**Document:** Officer Report **Application:** 24/91225/B — Sun lounge extension including retaining wall to rear garden **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2024-12-03 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/33383-braddan-27-farmhill-extension/documents/1076157 --- # Officer Report ## PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS **Application No.:** 24/91225/B **Applicant:** Mr & Mrs Neil Eastham **Proposal:** Sun lounge extension including retaining wall to rear garden **Site Address:** 27 Farmhill Lane Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2EF **Planning Officer:** Peiran Shen **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 04.11.2024 _________________________________________________________________ ## 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 proposal is considered to have no adverse impact on the character of the house and the area and neighbouring amenities. It is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide. Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the documents, cover letter and drawing no. 01, 02, 03, which has been received on 25th October 2024. _________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: Douglas Borough Council - No objection Department of Infrastructure - No objection _________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report 1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is 27 Farmhill Lane, a detached house located on the southwest of the north end of Farmhill Lane. The rear boundary of the site is on Stevenson Way, which is at a higher level than Farmhill Lane. There is a retaining wall around the rear of the house. 1.2 The house consists of a single-storey pitched-roof main house, a two-storey pitched roof side extension and a front conservatory. 2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposed is the erection of a flat-roof rear extension on the main house, the excavation of the rear garden and the relocation of the retaining wall. - 2.2 The rear extension will have a fibreglass flat roof and a large lantern rooflight. It also has brickwork that matches the existing. There is a door on each side elevation and two windows on the rear elevation. - 2.3 As a consequence due to the garden levels there will be some of the existing garden removed (cut) with a retaining wall being extended along the garden and new steps up to the existing garden. 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Erection of a conservatory to front elevation was APPROVED under PA 12/00099/B. 4.0 PLANNING POLICY Site Specific - 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Predominantly Residential in the Area Plan for the East. Strategic Policy - 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 has the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: o General Policy 2 (b) (c) (g) PPS and NPD - 4.3 There is no planning policy statement or national policy directive considered materially relevant to this application. 5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Strategy and Guidance - 5.1 The Residential Design Guide (July 2021) has the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - o Section 4.6 Rear Extensions - o Section 4.7 Flat Roof Extensions - o Chapter 5 Architectural Details - o Chapter 7 Impact on Neighbouring Properties 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 6.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection to this application (15.11.2024). - 6.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (07.11.2024). 7.0 ASSESSMENT Elements of Assessment - 7.1 The key considerations of this application are its impact on the house itself, on the character and streetscene of the area, the amenities of the neighbours and on parking. Design of the House Itself - 7.2 The proposal has a flat roof, which does not fit within the existing roofscape. However, given the level of the house is lower than the rear garden, it is understandable to use a flat roof with a lantern rooflight to maintain sufficient sunlight for the extension. Character and Streetscene 7.3 The proposal is not readily visible to the public and it is not considered to harm the character and the streetscene of the area. Neighbouring Amenities - 7.4 Given the size and height of the extension, it is not considered to have any additional overbearing or overshadowing impact. - 7.5 The doors on both sides are not considered to create additional overlooking impact compared to the windows on the side elevations of the existing house. 8.0 CONCLUSION - 8.1 The proposal is considered to have no adverse impact on the character of the house and the area and neighbouring amenities. Therefore, it is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide and it is recommended for an approval. 9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS - 9.1 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). - 9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: - o 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. 9.3 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. - 9.4 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. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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 and/or rights to appeal. Decision Made: Permitted Date: 02.12.2024 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 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/33383-braddan-27-farmhill-extension/documents/1076157*