**Document:** Officer Report **Application:** 15/00220/B — Construction of a timber lean-to extension to rear elevation (retrospective) **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2015-04-07 **Parish:** Malew **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/5756-malew-the-abbey-restaurant-extension/documents/916098 --- # Officer Report **Application No.:** 15/00220/B **Applicant:** Bravo Foods Limited **Proposal:** Construction of a timber lean-to extension to rear elevation (retrospective) **Site Address:** The Abbey Restaurant Rushen Abbey Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3DB Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley **Photo Taken:** 18.03.2015 **Site Visit:** 18.03.2015 **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation ## Officer’s Report 1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Abbey Restaurant along with its car park to the front (east), which is situated alongside the ford at the western side of Mill Road and to the north of Rushen Abbey itself. 2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Retrospective planning approval is sought for the erection of an enclosed, wooden lean-to extension to the rear elevation and within two wings of the building that extend further rearward than the main body. The lean-to is adjacent a paved terrace area and is therefore publicly visible, although primarily by patrons of the restaurant and visitors to the grounds, rather than by passing motorists. - 2.2 The shelter measures 1.8m by 5.7m for the most part, although a small section (1.0m in length) is, at 2.7m, wider than the main body. It is constructed of shiplap cladding, and is entirely enclosed but for a small gate. The roof is formed of grey roofing felt. It connects to the building off the kitchen and plant room. One window of the restaurant itself overlooks the courtyard area and shelter itself. 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The site has a long but not especially contentious planning history, little of which is of direct material relevance to the current application. Small-scale alterations were approved in 1984 ("Alterations and rebuilding of beer cellar"), 2007 ("Alterations and demolition of existing rear extension"), 2009 ("Creation of a bin store, erection of fencing and removal of diseased trees"), and 2010 ("erection of conservatory to the rear elevation" and "Installation of extraction units and ducting to roof above kitchen and food store"). 4.0 PLANNING STATUS - 4.1 The site is within an area designated as a building for Civic, Cultural or Other use on Map 4 (Ballasalla) on the Area Plan for the South (2012). The site also lies within the - Silverdale Conservation Area. There are no policies within the Written Statement accompanying the Area Plan for the South that directly apply to the proposal. - 4.2 The Strategic Plan contains two policies of direct relevance. Environment Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development". - 4.3 General Policy 2 states (in part): "Development which is in accordance with the landuse 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". 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners offered no objection to the proposal on 06.03.2015. 6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Owing to the site's location within a Conservation Area, this is perhaps the main material consideration. That the works have been undertaken should neither advantage nor disadvantage the proposal. - 6.2 The works proposed are fairly small scale and would utilise materials appropriate to the main building. The shiplap cladding has been painted in a colour to match the main building and as such blends in fairly well with its surroundings. A rendered blockwork finish might have been preferable as the timber is perhaps a little incongruous with the building as a whole, which does not exhibit many other timber features. However, the lack of public views into this part of the site mean that the visual impact that the proposal would have relative to the massing and design of a building that is already attractively varied in form, style, mass and material, is such to conclude that a refusal could not be sustained. 7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is therefore recommended that the planning application be approved. - 7.2 As the works for which approval is sought have already been undertaken, and no further changes are considered necessary to require by condition, no condition relating to time limits needs to be applied to the approval notice. 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application; Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits. ## Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.04.2015 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 The approval hereby issued relates to the two plans 139/001 and 139/002, both date-stamped as having been received 26th February 2015. I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer. Decision Made : Permitted Date : 02.04.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : Jennifer Chance Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management --- *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/5756-malew-the-abbey-restaurant-extension/documents/916098*