**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 23/00003/B — Renovation of outbuilding and installation of stainless steel flue **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2023-05-09 **Parish:** Malew **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/9849-malew-the-coach-house-outbuilding-renovation-flue/documents/964366 --- # DEC Officer Report **Application No.:** 23/00003/B **Applicant:** Mr Caldric Randall **Proposal:** Renovation of outbuilding and installation of stainless steel flue **Site Address:** The Coach House The Crofts Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LY **Planning Officer:** Mr Toby Cowell **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 27.04.2023 ## Conditions and Notes for Approval C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions - C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice. Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals. - C 2. This outbuilding which is the subject of this permission shall remain solely ancillary in nature and use to the principle dwellinghouse of The Coach House, The Crofts, Castletown. In particular, the outbuilding shall not be used as a separate independent dwellinghouse, nor shall it be used for the purposes of providing any form of tourist accommodation. Reason: This permission has been granted solely on the basis of providing ancillary habitable accommodation. Any further intensification of use of the building will require further assessment as to the planning merits by the Department. ## This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed works to the existing outbuilding are considered to be acceptable from a design perspective, without detriment to the character and appearance of the immediate locality or key views into the adjacent Conservation Area. The resultant outbuilding would remain ancillary to the principal dwellinghouse, and therefore not give rise to subsequent amenity, parking or highways considerations. The proposals are deemed compliant with General Policy 2, Environment Policies 36 and 42 and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Strategic Plan (2016). ## Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following drawings and documents; 1959-01, 1959-02, 1959-03 and 1959-04, all received 06.01.23. _______________________________________________________________ ## Interested Person Status – Additional Persons It is recommended that the following should be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings: Croft Beg, The Crofts, Castletown as they have explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. _____________________________________________________________________________ ## Officer’s Report 1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site relates to a two-storey stone outbuilding set within the curtilage of The Coach House, with the red line only encompassing the outbuilding and a small area of surrounding hardstanding. The site is accessed via a driveway shared with the adjacent properties of Donore and Croft Beg running south-eastward to the adjoining highway; The Crofts. The building is surrounded by mature trees on most sides, whilst siting adjacent to the existing hardstanding area associated with The Coach House. 2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought to renovate an existing two-storey detached outbuilding within the curtilage of The Coach House, which includes the following works: - - Replacement of existing slate roof tiles with new Cambrian slate roof; - - Insertion of 3 no. conservation style velux rooflights on each roof slope; - - Insertion of stainless steel flue connecting to a wood burner on south-western roofslope; - - Removal of existing timber shutter doors and timber window frames, and replacement with vertically laid fibre cement boarding (doors) and UPVC double glazed windows; all coloured dark grey; - - Insertion of 1.1m high glass Juliet balcony on central first-floor door on the southwestern elevation; - - Repointing of all stone walls with lime mortar; - - Lowering of part of surrounding ground level by 150mm. 2.2 The above works seek to facilitate the creation of living accommodation internally to include a bedroom, bathroom and utility room at ground floor, with an open plan kitchen/dining/lounge area at first-floor. In the interests of clarity, (and confirmed by the Applicants agent by email dated 06/01/23) the proposals do not extend to the subdivision of the plot to create a separate independent dwellinghouse within the present outbuilding, nor do they include the use of the renovated outbuilding for the purposes of providing tourist accommodation. To confirm, the use of the building for such purposes would require the submission of a further planning application/s which would be considered on their own merits. ## - 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 None of material relevance. - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as 'predominantly residential' in the Area Plan for the South and within the settlement boundary of Castletown. The site is located within close proximity to but outside of the Conservation Area to the north, east and south-east. 4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application; Strategic Policy 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact Spatial Policy 2 Development in the Service Centres General Policy 2 General Development Considerations Environment Policy 36 Development to safeguard important views into Conservation Areas 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality Transport Policy 4 Highways safety 7 Parking ## - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Castletown Commissioners - no response received at the time of writing. 5.2 Highways Services - development would have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking. The Applicant is advised to consider the provision of enclosed and secure cycle storage and electric vehicle charging point to aide Active Travel and net zero objectives. (06.01.23) 5.3 The outbuilding is an old Manx stone structure with a slate roof, located immediately adjacent to an area of broadleaved woodland. The UK Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) recommend that bat surveys are undertaken prior to the conversion or modification of all outbuildings of traditional brick or stone construction and/or with exposed wooden beams, all pre-1914 buildings with slate roofs, regardless of location and all pre-1960s detached buildings and structures within 200m of woodlands and/or water. Therefore, in order to comply with Environment Policy 4 and 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Wildlife Act 1990, the Ecosystem Policy Team request that a preliminary assessment for bats is undertaken on the building by a suitably qualified ecological consultant. If the preliminary assessment identifies the property as suitable, or if evidence of bats is found, then further surveys will be required. A report detailing the findings of the preliminary assessment and any additional surveys, alongside appropriate avoidance and mitigation measures, to ensure that bats are protected during and after development, should be submitted to Planning prior to determination of the application. (23.01.23) The Ecosystem Policy Team can confirm that the Manx Bat Group's Bat Survey Report for the Coach House, The Crofts, dated 20th February 2023, is all in order and that a suitable level of assessment has been undertaken. The Manx Bat Group concluded that the building is not being used by bats and therefore the development can proceed without bat avoidance or mitigation measures being required. We would however, encourage the applicant to consider the installation of bat boxes on the property as an enhancement for bats. Boxes should be positioned high up under the eaves on a southerly elevation, but not above windows or doors. (13.04.23) 5.4 Forestry officer - no response received at the time of writing. - 5.5 One letter of representation has been received from a neighbouring property (1 Croft Beg) with the following comments made: "The access lane to the proposed site is directly in front of my home and part of my property. I do not object to the planning application in principle but would like to comment that, as the owner of the lane, I currently maintain the small access way for the use of the three existing properties only. I would object to any renting of the proposed new property as additional residents / tenants would not have a legal right of way over my property and increased traffic would have a significant impact on the ongoing maintenance required." ## - 6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The proposals relate to the renovation of an existing domestic outbuilding to provide ancillary habitable residential accommodation with minimal external changes to the existing building. The principal of development within an area zoned as 'predominantly residential' within Castletown is acceptable in accordance with Spatial Policy 2. No concerns are raised with the external changes to the building, which would pose no material visual impact upon the character of the immediate locality or indeed the adjacent Conservation Area. Likewise, the addition of a stainless steel flue serving the proposed internal wood burner is considered to be acceptable from a visual standpoint without detriment to the amenities of surrounding residential properties. 6.2 Concerns raised by a neighbouring occupier in relation to a potential increased use of the shared access should the building be rented out are noted. However, the application has been submitted on the basis of being renovated to provide habitable ancillary accommodation and does not make reference to the subdivision of the plot to provide an independent dwelling, nor is reference made for tourist use of the building. Should such uses be sought in the future, a further planning application would need to be submitted and assessed on its own merits. No further concerns are considered apparent with respect to neighbouring amenity impact on the basis of the building remaining ancillary to the principle dwelling, with no objections raised by Highways Services. 6.3 Likewise, following the submission of the requested Bat Survey Report, it has been confirmed that the building is not being used by bats and therefore the development can proceed without bat avoidance or mitigation measures being required. - 7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposed works to the existing outbuilding are considered to be acceptable from a design perspective, without detriment to the character and appearance of the immediate locality or key views into the adjacent Conservation Area. The resultant outbuilding would remain ancillary to the principal dwellinghouse, and therefore not give rise to subsequent amenity, parking or highways considerations. The proposals are deemed compliant with General Policy 2, Environment Policies 36 and 42 and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Strategic Plan (2016), and therefore recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: - (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); - (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; - (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and - (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine: - o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and - o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status. Decision Made : Permitted Date: 09.05.2023 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/ customers and archive records. --- *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/9849-malew-the-coach-house-outbuilding-renovation-flue/documents/964366*