**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 07/00388/A — Approval in principle for the development of 34 dwellings with associated parking **Decision:** Refused **Decision Date:** 2007-07-24 **Parish:** Lezayre **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/82378-lezayre-land-off-dwelling/documents/1489587 --- # Officer Planning Report **Application No.:** 07/00388/A **Applicant:** Forest Homes Ltd **Proposal:** Approval in principle for the development of 34 dwellings with associated parking **Site Address:** Land Off Crescent Road Ramsey Isle Of Man ### Considerations Case Officer: Mr Chris Balmer **Photo Taken:** 05/04/07 **Site Visit:** 05/04/07 **Expected Decision Level:** Planning Committee ### Written Representations ### Consultations [Table omitted in markdown export] **Consultee :** Office Of Architecture **Notes :** **Consultee :** Highways Division **Notes :** Objection **Consultee :** Clerk To The Commissioners **Notes :** Object ### Officer's Report #### The Application Site The application site is the land off Crescent Road, Ramsey, which is the parcel of land located on the eastern side of Crescent Road. The eastern side of the site is currently development, and comprises a market garden/nursery. The western part consist an area of undeveloped land. #### Planning Policy The application site is within an area of predominately residential use under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) (No. 2) Order 1998, hereafter referred to as the Ramsey Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - The Ramsey Local Plan - Planning Circular 2/99 - The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007); Housing Policy 4, 5 & 6 / General Policy 2, Recreation Policy 3 and Transport Policy 4 ## Planning History Substitution of house types on approved residential development of six detached dwellings (03/01676/B) – APPROVED Demolition of existing dwelling and associated building to form new residential development comprising of 6 detached dwellings (02/00932/B) – APPROVED Approval in principle for erection of either flats or houses or a mixture of both (00/02447/A) - APPROVED Construction of implement shed (90/00188/B) - The Nurseries, Queens Grove, Ramsey – APPROVED Erection of pair of 17 metre long growing tunnels (86/01456/B) - Flower Box Nursery, rear of Queens Grove, Ramsey - APPROVED Erection of three polythene growing tunnels (85/01133/B) - Nursery at the rear of Queens Grove, Ramsey - APPROVED Erection of glasshouse and two polythene growing tunnels (84/00753/B) - Market Garden, Land at the rear of Queens Grove, Ramsey - APPROVED ## Representations Ramsey Commissioners oppose the application on the following grounds:- It is considered that this proposal would constitute an over intensive use of the site with a poor layout of roads and housing resulting in inadequate access, particularly for larger vehicles. Whilst this application is in principle only, the suggested layout indicates that, whilst most properties have two car parking spaces within the confines of the plot, this car parking is in front of the building line resulting in a poor outlook from those properties. The suggested layout is of a higher density than that of those properties in the area and therefore can be considered to be out of keeping with the area and un-neighbourly. The layout as shown indicates a road abutting the lane to the south of the development site however there is no indication as to whether it is intended that this road connects with the lane or is intended to be a turning area. Inadequate provision has been made for open space within the overall site, the Ramsey Town Plan requires 25% of the site to be an open space provision. This application does not indicate if there is to be access to the existing rear lanes which surround the site and whether any enhancement of the lanes is to be carried out as part of this development. Highways Division:- The estate road layout does not comply with Manx Roads 1 guidance and to achieve a satisfactory highway infrastructure the layout must be redesigned with a reduced number of dwellings. Estates and Housing Directorate:- Further to your memorandum of the 6th February 2007 I confirm that I have looked at the above application and I have considered the provision of the 25% affordable housing. Having given due consideration to land availability and demand for affordable housing in the Ramsey area, the applicant proposes 34 no. houses and therefore a provision of 8 (25%) affordable houses for sale to first time buyers under the HPAS 2004 Scheme would be appropriate. Such properties should comply with the Department's Guide to Public Sector Housing Standards Document. I trust this addresses the issues requested in your memorandum in accordance with our agreed procedure. A number of local residents have objected to the planning application, which can be summarised as, overdevelopment of the site, out of keeping with existing dwellings, siting close to existing properties, loss of privacy due to overlooking, road safety issues due to high amount of vehicles to the site, inadequate access for the demand that would be required, increase in traffic along Crescent Road, car parking layout would result in looking like a car park, loss of mature trees, lack of amenity space Mr Jessopp has commented to the planning application, which can be summarised as, site within an area of residential use, application needs to be weighted on the basis of where there would be significant harm to the amenity of the area, development within a town centre is preferable than in the countryside and I question if the density and type of dwelling is complimentary to the existing development. ### Assessment / Recommendation The principle for development I consider to be acceptable. The land is zoned within an area of predominantly residential and the western part of the land as indicated within my report has approval for six detached dwellings (02/00932/B). The key issues in this application are:- - (A) Adequate parking provisions / road standards; - (B) Affordable Housing provisions; and - (C) Open Space; ### Adequate parking provisions / road standards The Highway Division have objected to the application on the grounds that the estate road layout does not comply with Manx Roads 1 guidance and to achieve a satisfactory highway infrastructure the layout must be redesigned with a reduced number of dwellings. With regard to Planning Policy Transport Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan states:- The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan. Whilst the plans submitted are indicative plans, the road layout would be totally unacceptable in parts the width of the road would only be 3.6 metres in width and therefore would not provide adequate width and contrary to Transport Policy 4. These concerns might be overcome by widening parts of the road; however these changes would likely have an impact upon the proposed parking provisions arrangements, which as proposed are the minimal standards, so any further decrease in the size would result in insufficient parking provisions space. Additional concerns would be the lack of turning facilities within the site or even space for any turning facilities to be provided. Overall I consider the road layout for the proposal would be contrary to Transport Policy 4 and to Manx Roads 1 guidance due to the over development of the site. From a visual appearance standpoint, I would also have concern with the proposed car parking layout. The majority of spaces are in front of the building line and of these the particular dwelling has no garden/green space provisions, therefore this would create an appearance of a car park running along the street scene, which is unacceptable for the appearance of the street scene and for the general amenity of the proposed dwellings who would have a poor outlook. ### Affordable Housing provisions **Housing Policy 5 states:-** In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the Department will normally require that 25% of provision should be made up of affordable housing. This policy will apply to developments of 8 dwellings or more. The Departments Estates and Housing Directorate have considered the application and consider 8 affordable houses for the sale to first time buyers under the HPAS 2004 Scheme would be appropriate. This application has not indicated that any of the proposed dwellings would be for affordable housing and therefore is contrary to Housing Policy 5. ### Open Space The first policy that needs consideration would be Policy R/T/P6 of the Ramsey Local Plan. Policy R/T/P6 – All Areas of New Residential Development states:- Provision of open space for all areas of new residential development shall be required. This is likely to be in the region of up to 25% of the gross area, dependent upon topography, density, and existing open space. It would seem apparent that whilst the application is an approval in principle and the plans are indicative, the amount of open space required under Policy R/T/P6 would be unachievable with the amount of dwellings proposed and would impact upon the housing layout, the road layout and the parking provisions. Additional to this policy would be the Strategic Plan, Recreation Policy 3 which states:- Where appropriate, new development should include the provision of landscaped amenity areas as an integral part of the design. New residential development of ten or more dwellings must make provision for recreational and amenity space in accordance with the standards specified in Appendix 6 to the Plan. Whilst the submitted plans are indicative plans, the application has specified that 34 dwellings are proposed within the site. Therefore Recreation Policy 3 needs consideration as the development is for more than 10 dwelling. While the exact amount of open space cannot be calculated using the indicated figures as indicated within Appendix 6 due to the application being an approval in principle and not knowing exact bedroom numbers for each dwelling, it is very apparent that to accommodate the adequate amount of open space within the site would have an impact upon the residential amenity of the proposed dwelling, impact upon parking provisions and impact upon the existing poor road layout. ### Recommendation Overall it is apparent that to accommodate 34 dwellings on the site with adequate parking provisions, road layouts and open space would be un-achievable and I therefore consider the proposal would be a gross overdevelopment of the site and detrimental to private and public amenity. For these reasons the proposal would seem inappropriate in this location and therefore my recommendation is for a refusal. ### Party Status I consider that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status: Ramsey Commissioners Highways Division Estates and Housing Directorate 37 Queen's Drive West Croit-yn-Sheear, Crescent West Sherwood, Crescent Road Dalgonar, Queens Drive Ardwhallin House, West Baldwin, Braddan (owner of land south of Lhergy Vreck and Sherwood) Glen Hazel, Crescent Road 31 Queens Drive West 33 Queens Drive West Thie Boghlane, Queens Grove Hillview, Crescent Road Magher Breck, Lheaney Grove Mayside, Crescent Road Thie Bane, Crescent Road Innisfree, The Crescent West Lhergy Vreck, Crescent Road Eastleigh, Crescent Road Wynskaigh, 41 Queens Drive West 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:- Mr Jessopp ### Recommendation **Recommended Decision:** Refused **Date of Recommendation:** 11.07.2007 ### 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** **R 1.** The proposed layout would be contrary to Policy R/T/P6 of the Ramsey Local Plan and Recreation Policy 3 of the emerging Isle of Man Strategic Plan (June 2007) in that the development does not provide adequate open space provision within the proposed layout. **R 2.** The proposed development by reason of its design, layout and density will:- *Result in overintensible use of ce since* i) overdevelop the site resulting in the unacceptable road layout contrary to Manx Road 1 and Transport Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan within the area and result in noise and general disturbance to the amenity of nearby residents; and ii) parking of private motor vehicles to the front of the majority of the dwellings building line will create a poor outlook for residents and would detract from the amenity of the area R 3. The proposed development makes no provisions for Affordable Housing provisions and therefore contrary to Housing Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan. Decision Made : ... Committee Meeting Date : ... --- *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/82378-lezayre-land-off-dwelling/documents/1489587*