**Document:** Replacement Garage Supporting Statement **Application:** 23/01224/B — Demolition of two garages and construction of new garage **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2023-12-15 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/10731-east-baldwin-ballaoates-cottages-demolition-garage/documents/1304832 --- # Replacement Garage Supporting Statement ## CJ Design Limited 10 Ballaterson Road, Peel, Isle of Man IM5 1BJ Tel: 426277 email: carljenk@manx.net ### Supporting Information Statement For Replacement Garage At Ballaoates Cottage, East Baldwin. 2023/32/04 Existing Site The application site is the residential curtilage of Ballaoates Cottage, located in East Baldwin on the outskirts of Douglas. The existing residential property comprises of a two-storey building with a single storey lean-to element to the side & rear and two, single garages to the North. The nearest residential properties are Balloates Mansion House located approximately 60 metres further up the B21 East Baldwin Road, Hillside Cottage (abandoned) located approximately 80 metres along the A22 Ballaoates Road and Ballaoates Farm located approximately 160 metres along the B21 East Baldwin Road. The residential property sits on the junction of the B21 East Baldwin road and A22 Ballaoates Road on the outskirts of Douglas. Vehicular access to the property is from the B21 East Baldwin Road and there is provision for off road parking spaces in addition to the two single garages to the North, within the curtilage of the application site. The existing garages have internal dimensions of 2.475m x 6.35m (attached to house) and 2.545m x 4.94m for the smaller one. Neither of these garages achieve the minimum dimensions recommended by the Highways Department of 3m wide by 6m long and are set at different floor levels so knocking into one garage isn’t possible. The driveway can provide off road parking for up to 3 vehicles using the minimum carparking dimensions recommended by the Highways Department of 2.6m wide by 5m long. Photographs of the existing garage structure are included on CJ Design drawing numbered 2023/32/02, submitted as part of this planning application. Planning History Following a search carried out on the Planning Department website it would appear the application site has been subject to the following planning applications prior to this application: - 17/01268/B Extension to provide Ancillary Accommodation Approved 16/00410/B Detached Garage with Ancillary Accommodation Withdrawn 99/00709/B Replacement windows Approved 93/00193/B Installation of Rooflight Approved Pre-Application Advice Following production of Sketch Scheme drawings that satisfied the Client’s brief, pre-application consultations have taken place with Miss Lucy Kinrade, Planning Officer. These consultations have been in the form of email correspondence and the advice given in the pre-application consultations has been incorporated into the drawings and information that forms the basis of this application. Client Statement I am writing this statement in conjunction with the planning submission for the proposed larger garage at Ballaoates Cottage, which will replace the current separate single garages on the property. We have lived at the property for 8 years and have found the current garage configuration and quality to be sub-optimal for our needs and are seeking to make the proposed changes to improve functionality, practicality, and aesthetics. As they are currently, the garages and utility have multiple flooring levels, housing the main boiler and incoming power for the house – and suffer from flooding on an almost yearly basis due to the location of the drains on the main road. We have already tried to improve drainage by putting a channel in front of the garages when we had the work on the cottage done, but we still have regular issues as water gathers at the wall and builds up, eventually passing this and entering the larger garage (where the power and boiler are located). This is even with the use of sandbags. The current garages are both single skinned, and uninsulated. This means that they are more prone to becoming cold and damp. There is no access between the garages, and the floor level of the utility has a non-standard step which causes issues with access. The stepped-back face of the proposed garage is to allow more space for parking. The current forward garage has only enough space for a very small car to be parked in front, and even that protrudes slightly past the front wall of the property. This design choice also provides an aesthetic break, aligning better with the existing house design and improving the overall appearance. The current configuration also lacks the requisite space to comfortably accommodate two vehicles. While one is vehicle can be kept in the smaller garage, there is insufficient room in the other garage for a vehicle without losing storage of essential tools, gardening equipment, and other miscellaneous items safely and efficiently. As a result, we must rent a garage away from the property to keep another vehicle safe and secure. A larger single garage, as opposed to two separate smaller garages, offers multiple benefits. It will provide us with enough space to store the two vehicles at the property, with increased flexibility for storage, a workbench, and other utilities. We have considered the feasibility of a detached garage, but several concerns have influenced our decision against it. Firstly, our electricity distribution board is fed from a consumer unit within the garage, there are also other circuits within the property that are fed from within the garage. As well as this, our boiler is also situated in the garage, and all the associated pipework that feeds the radiators and hot water comes into the property from the garage building. A separate garage would require a lot of extra work and increased costs to alter the existing supplies. It would also pose accessibility issues, particularly during adverse weather conditions. From a security standpoint, attached garages tend to offer better safety due to their proximity to the main dwelling. In conclusion, the proposed changes to our garages are both practical and necessary, considering our day-to-day needs and long-term goals. We believe that this development will greatly benefit our property. Current Proposals This application seeks full planning approval for the demolition of the existing lean-to garages with Utility behind and construction of a new larger lean-to garage that is attached to the main property. - As outlined above, the existing garages are not suitable for intended use as they have minimal internal dimensions to accommodate a vehicle and are split over two levels. These proposals seek to provide a larger garage space, suitable to accommodate two vehicles (using a carparking size of 2.6m wide by 5m long) whilst also allowing space for general storage and service provisions to the main property in the form of heating boiler and electric consumer unit. The size and position of the new garage has been determined based on the footprint of the original garages, to minimise the impact of the existing off road parking provision to the side of the property. The original garages have a combined floor area of 40.3 square metres and the proposed garage has a floor area of 45.1 square metres. The proposals result in no change to the parking provision between the garage and boundary. The front wall of the proposed garage has been set back an additional metre from the original garage line to allow improved manoeuvring space for a vehicle entering or existing the garage. This additional setback, 5.1m from the edge of the carriageway, will also provide a larger off road parking space in front of the garage ensuring any vehicle does not project into the highway (see photograph on drawing numbered 2023/32/02 for existing situation). The roof design of the proposed garage uses a similar lean-to roof design as present on the existing garages. The possibility of using a flat roof design, hidden behind a parapet wall was discussed with the client during an initial meeting however the client expressed a preference to retain a pitched roof if possible. The flat roof option was explored further and as the scheme developed, it was agreed that a lean-to roof could be achieved using a Redland Cambrian roof tile with a pitch of 15 degrees. This pitch is slightly less than the original (19 degrees) but is similar to the roof pitch and roofing tile used on the single storey building to the side and rear of the original house (approved under PA 17/01268/B). Whilst the original step back between the separate garages helps reduce the visual mass of the lean-to roof, the garage roof has limited visibility from the highway. As the proposed garage will be set further back from the highway, it is hoped the visibility of the new single lean-to roof is reduced sufficiently to result in a roof mass that is more prominent and therefore have an adverse impact on the existing property and street scene. - At present, there are a total of 3 off road car parking spaces provided within the curtilage of Ballaoates Cottage (using the recommended dimensions of 2.6m wide by 5m long), all of which are behind the property line. These proposals increase this provision to 5, two of which are undercover providing secure parking and 4 of which will be behind the property line, refer to CJ Design drawing 2023/32/03. We believe the proposed replacement garage is sensitive to the rural location of the application site, will appear subordinate to the main residential property and does not have any adverse visual impact on the property and street scene. --- *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/10731-east-baldwin-ballaoates-cottages-demolition-garage/documents/1304832*