**Document:** DEC Decision Notice **Application:** 13/00703/B — Erection of an extension to rear elevation of dwelling **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2013-08-15 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** decision / decision_notice **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/4525-braddan-7-main-extension-dwelling/documents/911493 --- # DEC Decision Notice ## Isle of Man Government Bailly: Cllan Vannin GCA Architects Carmodil Beg Studio Glen Road Ballaugh Isle Of Man IM7 5JD ### Town and Country Planning Act 1999 ### The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005 In pursuance of powers granted under the above Act and Order the Department of Infrastructure determined to APPROVE a planning application by Mr Neil \& Mrs Jane Holmes, Ref 13/00703/B, for the Erection of an extension to rear elevation of dwelling at 7 Main Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 1BA subject to compliance with the following condition(s): 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. 2. The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in full accordance with the following plan, received 18th June 2013: 669.01A. Date of Issue: 15th August 2013 ### M ballogher Director of Planning and Building Control ### Guidance Note This decision was made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority delegated to them. This permission refers only to that required under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005. Any appeal against this decision must be in writing and must be received by this Department within 21 days of the date of this notice. An appeal form and guidance notes are available from either the Planning Office, Tel 685950, or to download from the Department's website www.gov.im/transport/planning/plan/applications/decision.xml Please note that a copy of the Officer's report which led to the decision, together with correspondence relative to the application, are available for inspection at the Department. The proposed development must not be commenced until either; - The time for requesting an appeal has expired; or - Any appeal has been determined; Whichever is the later. If no appeal is lodged within 21 days of the date of issue overleaf, and this decision becomes final, the Department's public reference copy (counter copy) of the planning application may be collected by the applicant or their agent from Murray House. Please note that if the counter copy of the application is not collected within THIRTY DAYS following the last date on which a planning appeal can be made it will be destroyed without further notice. Department of Infrastructure, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2SF Tel (01624 685950) email; planning@gov.im 13/00703/B ### Officer's Report [Table omitted in markdown export] #### 1.0 The Site 1.1 The application site is 7 Main Road, Onchan, which is an end-terrace dwelling located relatively central to the settlement and just beyond its commercial centre. Main Road is itself flat although Victoria Avenue, which runs to the side of the application site and perpendicular to Main Road, slopes up quite steeply from its junction with Main Road. 1.2 A variety of uses are in the immediate vicinity – retail, residential, office, petrol station – although residential dwellings lie to the immediate southwest/northwest/northeast. A variety of building uses and designs are therefore evident, even amongst the residential units. 1.3 The application dwelling is two storeys in height, and has a pair of rooflights to the front elevation; it is part of a small terrace (3 dwellings) that presents a coherent pattern of bay windows, subtle renders and grey slate tiling. The terrace is of a traditional style and sits high and back from Main Road, reflecting the slope of the land. Number 9 Main Road sits on the other side of Victoria Avenue, and has a walled garden to the front and side. The nearest dwelling to the rear – on Victoria Avenue – is 23m distant #### 2.0 The Proposal 2.1 Approval is sought for a rear extension at both ground and first floor levels. The extension would provide a larger kitchen and new water closet at the ground floor, and a new dressing room and ensuite bathroom to an existing bedroom at the first floor. The footprint of the dwelling would increase by 14sqm to 74sqm, with additional floorspace over both storeys of 24sqm. The kitchen/WC ground floor element would have a pitched roof above within which would sit a rooflight. Three further windows, plus French doors, are proposed to the rear elevation, which would have a pitched roof at second storey level with a gable end facing the back yard. A rooflight is proposed for the roof facing number 5 Main Road. Finally, a window is proposed for the existing ground floor gable overlooking Victoria Avenue. 2.2 According to the plans, the proposed finishings would match those of the existing dwelling: off-white render; grey slate tiles; uPVC windows and doors. ## 3.0 Planning History 3.1 The application site has been the subject of several previous planning applications, two of which are considered of material relevance to this planning application: - 91/00612 - construction of detached garage - refused - 92/00555 - construction of garage - approved #### 4.0 Development Plan Policies 4.1 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan (adopted 2007) is an extensive policy, outlining the presumption in favour of development that complies with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of the Strategic Plan. The following parts of General Policy 2 are relevant to the determination of this planning 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, and (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality' 4.2 Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Strategic Plan sets out the presumption in favour of granting planning permission for extensions to existing dwellings in built-up areas where such a proposal would have no adverse impact on the surrounding area or neighbouring properties. 4.3 In terms of local policy, the site is within an area zoned as "Mixed Use - Residential / Office / Retail" in the Onchan Local Plan Order 2000 (Map No. 1). #### 5.0 Consultations 5.1 Onchan Parish Commissioners recommend the application be approved. 5.2 The Highways Department do not oppose the application as it has no traffic management, parking or road safety implications. #### 6.0 Assessment 6.1 Approval is sought for a double-storey rear extension to 7 Main Road, Onchan. Several windows are also proposed. The finishings are proposed to match those of the existing dwelling. 6.2 Turning first to the planning history, which although old is considered relevant as the location of the proposed garage in both instances was to the rear of the property, much as the extension proposed here is. The first application was refused on the basis of its poor design and access onto the highway, while the second was considered to resolve both these issues. Whether the approval was implemented is unknown, as no garage was evident from the site visit. 6.3 There are three key issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application: firstly, the impact of the proposed extension on the amenities of the residents of numbers 5 and 7 Main Road and number 1 Victoria Avenue; secondly, the impact of the proposal on the existing dwelling, and thirdly the impact of the proposed development in the context of the streetscene. 6.4 In respect of neighbour amenity, no significant detrimental impact is considered likely to arise from the proposal's implementation. The extension is modest in the context of the application dwelling, and overlooks no nearby neighbour in any meaningful way. The additional window in the side elevation facing 7 Main Road is at ground floor level and, in any case, 7 Main Road has a walled garden that would largely block views into and out of this window. The proposed rooflight in the second storey extension would face 3 Main Road, but its height in the roofline and the fact that there is no fenestration in number 3 facing the application site reduces any negative impact to acceptable levels. Finally, in respect of 1 Victoria Avenue, which faces the majority of the proposed new windows, the distances involved ( 23 metres between dwellings at their nearest, but 28 m between the new windows and 1 Victoria Avenue) are such as to ensure no significant overbearing or loss of privacy is likely to arise from the grant of planning approval. 6.5 Secondly, and as noted, the proposal is modest in the context of the dwelling (slightly less than a $25 \%$ increase in floorspace is proposed), and as such the size, scale and mass are considered appropriate. The specifics of the design are interesting, and present a more active rear elevation than is currently the case; the roofs proposed at the ground and first floor tie in neatly with the outside store and existing rear projection respectively. The intention to match finishings is further welcomed. No objection is raised in respect of these matters. 6.6 The nature of the zoning for the area is such that the variety of building designs is unsurprising. Moreover, the residential development in the immediate vicinity is also relatively varied in terms of massing and design, even if render is relatively commonplace. In terms of the rear projections, it is evident from the site map that there is no uniformity in the collection of five dwellings along Main Road in which the application site sits. This impression was further evident from a site visit; the variety is such as to provide an interesting and varied streetscene (noting that, although the proposal is at the rear of 7 Main Road, the extension would be eminently visible from Victoria Avenue) to the extent that the appropriateness of the both the principle and specifics of the extension is established. 6.7 As no objection is raised in respect of the three key issues, no conflict is considered to arise with General Policy 2 or paragraph 8.12 .1 of the Strategic Plan. 6.8 The proposal is not considered to affect any other material planning consideration. ## 7.0 Recommendation 7.1 It is recommended that the planning application be approved. #### 8.0 Party Status 8.1 The local authority, Onchan Parish Commissioners, is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status. 8.2 The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance. ## Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of 09.08.2013 Recommendation: ### 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. The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in full accordance with the following plan, received 18th June 2013: 669.01A. I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer. Decision Made : Permitted Date : $\qquad$ 14.18.13 $\qquad$ Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed : $\qquad$ Signed : $\qquad$ Sarah Corlett Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer Signed : $\qquad$ Signed : $\qquad$ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager PA13/00703/B Mr Neil \& Mrs Jane Holmes Erection of an extension to rear elevation of dwelling, 7 Main Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 1BA Planning Officer: Planning history and constraint detail extracted from the planning database for this site, collated for the benefit of the Planning Officer on 19.06.2013, includes; Dev Control Polygons: Reference Number: 97/01579/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Installation of uPVC windows to replace existing, 7 Main Road, Onchan. Reference Number: 92/00555/B Status: Permitted Proposal: Construction of garage, 7 Main Road, Onchan. Reference Number: 13/00703/B Status: Pending Consideration Proposal: Erection of an extension to rear elevation of dwelling Reference Number: 91/00612/B Status: Refused Proposal: Construction of detached garage, 7 Main Road, Onchan. - Some workouts from neighbors across street - Some distance from side gable of rear neighbor - Short terrace but not extension of this site in area. --- *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/4525-braddan-7-main-extension-dwelling/documents/911493*