**Document:** Officer Report 08/00288/B **Application:** 08/00288/B — Amendments to approved dwelling design **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2008-05-02 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/84859-braddan-plot-6a-dwelling/documents/1234358 --- # Officer Report 08/00288/B **Application No.:** ** 08/00288/B ** **Applicant:** ** Heritage Homes Ltd ** **Proposal:** ** Amendments to approved dwelling design ** **Site Address:** ** - Plot 6a - Groudle Road - Onchan - Isle Of Man ### Considerations **Case Officer:** Mr A Holmes ** **Photo Taken:** ** Delegated Decision Senior DC Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations **Consultee:** Highways Division **Notes:** Do not oppose **Consultee:** Onchan Commissioners **Notes:** No objection **Consultee:** Chief Fire Officer **Notes:** Note received **Consultee:** Inland Fisheries Development Manager **Notes:** Comments received ### Officer's Report #### The Application Site And Proposed Development The application site comprises of a parcel of land that is located adjacent to Groudle Road in Onchan. The proposed development comprises of amendments to the design of the dwelling previously granted approval to be erected on the application site. #### Planning History There have been a number of previous planning applications that could be considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application: Planning application 97/00772/A sought approval in principle for the residential development of a wider area of land that included the application site for the current planning application. This previous planning application was initially considered and refused on the 19th September 1997, with the initial refusal decision notice issued on the 22nd October 1997. The Planning Committee confirmed the refusal at review on the 4th February 1998, with the review refusal decision notice issued on the 6th February 1998. On appeal the Minister subsequently accepted the recommendation of the appointed Planning Inspector and approved the planning application, with the appeal approval decision notice issued on the 2nd December 1998. The detail of this previous planning application is somewhat complex to summarise but in terms of the application site the appointed Planning Inspector concluded that the correct means of controlling development was through a Section 18 agreement. Such an agreement was signed by the relevant parties on the 23rd November 1998. Planning application 99/00430/B subsequently granted approval from the residential development of 67 plots on the application site for 97/00772/A. This previous planning application was initially considered and approved on the 6th August 1999, with the initial approval decision notice issued on the 20th August 1999. The Planning Committee confirmed the approval at review on the 8th October 1999, with the review approval decision notice issued on the 19th October 1999. On appeal the Minister subsequently accepted the recommendation of the appointed Planning Inspector and approved the planning application, with the appeal approval decision notice issued on the 5th May 2000. Planning application 05/00737/B sought approval for the erection of six dwellings on a wider area of land that includes the application site for the current planning application. This previous planning application was initially considered and refused on the 18th November 2005, with the initial refusal decision notice issued on the 2nd December 2005. The Planning Committee resolved to confirm the refusal at review on the 17th March 2006, with the review refusal decision notice issued on the 21st March 2006. A subsequent appeal against the refusal was withdrawn prior to being heard, resulting in the review decision standing. Planning application 06/00665/B sought approval for the erection of six dwellings with access drives, landscaping and drainage works and creation of public footpaths on a wider area of land that includes the application site for the current planning application. This previous planning application, which overcame the reasons for refusal of 05/000737/B, was considered and approved on the 20th July 2006, with the approval decision notice issued on the 27th July 2006. ## Representations Onchan District Commissioners recommend that the planning application be approved. The Department of Transport Highways Division do not oppose the planning application. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Inland Fisheries Manager requests that no development occurs within 8 metres of the nearby watercourse and that measures are put in place to safeguard against runoff during construction. The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service recommend the installation of smoke detectors. ### Planning Policy Under the Onchan Local Plan the application site is part zoned as low density housing in parkland and part zoned as open space (private woodland or parkland). The application site forms part of housing area 6, which comprises of the land between Lakeside and Groudle Glen. Policy O/RES/P/4 of Planning Circular 1/2000, which forms the written statement to be read in conjunction with the Onchan Local Plan, states: "Development of the piece of land which lies between the site referred to in 4.14 and 4.47 above, Groudle Glen, Groudle Road and the bridge over Groudle River will be considered acceptable for low density housing in parkland in accordance with Planning Circular 8/89 and where no development is erected within 80 metres of the Groudle River. The boundary between the site and Groudle Road must be formed by a sod hedge, either that which currently exists or one reconstructed as part of the development. The site must also have on its northern part a significant area of public open space contiguous with that proposed as part of the development of the adjoining land". The Department's guidance on low density housing in parkland is set out by Planning Circular 8/89. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered to be specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application: Housing Policy 6 states: "Development of land which is zoned for residential development must be undertaken in accordance with the brief in the relevant area plan, or, in the absence of a brief, in accordance with the criteria in paragraph 6.2 of this Plan. Briefs will encourage good and innovative design, and will not be needlessly prescriptive." ### Assessment The principle of housing on the application site and the type of dwelling has previously been assessed and established by the previous planning application and approvals that relate to the application site. This planning application basically proposes alterations to the appearance of the dwelling to be erected on the application site through the approval of previous planning application 06/00665/B. The main difference between the dwelling approved through the previous planning application and that proposed by this planning application is external material finishes, although there are a number of relatively minor design changes to features such as chimneys and balconies. Overall, the changes between the old and new are considered to be relatively minor and unobjectionable. Given the distance of the application site from the nearby watercourse the representation from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Inland Fisheries Manager is not considered applicable. In conclusion, it is recommended that the planning application be approved. ## **PARTY STATUS** I consider that the following parties that made representations to the planning application meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status: - Onchan District Commissioners; - The Department of Transport Highways Division; and - The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Inland Fisheries Manager. I consider that the following parties that made representations to the planning application do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status: - The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service. **Recommendation** - **Recommended Decision:** Permitted - **Date of Recommendation:** 25.04.2008 **Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal** - **C: Conditions for approval** - **N: Notes attached to conditions** - **R: Reasons for refusal** - **O: Notes attached to refusals** ## **C 1.** The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. ## **C 2.** This approval relates to drawing no.s 2061.4.136, 2061.4.124 and 2061.4.130 date stamped the 13th February 2008. ## **N 1.** The Chief Fire Officer recommends the installation of mains wired interconnected domestic smoke detection. I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular No 31/07 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer) **Decision Made:** Permitted **Date:** ............................................................... **Signed:** ............................................................... Mrs F Mullen Senior Planning Officer --- *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/84859-braddan-plot-6a-dwelling/documents/1234358*