DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 23/01071/B Applicant: Miss Valerie Stephens Proposal: Alteration to first floor windows to form sliding doors Site Address: 5 Port Jack Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 1ED Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.11.2023

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. The proposal complies with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and in turn the Residential Design Guidance 2021.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, dated received on 12th September 2023;

• o Drawing No. 01P
• o Drawing No. 02P
• o Drawing No. 06P This decision also relates to the following drawings, dated received on 16th November 2023;
• o Drawing No. 04P Rev 1
• o Drawing No. 07P Rev 1

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

4 Royal Avenue West, Onchan as they do not satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of No.5 Port Jack, which is a two storey mid terrace property situated to the Northern end of King Edward Road. The terrace of properties are distinctive in where they are situated and in how they appear in the streetscene, with their location being upon a corner plot where King Edwards Road meets Royal Terrace meets Strathallan Road. - 1.2 The terrace of properties start with Port Jack Diner and Chippy which is situated directly on the corner and is single storey and flat roofed, next is the application site which is two storey with distinctive balcony to first floor level and a mansard roof, next is a block of three properties which match in style, all of which are three stories with balconies to the first floor level. The roofs of the three properties are mansard with dormer to the front and East roof elevation, a flat roof to the rear and a hipped roof to the Western roof elevation. - 1.3 The rear and roof of No.5 Port Jack can be seen completely from Stathallan Road, when proceeding up the hillside. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The original application proposed an extension, which has been removed from this applicant and now the current planning application seeks approval for the installation of two new sliding doors to first floor level which are to fit into the existing window space. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is one previous application which is relevant for this application which is PA23/00283/C, which was for, "Change of use from ground floor tapas restaurant and first floor apartment to solely residential (one dwelling)" and was PERMITTED. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Mixed Use" on the Area Plan for the East, Map 6 Onchan. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the residential property and the land designation paragraph 8.12.1 and General Policy 2 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are most relevant to its assessment which set out the general standards towards acceptable development, followed by Strategic Policy 5 and Environment Policy 42 which seek that new development must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity of the locality and positively contribute to the environment of the Island. - 4.3 The Residential Design Guidance 2021 is also a material consideration particularly those parts in respect of design and extensions.

4.4 Furthermore consideration shall also be given to Community Policies 7 and 11 in respect of reducing outbreak of fire and preventing criminal activity and Infrastructure Policy 5 in respect of water conservation. REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state "No Highways Interest." (22.09.23) - 5.3 Onchan Commissioners have considered the proposal and recommend it should be refused on the grounds of, "Layout and density of building design, visual appearance and finishing materials." (05.10.23) - 5.4 The owner/occupier of 4 Royal Avenue West, Onchan have written in to object against the proposed extension - the objection relates solely to any increase in roof height (18.11.23). 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)
• - other matters (RDG, CP7, 11 & IP5) 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general
• 6.2.2 Ultimately when looking at this proposal, which is just the alteration of the existing windows to the front first floor level to sliding doors, it can be seen that the first floor within all the properties in this block have large amounts of glazing and sliding doors. As such whilst the proposal will be seen from a public vantage point it is deemed that there would be no impact upon the character and appearance of the property and the streetscene as a whole.
• 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.3.1 There are no neighbouring properties to the site who would be impacted from the proposal.
• 6.3.2 It is noted that the objection from a member of the public related to an element of the scheme which has been removed.

- 6.4 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.4.1 The proposed works are an alteration to an already existing dwelling, as such the proposal is not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal actively or spread of fire. The proposal is not expected to create any additional impacts in the way of water run off or water usage. CONCLUSION

7.1 The planning application would be an acceptable form of development that has been designed to ensure that it would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties and would comply with General Policy 2 and the principles of the Residential Design Guide. 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 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 : 21.11.2023 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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