**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 19/00976/C — Additional use of residence as tourist accommodation **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2019-10-11 **Parish:** Rushen **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/29815-rushen-20-lime-street-additional-use-residence/documents/1048689 --- # DEC Officer Report **Application No.:** 19/00976/C **Applicant:** Kevin Richard Sykes **Proposal:** Additional use of residence as tourist accommodation **Site Address:** 20 Lime Street Port St. Mary Isle Of Man IM9 5EF **Planning Officer:** Mr Paul Visigah **Photo Taken:** 13.09.2019 **Site Visit:** 13.09.2019 **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 09.10.2019 _________________________________________________________________ ## 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. ### Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the Location Plan, Site Plan, and Floor PLans date stamped and received 29 August 2019. _______________________________________________________________ ### Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of existing property at 20 Lime Street, Port St. Mary an existing two story terrace dwelling which fronts directly on to the main highway. The existing access and driveway for the properties is situated along the rear boundary served by a rear alley which separates the application site from the boat yard. The driveway is sufficient to accommodate 1 car off the road and there is a single garage which is served by this driveway. 1.2 On the north eastern side of the property (the rear) there is an existing balcony which sits above the attached garage and overlooks the coastline, Quay and boat yard. The balcony is directly linked to a first floor sun lounge which is situated at the rear of this dwelling. There also exists a rear garden which is directly adjacent to the driveway and garage. THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the additional use of the residential dwelling to provide tourist accommodation. There would be no changes to the external appearance of the building, or the parking and access on the site which would remain shared with the main dwelling. ## PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The application site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South 2013 Map 7 as "Residential" and the site also sits adjacent to the Harbour Area. Given the nature of the proposal and the fact that the site is not within a Conservation Area, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application; - 4.2 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: - 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; - 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." 4.3 Paragraph 9.5.8: "The use of existing private residential properties as tourist accommodation may be acceptable if it can be demonstrated that it will not compromise the amenities of any neighbouring residents." - 4.4 Business Policy 13: "Permission will generally be given for the use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation providing that it can be demonstrated that such use would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents." PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 There are no previous planning applications for the site or surrounding area which are materially relevant to this application. REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they 'Do not oppose' in the letter dated 18 September 2019. 5.2 Manx Utilities Authority although consulted on 11 September 2019, 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. - 5.3 DofE Tourism Division although consulted on 11 September 2019, 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. - 5.4 Port St Mary Commissioners have stated that there were no objections to the application in a letter dated 26 September 2019. ## ASSESSMENT 6.1 The application seeks approval for the additional use of the residence as tourist accommodation. The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment and determination of this planning application are the impact of the tourist use on the living conditions of the neighbours and local highways. 6.2 Although there is generally a view in favour of using domestic properties as tourist accommodation as outlined in Business Policy 13, there can be times whereby this is opposed. In the case of this application the proposal is for the additional use of part of this four bedroom property; meaning that both tourists and residents could be on site at the same time. - 6.3 In the case of terraced properties like this, concern lies in the potential for disruptions to the immediate neighbours and on the local highways should there be additional traffic from the tourist use. In terms of differentiating a tourist and a permanent resident it is difficult to define how each would behave. As a tourist, a person may be out a lot of the time, but may also have a greater number of late nights and be disruptive on return. On the other hand, permanent residents may be at home more, and could be more likely to invite friends or family over for dinner or parties that may be noisy. In general the majority of people tend to behave well and raise no concerns, although there will always be a percentage that may not behave. - 6.4 The property is located on the north-eastern section of Port St. Mary and close to the Harbour area and city centre. However, additional comings and goings will be no more apparent than those already living and visiting the nearby area as ordinary residents benefit from the proximity to these facilities and services offered. There are two off road car parking spaces available within the curtilage of the site with additional unrestricted on-street parking along Lime Street, which will be sufficient for the dwelling and the intended tourist users. The proposed tourist unit is also not sized to accommodate a large number of tourists and given the proximity to public transport routes, the need for a car is likely to be minimal or none with 1 parking space on the existing driveway considered to be sufficient to accommodate the proposed tourist use in this case. - 6.5 Furthermore, as the proposal does not intend to extend or add additional accommodation but merely seek the additional use of the existing, it is considered the proposal would have a neutral impact on the surrounding street scene. This aspect is deemed to be an acceptable additional use that complies with those sections of General Policy 2(b) & (c). - 6.6 Overall, it is considered that the additional tourist use of part of the existing dwelling is to have an acceptable impact on neighbouring amenity, the streetscene and highway safety. ## CONCLUSION 7.1 The application is considered to comply with the aforementioned polices referred to in 4.0 of this report and therefore recommended for approval. 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 Planning Committee 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. 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: 10.10.2019 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/29815-rushen-20-lime-street-additional-use-residence/documents/1048689*