proposal, with a condition regarding the drawings received.
6.6.2 Whilst the proposal will not comply with the recommendations of Transport Policy 7, it is relevant to note that the proposed property is situated within Ramsey Town Centre and as such there are relevant bus links at a short walking distance and all the local amenities required. As such the relaxation of Transport Policy 7, to one car parking space is deemed acceptable. It is also noted that the garage is big enough to handle bike storage.
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6.7 FLOOD ZONE
6.7.1 The site is situated within a High Risk Flood Zone (Tidal) area, as such it is necessary to assess what mitigation will be put into place. The agent on behalf of the applicant has stated that all electronic fittings are to be situated at an acceptable height, above the flood height. They have also stated that the proposed flooring of the garage is approximately 200mm above ground level and the proposed hallway flooring being another 200mm above that.
6.7.2 DOI Flood Risk Management have noted the above and do not object to the application based on a condition regarding that the ground floor level is not used as living accommodation.
CONCLUSION
7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.
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: 08.09.2022
Determining officer
Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan
Principal Planner
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