DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 22/00877/B Applicant: Mr Gary Dudley Proposal: Erection of single storey flat roof extension to the rear, replacement windows, rendering and removal of both chimney stacks. Site Address: 15 Central Drive Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 1ES Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.09.2022

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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

It is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan, Residential Design Guide and Area Plan for the East, not having any significant public or private amenities.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 22.07.2022.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following persons should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

The Friends of Onchan's Heritage as they do not clearly identify the land which is owned or occupied which is considered to be impacted on by the proposed development in accordance with paragraph 2A of the Policy; are not within 20m of the application site and the development is not automatically required to be the subject of an EIA by Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan, in accordance with paragraph 2B of the Policy; as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 15 Central Drive, Onchan a two storey semi-detached dwelling located on the north eastern side of Central Drive.

2.0 PLANNING POLICIES - 2.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being within a "predominately residential use" under the Area Plan for the East. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 2.2 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan is considered applicable, which states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

2.3 Residential Design Guide July 2021

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There are no previous applications on this site.

- 4.0 PROPOSAL

4.1 The application seeks approval for the erection of single storey flat roof extension to the rear, replacement windows, rendering and removal of both chimney stacks.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Onchan Commissioners recommend an approval (23.08.2020). - 5.2 Highway Services comment there are no highway impacts (24.08.2022). - 5.3 The Friends of Onchan's Heritage object to the application which can be summarised as (07.08.2022); outline the history of the site and the use of material to constructed the property; Unlike the other houses that have had their sand lime bricks covered over this house is semidetached and therefore the unity of wall finish of the pair will be lost as a result of the proposals; Those living in semi-detached houses or bungalows have to have regard to the fact that they were built to be a matching pair and 'read' together; A wish to impose a personal 'look' to a property reflects in a detrimental way to the other half which remains as intended; and we OBJECT therefore to that element of this application that relates to the rendering over of the front elevation on the grounds that it would result in the destruction of the unison of finish of a pair of houses to the detriment of the adjoining property.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issue to be considered in the assessment of this application is the impact of the proposed development upon the street scene/individual property and the individual property and impacts upon neighbouring amenities. Street scene/individual property - 6.2 The rear extension will have no impact upon the visual amenities of the street scene given it is located to the rear and will not be apparent. The proposal would involve the removal the coal shed to the rear garden of the property. The proportion, form, size, height, finish and overall design is appropriate for this dwelling. - 6.3 The removal of the rear chimney stacks raise no concern. They are not prominent features nor have architectural interest. - 6.4 The existing property is made up of facing brick to the front elevation and rear whilst the side elevation is finished in a spar dash finish (grey in colour). The proposal is to render the property in a smooth render. While comments from The Friends of Onchan's Heritage are noted, the site is not within a Conservation Area nor is the dwelling registered. Further, while the proposal will differ from the other semi-detached property (Nr 13), it will clearly still be read as two dwellings i.e. semi-detached properties. The owners could today paint the brickwork and spar dash which would have a similar impacts without the need for planning permission. - 6.5 Accordingly, from these respects the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 and the Residential Design Guide. Impacts upon neighbouring amenities - 6.6 In terms of impacts upon neighbouring amenities, the property most affected would be Nr 13 Central Drive immediately adjoin the site to the northeast. There will be an impact by the development; however, given the rear outhouses is being retained and the size and height of the proposal is such that the impacts of the extension in terms of light lost and overbearing impacts upon outlooks form Nr13 would be the same. There would be no significant overlooking. - 6.7 Accordingly, from these respects the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 and the Residential Design Guide.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan, Residential Design Guide and Area Plan for the East, not having any significant public or private amenities and therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.

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: 21.09.2022 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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