APL Planning Statement

Planning Statement In Support Of An Application For The Erection Of A Garage, River House, Ramsey Im8 3Da

Aerial photograph of the site prior to the removal of the three sycamores

• 1.0 Introduction
• 1.1 River House is a handsome dwelling which sits on the eastern side of the Sulby River, to the west of Bowring Road from where the site is accessed via a lane which also serves a number of other properties - Port Natal and 1-6, Riverside. Riverside is a private road which is generally single width and unmade.
• 1.2 River House is a two storey house with a two storey rear annex and a more modern single storey annex to the rear (north) of this. The house is peculiar in that it appears to have two principal elevations, neither of which is quite right in that the eastern elevation which faces anyone approaching the house from the land, has a grand portico in the centre of the ground floor at the top of a flight of steps but above eaves level, the roof is part chimneyed gable and part pitched roof running at right angles to the gable and other ridge. The southern elevation also has the character of a principal elevation although lacks a second chimney on the western gable.
• 1.3 The single storey annex continues to the east in a part courtyard, providing additional living accommodation and a single garage.
• 1.4 To the east of this was a banked area with a slight recess over which three sycamores were leaning, resulting in the applicant obtaining permission from Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s Forestry Amenity and Lands Directorate for their removal. Their removal has resulted in a new area alongside the existing garage which has had to be supported by new retaining walls to prevent the collapse of the rest of the bank.
• 1.5 The remaining sycamores remain at the top of the bank to the north.

• 2.0 The proposal
• 2.1 Proposed is the erection of a garage within the newly formed level area alongside the existing garage, utilising the space within the retaining walls. The garage will be 9m wide by 7.3m and 3.7m tall to the topside of the flat roof and will accommodate 2 vehicles and is of sufficient height to accommodate the applicants’ motorhome which will not currently fit into any of the existing garaging.
• 2.2 The garage has been designed to have a flat roof which will be covered in grass to continue the lawned area surrounding it at the higher level and the ground around the rear of the garage will be regraded to continue up to the top of the garage walls so the garage will not be visible at all from anywhere other than directly in front of the new structure and from the side only a small amount of the upper part of the wall will be visible and only from within the residential curtilage.

• 3.0 Planning policy
• 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 as Predominantly Residential. The draft Area Plan for the North and West identifies the house and site of the proposed garage as Residential with the remainder of the garden as open space. A submission has been made to Cabinet Office in this respect as this area is clearly garden associated with River House and should be designated as Residential. This does not affect the current proposal.
• 3.2 There is therefore a presumption in favour of residential development on this site. The Strategic Plan recommends that in such areas there are detailed considerations which need to be taken into account and satisfied in any development proposal:

General Policy 2: 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.

• 3.5 Some of these issues are given further consideration in other policies within the Plan, such as the protection of trees (Environment Policy 3), ecology (Environment Policies 4 and 7), presumption against increase in flood risk (Environment Policies 10 and 13) and the requirement for the protection of highway safety (Transport Policy 4). There is a presumption that residential development shall have adequate parking (2 parking spaces per dwelling - Appendix Seven of the Plan).
• 3.6 Development is also expected not to have any adverse impact on the living conditions of those in adjacent properties and guidance is provided in the Residential Design Guide 2021. This presumes against development that is too close to other property, has windows which overlook it or would overshadow it.
• 3.7 The Climate Change Bill requires that development

• (a) demonstrate that the application has been made having regard to the following climate change policies —

• (i) the maximisation of carbon sequestration;
• (ii) the minimising of greenhouse gas emissions;
• (iii) the maintenance and restoration of ecosystems;
• (iv) biodiversity net gain;
• (v) the need for sustainable drainage systems; and
• (vi) the provision of active travel infrastructure; or

• (b) explain why consideration of one or more of those polices is not practicable in relation to the proposed development

although this requirement has yet to be the subject of an appointed day order so is not yet mandatory.

• 3.8 The site does not lie within a Conservation Area, the buildings are not Registered (the nearest being the former Bridge Inn, 15 and 17, Bridge Lane and Riverside Cottage none of which is close to the site) and there are no Registered Trees or Registered Tree Areas within or close to the site.
• 3.9 The site is partly within an area identified on the national flood risk maps as at risk of tidal flooding although the area of the proposed garage lies mostly outside this area (see right). This appears to be replicated in the Area Plan Infrastructure Constraints map although the overlying text makes it difficult to see in detail (see far right).

• 4.0 Planning history
• 4.1 Prior to the acquisition of the site by the current owners, planning applications were submitted for alterations and extensions (90/00557/B Further development of dwellings in this area has been refused, the most recent of which, for a single dwelling - 05/01631/A. This was refused on appeal due to concerns about the adequacy of the access and where the inspector states, “I accept that the land use zoning in the Ramsey Local Plan, 1988, and the policies in the emerging Isle of Man Strategic Plan do not stand in the way of suitable residential development of the appeal site.” (Paragraph 25)

• 5.0 Assessment
• 5.1 The erection of a garage within the grounds of River House should be considered acceptable in principle as it is in accordance with the designated land use on the adopted and emerging development plans.
• 5.2 The siting of the garage adjacent to the existing garage, due to its position and level relative to the surrounding ground, should not result in any public visual impact as the existing house will screen it from any view from across the river to the west and south west and its construction, built into the surrounding ground will screen it further. The garage will not be visible from any adjacent property and the existence of the garage will not result in any increase in the amount of traffic using the lane. Whilst there may be an increase in traffic due to construction traffic, this is not usually a planning consideration as the impact is temporary and a similar impact could result from works for which planning approval is not required (repairs for example or structures which could be erected under the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012).
• 5.3 The proposal will not result in the loss or potential threat to any remaining trees.
• 5.4 The garage will enable a greater range of electric vehicles to be charged conveniently on the property should the current or future owners require this in the future and for renewable energy battery storage.
• 5.5 The grass roof and re-profiling will increase the area of grass thus enhancing the biodiversity value of the site.
• 5.6 In acknowledgement of the potential flood risk to the site, whilst the proposal is not for living accommodation precautions will be taken in respect of the position and height of sockets and elements liable to damage.
• 5.7 It is suggested that the proposal complies with all of the relevant planning policies and will not result in any adverse impact on the surrounding area.

Sarah Corlett 18.08.2022