**Document:** Officer Report **Application:** 25/90662/B — Widen existing driveway and associated dropped kerb, to create additional off-road parking **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2025-09-02 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/32993-union-mills-cronk-drine/documents/1071344 --- # Officer Report **Application No.:** 25/90662/B **Applicant:** Miss Hannah Morris **Proposal:** Widen existing driveway and associated dropped kerb, to create additional off-road parking **Site Address:** 2 Cronk Drine Union Mills Isle Of Man IM4 4NG Principal Planner: Chris Balmer **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 12.08.2025 _________________________________________________________________ ## 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. - C 2. Prior to commencement of any works details shall be submitted in writing to the Department for approval which demonstrate how surface water runoff from the new drive will be prevented from running onto the adjacent public highway and where such water will be drained too and these approved details shall be completed prior to the occupation of the driveway by any vehicle (excluding construction vehicles) and retained thereafter. Reason; In the interests of surface water runoff and highway safety. N 1. A S109 highway agreement will be required for the extended dropped kerb footway. Please contact DOI Highway Services. ## This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with the relevant policies of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide, no having any significant public or private amenities. Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 15.07.2025. Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services/Drainage - No Objection/condition added Local Authority - No Objection _________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report 1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing dwelling situated within Cronk Drine, a small cul de sac of 20 dwellings which all lie on the south eastern side of Lhergy Cripperty. The properties are similar in size and design - mainly single storey and some, like the application property, have elements of two storey accommodation. Many properties, like the application property have their gables facing the estate road. The application property backs onto the Railway Inn public house beer garden and the side garden of 6, Glen Hill, a large, detached dwelling to the east. 2.0 PLANNING POLICIES - 2.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being within a "predominately residential" under the Area Plan for the East 2020. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 2.2 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan is considered applicable, which 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: - (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; - (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; - (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; - (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; - (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; - (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; - (j) can be provided with all necessary services; - (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; - (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; - (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and - (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption." 2.3 Residential Design Guide July 2021. ## - 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are previous planning applications associated with the site but none which are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application. ### 4.0 Proposal 4.1 The application seeks approval for the widening of the existing driveway and associated dropped kerb, to create additional off-road parking. 4.2 The proposal would increase the width of the access and existing driveway by approximately 3m to a total of 6m (existing is 2.97m). This would result in the loss of some lawned garden and front pillar and boundary wall all to the front elevation of the property. The finish of the driveway is to be concrete to match the existing. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services state (21.07.2025); "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking A S109 highway agreement will be required for the extended dropped kerb footway." - 5.2 Highway Services Drainage comment (01.08.2025); "Allowing surface water runoff onto a public highway would contravene Section 58 of the Highway Act 1986 and guidance contained in section 11.3.11 of the Manual for Manx Roads. Recommendation: As no levels are shown the Applicant should demonstrate compliance with the clause above. I.e. do not discharge surface water onto the highway!" 5.3 Braddan Commissioners do not object (01.08.2025). - 6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issue relate to the potential visual impact upon the street scene and potential highway safety/parking provision. Potential visual impact upon the street scene 6.2 Generally the department seeks that at least 50% of the lawned/landscaped (as per the Residential Design Guide) areas are preserved to ensure frontage of properties are not totally hard surfaced, which can result in the appearance of frontages of properties being essential car parks adversely impacted the visual amenities of the street scenes. 6.3 This proposal would approximately (difficult to measure exactly from the plans submitted as it cuts part of garden off) retained 30sqm of the existing 60sqm (measured form existing and proposed floor plans) and therefore would retained 50%. 6.4 The hedgerow boundaries currently exited also along the south eastern boundary with Nr 3. Accordingly, the proposal from a visual perspective is considered acceptable. Potential highway safety/parking provision - 6.5 The proposal has the potential to create an additional off road parking space which has the potential of reducing the need for vehicles to park on the estate road. Highway Services have raise no objection form a highway safety perspective. Accordingly, from a highway safety/parking provision there are no concerns with the proposal. ## - 7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with the relevant policies of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide, no having any significant public or private amenities and therefore it is recommended that the application be approved. - 8.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE 8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). 8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: - applicant (in all cases); - o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and - o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria. 8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): - o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); - o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; - o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and - o in the case of a petition, a single representative. 8.5 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 the Right to Appeal. 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 and/or rights to appeal. Decision Made : Permitted Date: 14.08.2025 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the office copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online service/ customers and archive record. --- *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/32993-union-mills-cronk-drine/documents/1071344*