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22/01529/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 22/01529/B Applicant : Mrs Carol Dee Proposal : Widening of access to create parking area Site Address : Close-Y-Chairm 4 The Crofts Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LY
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.03.2023 __
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 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and in turn the Residential Design Guidance 2021.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 10th January 2023; o Location Plan o Site Plan o Drawing No.PL503-01
This decision also related to Drawing No.PL503-02A dated received on the 16th February 2023.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject
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22/01529/B Page 2 of 4
matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):
Croftend, 2 The Crofts, as they satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 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 Close-Y-Chairm, 4 The Crofts, Castletown which is a semi-detached property situated to the North West of The Crofts.
1.2 To the rear of the property is a large garden that is attached to the main dwelling by a footpath which goes past the garage of No.2 The Crofts.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the removal of part of the rear wall and the creation of an additional parking area measuring 6.72m by 7.15m. The proposed parking area is to be constructed out of compacted self-binding gravel. The proposal also includes the removal of shrubs and the installation of hedging to the new boundary area.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The following applications are on the property as a whole; PA20/00408/B - Removal of render to front elevation - Permitted PA19/00305/B - Rendering works, alteration to front facade parapet and installation of first floor window to rear elevation (with reference to PA 18/00508/B) - Permitted PA18/00508/B - Alterations, erection of extension, creation of bin store, and installation of replacement windows, fencing, solar panels, satellite dish, oil tank and replacement entrance canopy - Permitted PA18/00783/CON - Registered Building consent for demolition of the rear outbuildings (in connection with PA 18/00508/B) - Permitted
3.2 With the following being on the specific land in question; PA04/02578/A - Erection of a single dwelling and garage - Refused PA04/00289/A - Approval in principle for the erection of three detached dwellings with garages on Pony Fields (Area J in Castletown Plan) - Refused
PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as partly "Predominantly Residential" and partly "Private Woodland or Parkland" on the Area Plan for the East, Map 5 - Castletown. The site is not within a Flood Risk Zone, a Registered Tree area nor a Conservation Area.
4.2 Given the nature of the land designation and the proposed works, the most relevant Isle of Man Strategic Plan polices are Environment Policy 3 which seeks that development would not result in an unacceptable loss of or damage to woodland areas, this is then followed by paragraph 8.12.1 and General Policy 2 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 which set out the general standards towards acceptable development.
4.3 Also relevant to the assessment of this application is Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7 and sets out general parking standards and Environment Policy 36 which seeks that development will not detrimentally affect the adjoining Conservation Area.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;
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5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state, "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking." (19.01.23)
5.3 No comments have been received from Castletown Commissioners at the time of writing this report.
5.4 The owner/occupier of No.2 The Crofts have written in (19.01.23) to object to the proposal on the basis of;
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:
6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE 6.2.1 When looking at proposals such as this, it is necessary to assess whether the proposal could impact the overall character and appearance of the area, when accounting for the Conservation Area, which is adjacent to the site.
6.2.2 It could be seen from the officer's site visit that this part of the site, is already being used as a parking area and has been for a long time, with there being two separate garages within the immediate area (one in the ownership of No.4 The Crofts and one within the ownership of No.2 The Crofts. There are also several cars parked within the entrance itself.
6.2.3 With the above in mind, the area already lends itself to a parking area, as such the additional proposed parking spaces are deemed acceptable from a character and appearance point of view.
6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY 6.3.1 With regards to neighbouring amenity, the proposed works due to their nature and where they are situated are unlikely to have an impact upon the neighbouring amenity above and beyond what is existing to warrant refusal.
6.4 IMPACT UPON HIGHWAY SAFETY 6.4.1 Turning towards whether there would be an impact from the proposed works, as previously stated the site itself is currently been used as a parking area. When looking at the information provided from both the applicant and the neighbouring property it can be seen that the existing parking outside of the garages is for temporary access only, as such the car parking for both properties would be currently in another place.
6.4.2 When looking at the main entrance onto and off The Crofts, which is situated between "Garey Voallit" and "Ridgmont" it is undoubtable that it isn't the best entrance onto and off the highway, whilst this is the case, it can be seen that this entrance and exit has historically been used as an access to the rear of No.4 The Crofts. With this in mind and noting the Highway Services have not raised any issues regarding the entrance and exit, it is deemed acceptable.
6.4.3 Comments have been raised with regards to the parking within the site itself and the impact that this may have on the neighbouring property, No.2 The Crofts. Having visited the site it could be seen that there was space for several cars within the already made area in front of the garages.
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6.4.4 Whilst it is understood that there is a specification within the deeds of both properties which limits parking within this area to temporary only, it is understood that this is not the same for the garden area, as such the proposal would be adding two additional spaces to the site, where there is only parking within the existing garage. This will ultimately assist in removing vehicles from the available parking along The Crofts and within the entrance itself.
6.4.5 Due to the where the proposed parking is to be situated, there will be enough space to manoeuvre the cars into and out of the spaces, without causing an issue for the neighbouring property and their parking within their garage. As such it is not deemed that the proposal will cause an issue from a Highway Services point of view.
CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposed works are acceptable in terms of their form, mass and design by providing a suitable extension to an existing residential property which will provide off road parking and as such complies with General Policy 2 and in turn the Residential Design Guidance 2021.
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: 02.05.2023
Determining officer Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan
Principal Planner
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