DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00070/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Geoff Cormode Proposal: Alterations and erection of extensions Site Address: 1 Cooil Veg Andreas Isle of Man IM7 4EU Senior Planning Officer: Mr Thomas O'Connor Photo Taken: 06.03.2019 Site Visit: 06.03.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 22.03.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

• C 2. All external facing and/or roofing materials to be used shall match those of the existing building or as indicated otherwise in the submitted drawing SM18/479/1. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
• C 3. The proposed upper level gable window on the west elevation shall be glazed with obscure glass to Pilkington Level 5 or equivalent and permanently retained as such.

Reason: To safeguard the amenities of adjoining occupiers from overlooking and loss of privacy.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This decision relates to drawings reference; Planning Drawing GM18/479/1; Survey Drawing SM18/446/1 and Photographs submitted to the Department, and dated stamped 24th January 2019.

_______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The site accommodates a detached bungalow with front and rear curtilage located within a cul de sac of similar bungalows within the rural settlement of Andreas. The footprint of the bungalow is 12m x 7.3m, with a height to the ridge of just under 5m. Attached is a former garage measuring 3.5m x 5.5m but now used as additional living space. A detached timber summer house is located within the northern corner of the garden - 1.2 The application site is within an area recognised as being an area of residential use under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982. The site is not within a Conservation Area; nor within an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks to erect combined single storey rear and side extensions to the dwelling with a rear gable of 5.2m ridge height resulting in a ridge height to the extension in which a small element of this would project some 700mm above the height of the main roof of the dwelling. This part of the extension would project beyond the existing rear elevation by 7.4m and have a width of 8.6m. Two casement windows would be located to the rear of the gable created on the west at ground floor level; a single upper storey window located centrally within the gable and a casement and porch plus door positioned in the south facing side elevation of this part of the proposal. - 2.2 Attached to this at the rear would be a bedroom and living room extension 7.6m in width x 6.6m deep with heights of 2.6, to the eaves and 4.3m to the ridge of the shallow pitch gabled roof. A further addition to the living room 3.5 x 3m by 3.5m high to the ridge would project northward a further 3m into the side garden area.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Recent and relevant to this application: 18/00765/B alterations and erection of an extension - refused 12//12/2018 for reasons relating to the size, design and form of the extensions and its imposing impact which would result in a loss of privacy to 25, Oatlands Avenue. No objection was received from this property: the proposal included large flat roofed dormers in both planes of the rear extension.

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of land use designation the application site is located within a wider area of land this is designated as predominantly residential under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Provisional Order 1982. - 4.2 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 is more specific in land use zoning and 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:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (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;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;

• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (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;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Andreas Parish Commissioners state they have no objections in respect of the planning application. - 5.2 Neighbours: No observations have been received from local residents - 5.3 Highway Services: no response received in respect of this application although the following was received on 23.08.2018 in response to the previous similar application 18/00765/B

The proposal would provide additional living accommodation for the dwelling but there would be no change to the site parking demand. The existing garage appears to be used as living space according to the existing and proposed floor plans. The existing driveway is only partially served by dropped kerbs which need to be extended to cover the full driveway width at the full expense of the applicant, irrespective of the outcome of this planning application, to prevent illegal vehicle movements across the public footway. There are discrepancies in the driveway width and length on the block plan and ground floor plan on the proposed planning drawing. A revised drawing showing the proposed driveway with consistent dimensions is therefore required as it is unclear if the site parking will change from the current layout. It also needs to show the full driveway area on both these plans as at present the ground floor plan shows the driveway partially obscured by an elevation. A revised plan showing the full parking area of the existing driveway is also needed so the existing and proposed site parking areas can be compared. The 'Manual for Manx Roads' design guide specifies that a driveway space should be at least 2.5m x 5.5m in size provided that there is a separate footpath to the dwelling front door which should also be shown on the revised site plans. A S109a application letter would be needed to widen the existing vehicular crossing as the existing driveway is only partially served by dropped kerbs. The applicants are Mr and Mrs Cormode at the above address. Highway Services request that the application is deferred to allow the applicant to consider the above.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 This proposal amends and considerably reduces in scale the proposed extension which was previously refused by the removal of the upper storey element and omits both previously proposed dormers. The proposal nonetheless represents a substantial extension to the side and the rear of the dwelling. Lowering of the ridge height of the extension and the removal of the front and rear dormers significantly lessens its visual presence both within the street scene

• and in respect of neighbouring dwellings with only a small centrally positioned hip visible above the main roof line from the front.
• 6.2 Main considerations remain the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the dwelling and street scene and the impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties.
• 6.3 In terms of character and appearance, both Cooil Veg and the main road to its front, Oatlands Road, are characterised by single storey, shallow pitched roof, bungalows. To the rear of the site are two storey dwellings on Crellin Green, Bride Road.
• 6.4 Though the ridge height of the proposed extension would introduce an extension with a ridge height some 700mm higher than its host dwelling its orientation would be perpendicular to the main roof line reducing its visibility from the street to a small triangular hipped nib within the roofline. As such, the proposed extension would not be immediately apparent when viewed from the front and thereby avoid being an incongruous feature within the street scene, particularly at the junction of Cooil Veg with Oatlands Avenue. As amended, the proposal would respect the site and surroundings in terms of its scale, form and design.
• 6.5 In terms of its impact upon neighbours, the proposed extension would continue to occupy much of the rear garden space of the property. It would be positioned in close proximity to its rear boundary adjacent to a communal green space within the Crellin Green development, separated by a 3m high hedge and 2m high close boarded fence. Given that the revised drawings have significantly reduced the mass and presence of that previously proposed by removed the upper storey roof dormers and replaced with a lower double pitch ridge roof, the extension would avoid any overshadowing and loss of morning sunlight to some of the gardens in Crellin Green.
• 6.6 The new extension would be some 10 - 12m to the north of the main rear elevation of no.25 Oatland Drive sufficient to avoid any undue loss of light to this dwelling which in any case is partially obscured from view by a high hedge. The south elevation of the proposal would have a solitary rooflight facing onto No.25 and, at ground level, there would be a single casement serving the kitchen which would be obscured from view by the intervening hedge.
• 6.7 With a ridge height 5.2m (2.4m to eaves) located some 17m from the dwellings in Oatlands Avenue, the presence of the proposed extension would avoid any adverse impacts upon the residential amenities of these dwellings in terms of overshadowing or overlooking.
• 6.8 To the west, the proposal would be located close to the well screened boundary of the property with an area of public open space. No dwellings in Crellin Gardens would be directly overlooked by the single window located in the upper storey gable. Should planning permission be granted, this window can be conditioned to be obscure glazed
• 6.9 In respect of parking and highway safety, the Highway Services comments for the earlier application in respect of compliance with the Manual for Manx Roads design guide are noted. However the application seeks no change to the driveway which can accommodate two cars as shown indicatively on the plans. The dropped kerb should probably be widened to gain easier access but it appears possible to get access to both parts of the driveway from the existing dropped kerb.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 Consequently the proposed extension, as amended in this application, would be of a design consistent in terms of its massing with the character and scale of the dwelling to which it would be attached; would not be prominent within the local street scene and; would maintain the residential amenities of nearby dwellings

- 8.0 RECOMMENDATION

8.1 It is recommended that the planning application be approved. 9.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• O The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; O The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land become vested;

• o 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 O 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.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 26.03.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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