**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 19/00358/B — Alterations and erection of rear extension **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2019-05-24 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/28985-braddan-15-first-avenue-alteration-extension/documents/1041474 --- # DEC Officer Report **Application No.:** 19/00358/B **Applicant:** Mr Steve Parry **Proposal:** Alterations and erection of rear extension **Site Address:** 15 First Avenue Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 6BA **Planning Officer:** Mr Paul Visigah **Photo Taken:** 14.05.2019 **Site Visit:** 14.05.2019 **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 21.05.2019 _________________________________________________________________ ## 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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals. - C 2. No development may be commenced nor any equipment, machinery or materials be brought onto the site for the purposes of the development until suitable protective fencing has been erected in the location shown on the approved drawing P/1187/1(c) to form a Construction Exclusion Zone ('CEZ'). Within the CEZ nothing shall be stored, placed or disposed of above or below ground, the ground level shall not be altered, no excavations shall be made, no mixing of cement or use of other contaminating materials or substances shall take place, nor shall any fires be lit. The implemented CEZ and the fencing erected to mark its eastern boundary shall be maintained until the development is complete. Reason: To ensure that no work will be done within 11m of the registered trees abutting the rear of the site (this is the minimum root protection area for the registered trees). ### Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the Location plan, drawing numbers P/1187/2, P/1187/1(B) date stamped and received 28 March 2019, and P/1187/1(C) date stamped and received 7 May 2019. _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing traditional semi-detached two storey house under slate roof, situated at the north east section of First Avenue, Douglas. The property is abutted by 19 First Avenue in the north, Skyhill in the south and Elmswood to the west. It is also bounded by the Mannin Kindergarten on the south west. To the south east of the property is the Stone; a monument located along the street. - 1.2 The rear of the property is skirted by a thick line of trees which forms a significant buffer, providing privacy from the Elmswood and the Mannin Kindergarten. THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the alteration and erection of rear extension to the dwelling. This extension will project out by 4m and will be 7.8m wide. The extension will have - a flat roof which is 3.1m high, with a centralised glass roof lantern 1m high placed above the breakfast section of the extension. 2.2 The new extension will be a ground floor extension to the property annexed to the south elevation, which will be finished in materials to match the main dwelling. A paved patio will be built to connect the breakfast area with the lounge. - 2.3 The rear work area is located close to registered trees which might be affected by the construction work if not properly cordoned off the working area. The developers have, therefore, proposed the installation of a 1 meter high fence placed 11m from the rear fence to prevent the contractors using the rear garden, and keep work away from the protected trees. PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan Order, 1998, as Predominantly Residential. The site is not within a Conservation Area nor protected in any particular way and as such the provisions of the Strategic Plan are applicable as follows: Paragraph 8.12.1 states "As a general policy, in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general". 3.2 General Policy 2 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: b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality". ## PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 There have been two previous planning applications on the site. However, neither of the applications is relevant to the current application. REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they have no interest in the application in a letter dated 16th April 2019. 5.2 DEFA's Arboricultural Officer does not oppose the application subject to the following conditions in letter dated 9 May 2019: No development may be commenced nor any equipment, machinery or materials be brought onto the site for the purposes of the development until suitable protective fencing has been erected in the location shown on the approved drawing P/1187/1(c) to form a Construction Exclusion Zone ('CEZ'). Within the CEZ nothing shall be stored, placed or disposed of above or below ground, the ground level shall not be altered, no excavations shall be made, no mixing of cement or use of other contaminating materials or substances shall take place, nor shall any fires be lit. The implemented CEZ and the fencing erected to mark its eastern boundary shall be maintained until the development is complete. - 5.3 Douglas Corporation has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application. ## ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issue in this case is whether there would be any adverse impact on the appearance of the property itself and also whether there would be any adverse impact on the living conditions of those in nearby properties. 6.2 The works would partly be screened from public view by the existing fence on the south elevation, and the line of trees which screens it from the properties in the western section of the site. - 6.3 The extension would increase the amount of built development within the curtilage of the property. However, the proposed development falls within the allowable plot coverage for developments in predominantly residential areas. Hence, it is considered that this relationship will be acceptable. Moreover, the extensions align with acceptable build allowance stipulated in the Residential Design Guide, 2019: Sections 3 and 4. - 6.4 Generally the proposed extension is not visible from the main highway and thus does not impact the street scene as viewed by the general public. Although parts of the extension will be visible from the rear gardens of neighbouring properties, its erection is not expected to adversely impact the privacy or visual amenities of the properties in the surrounding area to warrant a refusal. - 6.5 The proposed development might have impact on surrounding vegetation at the rear of the property and as such strict adherence to the conditions stipulated by the Senior Forester is paramount. 7.1 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the planning application be approved. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons: - (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; - (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; - (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material - (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and - (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. 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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. 8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot 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. Decision Made : Permitted Date: 23.05.2019 Determining officer Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner ## Customer note ## This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records. --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/28985-braddan-15-first-avenue-alteration-extension/documents/1041474*