DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00006/B Applicant: Mrs Caroline Callahan Proposal: rErection of single storey extension to form new Family Garden Room together with twin wall insulated flue to side elevation of dwelling Site Address: 5 Rheast Mooar Close Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 3LT Planning Officer: Mr Toby Cowell Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.03.2023

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 development is considered acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing suitable extensions to an existing residential property and as such comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 2, General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 42 of the Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings referenced; 01, 10 and 100, all received 09.01.23. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises the residential curtilage of 5 Rheast Mooar Close, Ramsey, a single storey detached dwelling (1960/70's style) located on the western side of Rheast Mooar

Close. The main dwelling is a pitched roof property with a gable face end to front and rear elevations, but includes a single storey flat roofed attached garage to the side elevation (north) and behind a glazed conservatory.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the erection of a single storey side extension to facilitate a new family/garden room following demolition of the existing conservatory. The extension would incorporate a parapet roof extending to a height of 3.01m with a total length of 8.701m to be flush with the dwelling's rear building line. The extension would include 2 no. casement windows and a glazed door on the northern flank elevation with bi-fold doors at the rear, and further include the addition of 2 no. roof lanterns to facilitate natural light. The extension would be finished in a textured render to match the existing dwelling. - 2.2 The proposals effectively comprise an alternative scheme to that which was approved under PA22/00052/B, but which included 3 no. pyramid glass lanterns and a flat roof overhang as opposed to a parapet. Likewise, the current submission includes the addition of a stainless steel flue connecting to a woodburner.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Planning permission was previously granted for a similar form of extension under PA22/00052/B as noted in the preceding section of this report. A further Minor Changes application was submitted under 22/01120/MCH, which sort to revise the development in line with the submission which is the subject of this report, but which also included the addition of a further set of bi-fold doors in the rear elevation of the existing dwelling. This application was refused on the basis that the addition of a steel flue, further bi-fold doors on the original and 2no. enlarged windows on the side elevation were either not included as part of the original permission or had the potential to result in an impact upon neighbouring amenity. - 3.2 Consequently, it was considered that the submission did not meet the tests of qualifying as 'minor changes' to the original permission and therefore a full planning application would need to be submitted. The present submission is effectively identical to that which was submitted under the previous Minor Changes application, but with the addition of bi-fold doors on the rear elevation of the existing dwelling having been omitted.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is identified in the Ramsey Local Plan as land zoned for 'predominantly residential' purposes. The site is not within a Conservation Area or an area identified as being at risk of flooding. - 4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;

Strategic Policy

• 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
• 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact

Spatial Policy 2 Development in Service Centres

General Policy 2b,c,g General Development Considerations

Environment Policy 22 Safeguarding the environment and/or the amenities of surrounding properties 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality

Infrastructure Policy

5 Water conservation and management Community Policy 7 Designing out criminal and anti-social behaviour 11 Prevention for the outbreak and spread of fire

4.5 Residential Design Guide (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Ramsey Town Commissioners - no objection (21.02.23) - 5.2 Highways Services - no highways interest (06.01.23) - 5.3 Tree Officer - no response received at the time of writing.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are as follows:

• - Principle of development (SP2)
• - Design and visual impact (STP5, GP2, EP42)
• - Impact upon neighbouring amenity (GP2g, EP22)
• - Other matters (CP7, 11 and IP5)

- 6.2 PRINCIPLE

• 6.2.1 The site falls within the settlement boundary of Ramsey and an area zoned for residential development, where there is a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing properties provided such development would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.

6.3 DESIGN AND VISUAL IMPACT

• 6.3.1 The proposed extension is largely identical to the previously approved development aside from the change to a parapet roof and alterations to the glass lantern configuration. Such alterations are considered to be relatively minor in nature and therefore acceptable from a design perspective in the context of the previous approval.

• 6.3.2 With respect to the addition of the proposed flue, it is not considered that such a feature would have a significant visual impact due to its size and given that flues are not an unusual feature seen on residential properties. Likewise, the flue would be well recessed from the front building line of the property in any case and therefore not appear unduly prominent in the context of the streetscene. Accordingly, the proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design and visual impact perspective, in compliance with General Policy 2 (b) & (c).

6.4 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.4.1 The revised proposals include marginally larger windows on the side elevation however this is not considered to result in a materially greater impact upon the amenities of the adjacent property with respect to overlooking than the extant approval.

• 6.4.2 With respect to the addition of the stainless steel flue, it is noted that flues have been approved and refused elsewhere on the Island with the main issues arising from them are with regards to the possibility of smoke or smells being emitted. When a flue is installed it is normally in connection with an item which would need to be installed by a HETAS registered installer or assessed as part of a Building Control application, as such a flue would be checked to make sure that the flue is acceptable in terms of environmental issues which could arise in its installation. From a planning perspective however, it is not considered that the impact from the flue would likely be unduly harmful upon neighbouring amenity in this instance.

• 6.4.3 Given the above, the proposals are considered to sufficiently safeguard the amenities of adjacent properties, in compliance with General Policy 2 (g).

6.5 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.5.1 The proposed works comprise an extension to an existing dwelling, and therefore are not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal actively or spread of fire. Whilst the proposals will be increasing the overall floor space, the applicant has stated within the application form that any surface water run-off and foul water would be dealt with as per the existing drainage system. Whilst the proposed works are increasing the floor area of the property, it is not expected that the water usage of the dwelling will materially increase, therefore there are no new issues in this respect.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The development is considered acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing suitable extensions to an existing residential property and as such comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 2, General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 42 of the Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 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: 02.03.2023 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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