Planning Officer Report

Planning Officer Report And Recommendations {{table:21674}}

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the residential curtilage of a two storey detached property to the south of Larch Hill residential highway on Hightonwood Hill in Tromode, Douglas. It has a garden area to the front and rear. The eastern side elevations of the property run tightly along the rear boundary of a semi-detached dwelling on nearby Cedar Walk. The opposite side elevation of the property, in comparison, is set further back from the curtilage boundary that borders a similar sized detached dwelling, The southern-most boundary of the site - 17 metres from the principal rear elevation of the application property - borders the rear garden of 23 Cedar Walk.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the creation of a doorway from an existing window on rear elevation of dwelling.

Planning History

1. The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within an area designated for Predominantly Residential use in the Douglas (North) Local Plan 1998. There are no policies that accompanies the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. 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".

Representations

1. Douglas Borough Council has no objection to the proposal.

Assessment

1. The proposal would not be readily visible from a principal public thoroughfare and therefore would not adversely affect the character of the street-scene or public amenity. The scale of the proposal would not significantly alter the character of the dwelling. It would not create a new viewing situation or intensify and existing situation, and therefore it is not considered the proposal would adversely affect the private amenity of neighbouring residents. Overall, the proposal complies with the relevant provisions of General Policy 2 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommendation

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, Douglas Borough Council 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: 10.09.2012

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 the creation of a doorway on rear elevation from existing window, as shown in drawing no. 1164.1, 1:1250 scale Location Plan and 1:500 scale Site Plan, all received on 6th August 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 : 11-9-12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : Sonnett Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager