**Document:** Architect's Design Statement
**Application:** 20/00549/B — Erection of a detached garage with playroom above
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2020-07-22
**Parish:** Braddan
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/13081-braddan-10-victoria-avenue-garage/documents/1310589

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# Architect's Design Statement

## Modus Architects

### Architect's Design Statement to Accompany Application for Planning Approval

in respect of

10 Victoria Avenue, Onchan, Isle of Man

| ISSUED: | P1 | $19 / 05 / 20$ | Issued in draft |
| :-- | :-- | :-- | :-- |
|  | A | $19 / 05 / 22$ | Issued for Planning Approval |

in respect of

10 Victoria Avenue, Onchan, Isle of Man

### Contents:

1. The Application Site
2. Planning History
3. Planning Considerations
4. The Proposals

Appendix I Site Photographs

## 1. The Application Site

1.1. No. 10 Victoria Avenue is part of a terrace of two storey houses on the east side of Victoria Avenue in Onchan. The site runs in a northeasterly direction from Victoria Road, with a private access lane to the rear of the property. Nos 12 and 8 lie to the north west and south east respectively. No. 12 has a pitched roofed garage adjacent to the lane. No. 8 has a flat roofed garage, offset from the lane by about 5 metres. The property is separated from Nos. 12 and 8 by natural stone walls.
1.2. The rear part of the property currently comprises a gravelled area, which is used for car parking, and is separated from the rest of the property by a timber fence.

### 2. Planning History

The following previous Planning application is considered to be relevant
PA 18/00974/B Replacement of existing garage with new garage and attic playroom
Refused 30 October 2018

### 3. Planning Considerations

3.1. The site is in an area designated "Predominantly Residential" in the Onchan Local (2000). The site is not within a Conservation Area, and the property is not a Registered Building.
3.2. The following parts of General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016) are considered to be relevant to the assessment of this application:
"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:
(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;
(h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself...
(i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
(k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;"

3.3. It is considered that the principle of the proposed development is broadly supported by paragraph 8.12.1 of the Strategic Plan which states:
"As a general policy, in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general"

## 4. The Proposals

4.1. The applicant would like to create a first floor games room at the rear of the site, to provide a detached leisure space, primarily to be used by her children, which will also enjoy the beautiful views of the sea to the south east. The detached games room will enable the children to have a space of their own in which to play, while remaining at home rather than playing in the streets or further afield. This will be increasingly important as her children become teenagers, during which time the need for privacy and a space of one's own grows in importance, alongside the concurrent increase in the allure of potentially harmful activities outside the home. Detached leisure spaces are an increasingly common aspiration for modern home owners, arguably as part of a wider trend for young people to stay at home for longer due to reducing levels of home ownership among millennials and subsequent generations. Such spaces are not, however, generally accommodated in the existing traditionally built urban housing stock in the Isle of Man, although it is anticipated that the desire for these spaces will only increase going forward.
4.2. It is proposed to create a large garage at ground floor level, with a games room above. The new building is to have a slate pitched roof, with main gables on the north east and south west elevations (to match the roof orientation of the garage at No. 12), intersected by dormer windows on the south east and north west roof slopes. The games room opens onto a south east facing terrace with a glass balustrade, under the south east facing dormer, via outward opening French doors in a glazed screen, affording views of the sea to the south east, and enabling the games room to be opened to the outside in all weather. The walls of the new building are finished in painted render.
4.3. In assessing the proposals, it is necessary to first address some issues with regard to the refusal of the PA 18/00974/B, which are considered to be relevant to the consideration of the current proposals. In the following text, quoted text is in italics, while the parts which are considered to be relevant are in bold.
4.4. The reasons given for refusal of PA 18/00974/B are given as follows:

"R 1. The height of the proposed garage, and the balcony on the south east, would result in overlooking and loss of privacy to the rear of No. 8 Victoria Avenue thus damaging the residential amenity of the occupants. For this reason the proposal is contrary to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, General Policy 2 and paragraph 8.12.1.
$R$ 2. The height, size and form of the proposed garage would result in overdevelopment of the site and would therefore harm both the character and appearance of the site and wider area. For this reason the proposal is contrary to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, General Policy 2 and paragraph 8.12.1."
4.5. With regard to R1, paragraph 6.2 of the Planning Officer's report describes the the risk of overlooking and loss of privacy, but makes the following statement:
"However, it is somewhat limited by the fact that direct overlooking would only be towards the parking/driveway area and part of the garage of No.8, with minimal impact on the rear garden itself. Secondly, the statement submitted with the planning application acknowledges this risk and seeks to minimise it further by the use of opaque glazed balustrade to above eye level to a height of 1.6 metres at the area facing No.8. Furthermore, the balcony dimensions of roughly 1.6 metres wide and 3.7 metres long, reduces the likelihood that usage will be by large groups for prolonged periods - although overlooking from the balcony is still a risk given its location. Any risk of overbearing is also reduced given the layout of both No. 10 and No. 8 as stated."
4.6. In this regard, we would point out the following regarding the current proposals:
a. The balcony has been reduced in width to less than one meter, and is intended to provide a space to accommodate the outward opening French doors, so that the south east facade can be opened to the sea view in all weather, rather than providing a place for groups of people to congregate. It is considered that the terrace will be infrequently occupied, and then only for very short periods.
b. The French doors and glazed screen are set back from the south east elevation, and recessed within the south east facing dormer, effectively creating a 'baffle' on either side of the terrace, screening off the view towards the garden of No. 8 to the south.
4.7. It is therefore considered that the risk of overlooking, already described as 'limited', has been considerably reduced, to the point of being negligible.
4.8. With regard to R2, paragraph 7.1 of the Planning Officer's report goes on to state the following:

"In summary, the proposal does give some cause for concern regarding potential overlooking into the grounds of 8 Victoria Avenue, and overshadowing into No.12. This is, however, regarded to be relatively low impact. The key issue is the overdevelopment of the site and the size of the proposal relative to the main dwelling and adjacent garages. When combined with the risk of overlooking and loss of privacy on No.8, the proposal is unacceptable on balance and recommended for refusal."
4.9. With regard to the above we would submit the following:
a. The issue of overlooking is considered to be significant only in combination with the perceived overdevelopment of the site.
b. However, the meaning of the word 'overdevelopment' is not defined in the SP or in the report, and must therefore be inferred from its use in the context of the report. In this context it would seem to mean a level of development deemed to be inappropriate within the context of the area, by virtue of the fact that it would harm the character and appearance of the site and the wider area.
4.10. How the proposed development would cause such harm is not explained. One could understand the idea of such harm if the character and appearance of the site and wider area was of any architectural or special significance. However, it is considered that the rear of the site and adjacent lane (ie the wider area) are characterised by the usual mix of outlets, rear facing windows and rear garages that one would expect to find in many such lanes. In particular, the character of the lane itself is considered to be rather dull, as well as incoherent in terms of any architectural design or aesthetic. The garages are a mix of functional but unexceptional buildings, of varying height and form. None of these attributes are of any consequence to the character of the lane. Furthermore, their arrangement with respect to one another and the lane does not set up any spatial relationships which could be considered to be of any special character.
4.11. We would therefore question what harm a two storey extension would cause in this context. We would also submit that the proposed extension, by virtue of its architectural form and aesthetic, coupled with its mixed palette of materials, comprising painted render, glass and slate roof, creates a building of visual interest and coherence, which is currently lacking in the lane, and is in fact an improvement on the current character of the rear of the site. The proposed building is at the north east end of the property, and loss of light is therefore unlikely to occur. The roof of the building has been designed to mirror the configuration of that of the garage of No.12, in terms of the orientation of the gables. The slate roofing is in keeping with the roof of No. 10 and other roofs in the area. It is therefore considered that the proposals would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding

area in general, and are therefore in accordance with General Policy 2 and paragraph 8.12.1 of the Strategic Plan.

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*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/13081-braddan-10-victoria-avenue-garage/documents/1310589*