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Application No.: 18/00348/B Applicant: Dr Janette & Mr Christopher Gledhill Proposal: Erection of a garage with link extension to dwelling Site Address: Crofton (formerly Tighnabruaich) Pooilvaaish Road Arbory Isle Of Man IM9 4PJ Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 19.04.2018 Site Visit: 19.04.2018 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.05.2018 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
This decision relates to drawings 3C, 12C, 13B and 14A all received on 3rd April, 2018. _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons none _____________________________________________________________________________
THE APPLICATION IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DUE TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE
1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of a dwelling known as 'Crofton', which is a recently constructed dwelling, built in place of the former dwelling 'Tighnabruaich' and of a traditional character and appearance other than a few small details as built - the chimneys are not as substantial and do not appear above the ridge line and the windows do not have bands or cills, all contrary to what was and is shown in the application drawings for the current and previous applications. The absence of cills and banding do not make a significant difference to the appearance or character of the property as viewed by the public passing the site, but the short stacks do and the applicant has agreed to remedy this in due course. - 1.2 Tighnabruaich, which has recently been demolished, was a detached dwelling of traditional Manx vernacular, situated north of the winding Pooilvaaish Road roughly 500m south of that road's westernmost unction with the A5 coast road. It was situated in its own grounds, some 60m from the highway, and although it had been much-altered in the past its traditional countryside vernacular origins remained evident. - 1.3 While the dwelling was in an isolated position, there is a single other dwelling adjacent, known as 'Spindrift'. This is not of a traditional vernacular but is uniquely designed. There are other isolated dwellings and pairs of dwellings in the area, as well as the Pooil Vaaish Farm and quarry, but the area is very much characterised by its openness and its coastal location. These properties are traditional in style, some, such as Pooilvaaish Cottage, having been extended in a not overly sympathetic manner and many being very close to the road and easily visible therefrom. By comparison, the application property is well set back from the road although clearly visible therefrom. What is apparent is a traditionally proportioned property (although the chimneys are not as tall as a vernacular property would have been or as shown in the approved drawings and there don't appear to be the concrete cills which were shown on the drawings) with a modern annex to the right. To the left of the house is presently an open space before the boundary with Spindrift which includes two trees which are visible from the road. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Proposed is the erection of a garage with a link to the house. This will sit to the north west of the existing dwelling. The site plan shows the canopies of the existing trees which overhang the north western boundary of the site. - 2.2 The garage is required to accommodate the charging point for their electric vehicle, to provide this under cover and also to provide storage for their garden and recreational equipment. The undercover accommodation for the charging point is considered important due
3.1 The site falls within an area of land not zoned for any particular kind of development on the Area Plan for the South. In view of the nature of the proposal, it is appropriate to be mindful of Housing Policy 14 of the Strategic Plan as well as General Policy 2. Planning Circular 3/91 provides some useful guidance - more or less as outlined in the applicants' supporting statement - while Environment Policy 35 and Planning Circular 1/98 do not apply in this instance as the dwelling lies outwith a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Housing Policy 15 provides guidance on the extension of existing traditionally styled dwellings in the countryside as follows:
"The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)."
3.3 It is also worth taking into account that properties are usually able to benefit from the provisions of The Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012. This usually enables householders to construct garages and extensions, amongst other things, without having to apply for planning approval. In this case, the Order was suspended through the application of conditions on previous applications 15/01346/B, 16/00780/B and 17/00240/B in respect of the erection of garaging and extensions to the dwelling. PLANNING HISTORY
2.1 16/00780/B sought approval for a replacement dwelling and was approved. This followed an earlier approval issued for a dwelling of essentially identical design but without the basement rooms along with some concomitant light wells - PA 15/01346/B. Both these applications remain extant but the relevant one in this case is the 2016 approval. No calculation of the increase in floor area was included in the application and there were no existing floor plans provided with the application so this cannot be provided although the reporting officer states this to be less than 50%. The officer reporting on that application recommended to the Committee that:
"With this in mind, the overall design approach has resulted in what is considered to be an appropriate negotiated middle ground. The dwelling is by no means wholly traditional, and yet its principal feature at the important frontage will be that of Manx countryside vernacular. While the other, smaller elements will sit alongside this, and potentially be quite visually distracting (particularly in the case of the side 'extension'), they will not completely undermine the design."
2.2 17/00240/B sought and gained approval for the removal of a condition which required prior permission for the replacement of the windows in the new dwelling. REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Arbory Parish Commissioners make no comment (02.05.18).
"12. Housing Policy 14 addresses proposals for replacement rural dwellings but it no longer has direct application here, for two reasons. First, were there an aim in the Strategic Plan opposed in principle to subsequent extensions, it would have been simple to have incorporated this into the stated Policy. Housing Policy 11, for example, includes just such a provision with regard to dwellings created by the conversion of rural buildings. Housing Policy 14 is however, silent on the issue. Second, Housing Policy 15 does have direct application. Its preamble paragraph 8.12.1 has the heading "Extensions to properties in the countryside" and starts: "As there is a general policy against development in the Island's countryside, it is important that where development exists, either in an historic or recently approved form, it should not, when altered or extended detract from the amenities of the countryside..." The paragraph continues by outlining the types of consideration that might cause or avoid such detraction, leading on to the stated Housing Policy 15...In other words the considerations are a qualitative assessment of impact combined, other than exceptionally, with a quantitative cap on floor space relative to the existing building. The suspension of permitted development rights at the approved and now erected house is a process rather than policy tool, serving to ensure that proposals may be assessed on individual merit, not that they will necessarily be refused".
6.2 It is also relevant that whilst attached to the main building by a glazed link, and therefore is an extension of the property, the raison d'etre for the "extension" is to provide a garage and storage space, not additional living accommodation. This distinction is also made in the Permitted Development Order which provides for both extensions and garages as separate entities. The PDO does not preclude the erection of attached garages.
6.3 The proposed garage and link are subsidiary to the main core building which is higher and larger in mass and significantly less than 50% of the floor area of the existing dwelling. The use of a ridge running at right angles to that of the adjacent main building assists in preserving the importance and character of the main house. Whilst the overall building will be lengthened by the proposal, the changing height will reduce its impact and preserve the character which was intended by the original scheme. The fact that the site is exposed is a material consideration and the desire to promote reduced emission transport modes, as well as renewable energy-sourced transport if the electric vehicle is powered by solar generated electricity is also in line with Government and the Strategic Plan objectives to combat climate change and improve the environment. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The application is considered to accord with HP15 and is supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : …Permitted.. Committee Meeting Date:…21.05.2018
Signed :………S CORLETT….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
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