Planning Statement Replacement Dwelling

Ashley Pettit RIBA. 15th December 2016

Planning Statement in support of proposed re-siting of replacement dwelling at Croit Aust (Recent Application 16/00639/A for replacement dwelling) New Application following Email correspondence with Chris Balmer, 25 May 2016 and 22 September 2016 and subsequent site meeting with applicant, Chris Balmer and Ashley Pettit, architect, who has prepared this application.

The applicants have previously lived in Laxey and Maughold and is moving to the site with two teenage children. The intention is to develop the site as a small holding and the application describes how the building will be developed with an orchard and market garden. There is provision for a small storage building for machinery

Background:

This application is to replace an existing dwelling, Croit Aust, with a new dwelling sited further from the main road with better aspect and improved access.

There is a recent approval to replace the existing Croit Aust with a new building

• The existing dwelling is sited within wooded area close to the A9 Andrea Road
• Access is directly onto Andreas Road with restricted visibility
• Croit Aust is on a parcel of land adjacent to Aust Vane. When Aust Vane was built they were all in the same ownership and the wooded area planted as part of a landscaping of the house. Since then the two dwellings have been separated.
• There is a paddock between the boundary hedge of Aust Vane and the wooden area around Croit Aust. This is part of the land holding of Croit Aust.
• This paddock is separated from the farmland to the South of the site by established hedges. It is not economic as farmland being a poor shape but would be used as a large vegetable plot by the applicant who wishes to pursue a sustainable lifestyle.

• The paddock has access to the small feeder road which also serves Aust Vane, Aust Veg and Aust Farm. This road joins the Andreas Road on an external corner and has good sight lines in both directions.
• The applicant has purchased Croit Aust with outline permission for a replacement dwelling on the site of the existing.
• Their preference is to re-site the house on the paddock beyond the wooded area.
• The new house would be set well back from the road and in a similar position to Aust Vane in this regard.
• The siting of the new dwelling provides a good open aspect for the new building with views South towards Ramsey and the hills beyond. It is not overlooked by Aust Vane and is not easily visible from the Andreas Road and public footpaths. What view is provided from the Andrea Road will be of a traditional building in accordance with Planning Circular 3/91
• Access to the new dwelling would be from the feeder road and existing gated entrance, through an orchard and into the woodland. There is sufficient space for the access between the trees. This has been discussed with DEFA who have also granted detailed permission for the removal of a number of trees to allow the wooded area to mature further.
• The site of the existing dwelling will be used as a open space to manage the woodland. The building would be demolished.
• The new house will have a footprint of 113 m 2 and a floor area of 212 m 2 excluding the accessible roof space.
• The new dwelling has three bedrooms. The large kitchen provides for processing the produce from the site. Other rooms are modest in size. This is a working house as part of the land holding.
• The proportions of the building visible from Andrea Road are based on the guidance provided in Planning Circular 3/91 which provides a typical dimension of $11 \mathrm{mx} 5.5 \mathrm{~m}$, this house is $13.2 \mathrm{mx} 6.8 \mathrm{~m}$ and therefore has similar proportions. It is set in landscape with the usual residential clutter of cars, washing lines, bins and trampolines hidden from view.
• The building will be carefully constructed to provide a sustainable and energy efficient house and the surrounding land will be well managed to provide food and fuel. The scheme has been developed with the help of Oakwrights who have produced an initial design whose dimensions have been used in the application. Their typical section is included with the application documents

Construction and appearance: The building is of timber construction with rendered walls painted in a light colour with a slate roof and rendered chimneys. The windows are aluminium or painted timber of traditional design with solid timber doors and a traditional porch visible from the road. At the rear of the property the rear extension has some large timber framed windows typical of Oakwrights house style which has been used on the Island over the last 15 years on various buildings.

The storage building will also be timber framed and rendered with a slate roof similar to the house.

There will be a new aerobic biodisc sewage treatment plant for the new house and the water and electricity services will be extended from the existing house position. The house will be heated by solid fuel sustainably managed from the adjacent woodland.

Planning Advice: The applicants first contacted Senior Planning Officer Chris Balmer when considering purchasing the site in May 25th and was given advice regarding the status of the present building and land holding.

There were also advised to speak to DEFA regarding the trees. DEFA were very helpful and advised that certain trees should be removed to allow the remaining trees to developed. Although the application only shows the area of trees in a representational manner these trees have all be recorded by DEFA and approval has been given regarding the advice obtained. DEFA have also advised regarding forming a driveway through the trees as indicated on the application. This was partly in response to a suggestion made by Chris Balmer on seeing the first sketch scheme by the architect where the new drive was more evident and followed the hedge line.

The new drive through the trees will be formed to be compliant with BS5837 2012 Section 7.4.2 Note 1

• provides suitable stable running surface for required track
• A non dig solution with no mechanical damage to existing tree roots
• Significant reduction in the loads transferred from the track to the tree roots
• prevents harmful compaction of the soils in the root protection area
• provides a porous and uncompacted structure that enables the tree's essential supply of water and oxygen to be maintained
• eliminates the risk of a potential fine for causing damage or death of protected trees