Planning Officer Report

Planning Officer Report And Recommendations {{table:16243}} {{table:16242}}

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the curtilage of Motors and Mowers, Station Road, Kirk Michael. The main uses implemented within the curtilage of the site are office and retail.

1. The site is set in an urban area with a variety of surrounding uses, although residential is the predominant use in the area. A bank building, built before 1921, is located on the other side of Strand Road which the front elevation of the application property faces onto. A residential dwelling lies adjacent to the site on its north-western side boundary, whilst the opposite side elevation lies adjacent to the village's main road, but are divided by virtue of a traditional stone wall. The rear elevation of the property border's a single storey dwelling with a pitched roof, with both sites being divided by virtue of a wooden fence, rising approximately 1.5 metres above the surface of the application site level.

1. The building on the site has a variable height. The repair garage half of the building has a similar height to a two storey building with a pitched roof, where as the adjoining showroom and office space has a single storey. The front of the building is set approximately 5 metres back from the road, whilst the rear elevation is set approximately 1 metre back from the boundary fence.

The Proposal

1. The proposal is the removal of window to install a UPVC door to create a maintenance doorway to rear elevation wall. The doorway will be 800mm wide and 2000mm in height from the ground.

Planning History

1. Whilst the application site has been the subject of previous planning applications it is considered that none of these are specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

Planning Policy

1. The application site is recognised as a 'works' in the Kirk Michael Local Plan 1994. There are no policies within the written statement that accompanies the local plan that are considered

specifically material to the assessment of the planning application. The application site also falls within the Kirk Michael Conservation Area, which was adopted in 2006 under the Kirk Michael Conservation Order 2006.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application and are stated below:

General Policy 2 states:

"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".

Environment Policy 35 states:

"Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development".

Representations

1. No representations were made within the statutory time period.

Assessment

1. The proposal is modest and in-keeping with the building on the application site. It is not considered to be in clear public view and therefore will not adversely impact on public visual amenity or character of the conservation area. As such, it is considered that the proposal complies with points' b, c, and g of General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommenation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

The local authority, Michael Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 10.02.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to installation of a doorway to the rear elevation as shown in drawing no. 01 Rev P1 and 02, received on 11 January 2012.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 13/2/12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : _________________________ Sarach Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager