DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00900/B Applicant: Mrs Sara Jones Proposal: Erection of timber steps from first floor to elevated garden (retrospective) Site Address: Bridge House Dalby Isle Of Man IM5 3BP Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 16.10.2023

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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

Overall the staircase is used in conjunction with the residential use of the property and is not considered to be detrimental to the surrounding area nor the property itself, as such it is deemed to be an acceptable form of development which would not cause harm to the main dwelling nor the surrounding streetscene.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 20th July 2023;

• o Location Plan
• o Drawing No. PL-01 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of Bridge House, Dalby which is a traditional two storey property situated to the South East of the Dalby Road. - 1.2 Due to the topography of the site and the surrounding area, the property is situated at a much lower level that the garden which is situated to the South of the site. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the retrospective approval of wooden stairs which go from the first floor of the property up to the garden. - 2.2 The stairs measure 2.03 in width with a 1.02m platform which is situated 1.52m above ground floor level. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The previous applications are not relevant in the assessment of this application. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Not for Development" and an "Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance," on the 1982 Development Plan, South Map. The site is not situated within a Conservation Area, nor a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 In terms of planning policy, the key policies are Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15 in respect of the visual assessment of the proposal within the streetscene and rural area, along with the general standards towards development as set out in General Policy 2. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summary;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state "No Highways Interest." (04.08.23/11.08.23)

5.3 No comments have been received from Patrick Commissioners at the time of writing this report. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - impact on neighbouring amenity (GP2, g)

- 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 When looking at the character and appearance of the proposal, it can be seen that whilst views of the staircase are available when driving North to South, with it being unlikely views are seen when driving South to North, whilst this is the case, the speed that is likely means that views of the staircase will be minimal.

• 6.2.2 Overall the most impact from the staircase would be the upper half and the fencing surrounding the upper garden, both of which are unimposing when viewed from the streetscene. Overall the design and location of the staircase means that it does not project forwards of the building line and is proportionate to its use without dominating the side elevation.

- 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

6.3.1 The level and scale of development proposed here, especially being situated to the South of the property and deemed to be relatively modest, as such it is not judged to cause harm to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse or considered to harm any neighbouring amenity.

CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall the staircase is used in conjunction with the residential use of the property and is not considered to be detrimental to the surrounding area nor the property itself, as such it is deemed to be an acceptable form of development which would not cause harm to the main dwelling nor the surrounding streetscene.

7.2 As such the proposal complies with the principles of Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15 and General Policy 2.

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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management 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 : 16.10.2023

Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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