Officer Report

Application No.: 16/00162/B Applicant: Department Of Home Affairs Proposal: Erection of a single storey extension to rear elevation Site Address: Drill Hall Cottages Tromode Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5PA Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the immediate curtilage of the former drill hall cottages, situated to the rear of the former drill hall, most recently the headquarters of the Isle of Man Water Authority and now operated by the Department of Home Affairs. The drill hall cottages have approval for use as offices (15/00957/C). - 1.2 The cottages are tucked away at the back of the site out of public view even from Douglas Road to the south east, which is higher than the application site and separated from it by trees. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is a rear extension to the two storey building to provide additional space shown as a lecture room. The extension is to the south of the building and will be single storey with a hipped roof to match the existing albeit at a shallower pitch, and with a footprint of 9.4m by 6.6m. - 2.2 All external finishes are to match the existing building (ie render and imitation slates). PLANNING STATUS

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan of 1998 as an area of Civic, Cultural or other Special Use which includes Civil Defence, Central Government and Police Headquarters with which the current and approved use by DHA complies. PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications for alterations to the existing buildings indicating that it will be used by DHA for storage and training purposes, amongst others. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application (22.02.16).

5.2 Douglas Borough Council indicates that they do not oppose the application (11/03/16). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issues in this case are whether there would be any adverse visual impact from the proposed works and whether the additional floor space would otherwise create any adverse impact.

6.2 The site is very well screened from public view and in any case the proposed extension is well designed to complement the existing building to which it would be attached. The additional floor

space may generate a need for additional parking, but bearing in mind that the training/lectures will be related to those already associated with the site and the applicant's business, and that there is considerable parking available within the site.

6.3 As such, it is considered that there would be no adverse impact from the proposed development and as such the application is recommended for approval. PARTY STATUS - 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, in this case Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.03.2016 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 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 05B, 06B, 08B, 09B, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 all received on 15th February, 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Director of Planning and Building Control in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 16.03.2016 Determining officer

Signed : M GALLAGHER Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

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