**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 24/00357/B — Replacement of garage door with a window (retrospective) **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2024-07-15 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/32557-braddan-22-victoria-replacement-garage/documents/1064998 --- # DEC Officer Report ## PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION **Application No.:** 24/00357/B **Applicant:** Mr Josh Evans **Proposal:** Replacement of garage door with a window (retrospective) **Site Address:** 22 Victoria Terrace Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4EX Principal **Planning Officer:** Belinda Fettis **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 11.07.2024 ## Conditions and Notes for Approval C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. Prior to the room first being brought into use, all external surfaces shall have been made good, and be in keeping with the existing external surfaces of the dwellinghouse. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the dwelling and wider area and to ensure that the development accords with Strategic Policy 4 and General Policy 2 of the Strategic Local Plan 2016. This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Retention of the window is acceptable because it accords with the relevant criteria of General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Residential Design Guide 2021 and adequately protects the setting of the Registered Buildings in accordance with Strategic Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following detail, plans and drawings received on the 8th of May 2024; Drawing no.01 Proposed works and Location Plan. _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ ## - 1. THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1. The application site is the residential curtilage of 22 Victoria Terrace, Douglas which is a single storey detached property along the north-eastern of Victoria Terrace. The dwelling is characterised with a pebble dash finish, brick plinth and with concrete tiled to the roof. - 1.2. The buildings on Victoria Terrace are an eclectic mix of traditional terraced row opposite grand Georgian Style two storey buildings with Romanesque entrances, the application site being a bungalow, and a terraced row with bay windows at ground and first floor, a design more akin to semi-detached dwellings. Numbers 1 through to 12 of Victoria Terrace, opposite the application site are Registered Buildings. ## - 2. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1. Planning approval is sought to retain a window inserted to replace a garage door. - 3. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1. There is no planning history that is considered to be materially relevant to the assessment of this planning application. - 4. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1. The application site is within an area identified as Predominantly Residential within the Douglas Local Plan. The site is not within a flood zone or a Conservation Area. However because the buildings opposite are Registered Buildings the site is considered to be within the setting of a Registered Building. - 4.2. Given the above, the following Policies within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this planning application. - 4.3. Strategic Policy 4: Proposals for development must protect or enhance the landscape including those adjacent to relevant designations. - 4.4. 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 subject to meeting criteria. The following criteria are considered most relevant to this application; (b), (c), (g) and (i). - (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; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; - 5. Other material Considerations - 5.1. Residential Design Guide 2021 - 6. REPRESENTATIONS - 6.1. Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. ## Officer’s Report - 6.2. Douglas Borough Council - No objection (17.05.2024) - 6.3. Highways Services - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as an off street parking space is retained on the site, there is on-street parking available adjacent to the site, and the site sits in a sustainable location in Douglas centre so a relaxation on parking standards is acceptable (10.05.2024). ## - 7. ASSESSMENT 7.1. Principle - 7.1.1. There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general. - 7.1.2. Therefore the main considerations in the assessment of this planning application are considered to relate to the design and character and whether there would be any harmful impact upon neighbour amenity. - 7.2. Design And Character - 7.2.1. In assessing the impact of the proposal it is important to be mindful of the potential impact the development could have on the setting of the Registered Buildings. - 7.2.2. The site comprises a standard pitch and hipped roof bungalow design with flat roof attached garage. The dwellinghouse is separated from the road by a garden and private offroad parking, and a low wall. The dwelling is set back from the road a similar distance to the bay fronted terrace whereas the other dwellinghouses are adjacent the pavement. There is nothing remarkable about the sites character and it neither contributes nor detracts from the character of the Registered Buildings. - 7.2.3. Visually, replacing the metal up and over garage door with a window does not cause adverse harm to the streetscene. The existing windows are white UPVC and the window inserted is white UPVC. A condition is proposed to ensure that the external finish below the window is finished to match the existing finishes on the dwellinghouse. - 7.3. Neighbouring Amenity - 7.3.1. The development has resulted in the loss of a parking space within the garage. However it is acknowledged that many garages are too small to accommodate modern cars. The applicant has submitted a photograph of the internal area of the garage in which it is clear that the garage has not been used to park a vehicle for a long time. - 7.3.2. Highways have considered the proposal and concluded that there is adequate parking space on the driveway. - 7.3.3. In addition, it is observed that the front garden is hard landscaped and there is potential for a further parking space if a section of wall was removed. Therefore the site is not without options to provide an additional parking space. ## - 8. CONCLUSION - 8.1. Overall it is concluded that the proposal accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Residential Design Guide 2021 and adequately protects the setting of the Registered Buildings. No harm is observed to residential amenity. - 8.2. For the above reasons the proposal is recommended for approval subject to a condition. - 9. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 9.1. 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 the Acting Head of Development Management 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 : 15.07.2024 Determining officer Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management 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/32557-braddan-22-victoria-replacement-garage/documents/1064998*