DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 20/00447/B Applicant: Mr Edward Dennis & Mrs Dawn Dennis Proposal: Alterations to existing garage to create additional living space Site Address: The Coach House Ballagawne Road Ballabeg Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 4LF Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.06.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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. The proposed accommodation created through the conversion works shown in this application, shall be used only as part of the existing residential in the main dwelling and all shall be used as one planning unit of a single dwelling and the proposed accommodation may not be used, let or sold separately.

Reason: the application is not for the creation of a new unit of living accommodation and has not been assessed as such. If the accommodation were to be used as a separate unit of accommodation there could be implications for car parking which have not been considered.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The works are considered to accord with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policy CA/2.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to drawings 010, 020 sheet 1 and 050 all received on 5th May, 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of an existing dwelling and detached garage which sit on the corner of the main road through Ballabeg (A7) and the B43 which travels north to join the Colby Glen Road heading towards Ronague. - 1.2 The existing house is a mix of heights, roof pitches, the original building having been extended over time. The windows throughout are side hung outward opening casements. - 1.3 The previous owner possessed a number of vehicles which resulted in him applying for an additional, free standing garage which sits on the corner of the two roads. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the conversion of the integral garage to additional living accommodation. - 2.2 The works include the replacement of the wide garage door with two large windows which are larger than any otherwise on this elevation and which appear to open by virtue of two top quarter opening casements. The existing first floor window above will be retained as is. - 2.3 The site retains at least two full size car parking spaces (see below).

PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as Predominantly Residential, surrounded by the Churchyard of Arbory Parish Church and within the village Conservation Area. - 3.2 As such, the following parts of the Strategic Plan are relevant:

General Policy 2: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use 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;

• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways".

3.3 The Department has recently published the Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) which provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property.

3.5 Environment Policy 35 and the Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man both require the special character of a CA to be taken into account in the determination of development proposals and for development to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area.

• PLANNING HISTORY
• 4.1 The garage was approved under 10/00722/B and a further extension added under 14/00512/B. REPRESENTATIONS
• 5.1 Highway Services have no objection to the application (19.05.20).

5.2 Arbory Parish Commissioners have no comment on the application (26.05.20). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Were the proposed windows to be the same size as others in the elevation in which they sat, the proposal would comply with the requirements for conversions of garages under the Permitted Development Order (Class 26). However, the site lies within a Conservation Area where such work is not permitted without planning approval, in order to ensure that all development complies with the relevant policies which seek to protect the special character of the area. As such, the issue here is whether the works would have any adverse effect on the special character of the CA and whether the works preserve or enhance it.

6.2 The existing garage door is not particularly sympathetic to the character of the property and its replacement with windows which reflect the style of the windows throughout the dwelling, if not their size or opening style and therefore have a neutral or marginally positive impact on the appearance and character of the property and therefore the same impact on the surrounding area.

6.3 The works retain at least two full sized parking spaces in addition to those available in the existing detached garage. - 6.4 The proposed layout does not indicate that the new accommodation will be used as a separate unit of accommodation and whilst it does not currently contain a kitchen or bathroom, could be internally re-arranged to accommodate these facilities and be used separate from the existing dwelling. As such, it is important to include a condition to control this.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The works are considered to accord with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 policy CA/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 in Article 6(4) 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 24.06.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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