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Application No.: 25/90014/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs John & Jannina Holmes Proposal: Construction of rear conservatory and roof terrace (retrospective) Site Address: Sunny Crest Somerset Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5AE Planning Officer: Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.03.2025 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. Within three month of the approval, the balustrade on the south elevation, shall be installed and glazed with obscure glass to Pilkington Level 5 or equivalent. The panel shall be fixed in place and shall be no lower than 1.8 metres above the floor level of the roof terrace on which it has been installed. The balustrade shall thereafter be permanently retained as such.
Reason: To safeguard the amenities of adjoining occupiers from overlooking and loss of privacy in accordance with General Policy 2.
The proposed extension and roof terrace do not harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The proposal is also considered to have no additional impact on the neighbouring property with the conditions attached. It is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan.
This approval relates to the documents, location plan, site plan, existing plans and elevations, proposed plans and elevations and photos, which have all been submitted on 10th January 2025.
_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal
It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should NOT be given the Right to Appeal because: Department of Infrastructure - No objection
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is Sunny Crest, Somerset Road, Douglas, a two-storey end-of-terrace house located east of the corner of Thorny Road and Somerset Road. - 1.2 The terrace houses runs along Somerset Road. They consist of four well-preserved 1930s-style unit. The four units are split into two pair where each pair is symmetrical on their shared boundary line. There is a half-unit-width two-storey rear extension at the rear of each unit. For the two end-terrace units, their two-storey extension runs next to the side elevation. For the two mid-terrace units, their two-storey extension runs next to the shared boundary line. The length of the two-storey extension for the end-of-terrace unit is longer than that of the mid-terrace unit. - 1.3 The application house is the end-of-terrace unit at the north. Together with the midterrace house, the two appears and in the form of a semi-detached house. The mid-terrace house has a full-plot-width mono-pitched-roof single-storey rear extension wrapped around the two-storey extension. - 1.4 Ellesmere Terrace sits behind the application building and faces Thorny Road. Cronkbourne Avenue is parallel to Thorny Road and consists of semi-detached and terraced house. The rear of both terrace are visible from the window on the rear elevation of the application terrace.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks retrospective approval to erect a single-storey rear extension with a roof terrace. - 2.2 The rear extension is about half the width of the house and approx. 3.5m long. It bounds the existing two-storey extensions on the north and the neighbouring single-storey rear extension. It has a casement window and a door on its rear elevation. There are steps leading into the rear garden. - 2.3 The roof of the rear extension is half flat roof and half mono-pitched roof. There is a rooflight on the mono-pitched roof. The flat roof is approx. 1.8m long, and there are glass balustrades around it. The window on the first floor of the rear elevation has been replaced with a patio door. There is also an access door to a storage area at the bottom of the extension.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Certificate of Lawful Development for the erection of a garden shed was AGREED under PA 24/01250/LAW.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY Site Specific - 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Predominantly Residential in the Area Plan for the East. - 4.2 The site is within the Selborne Drive Conservation Area. - 4.3 Selborne Drive Conservation Area Character Appraisal states: "The area contains a high quality mix of properties, which are predominantly residential and are principally of the Edwardian or Arts and Crafts style of Architecture. The vast number of properties in the area appear to be well cared for and retain many qualities which together are worth of protection and enhancement."
Strategic Policy
4.3 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 has the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
PPS and NPD
4.4 Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man is the only adopted PPS. It provides supplementary policy on developments within any conservation area.
5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Legislation - 5.1 Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) states, "(4) Where any area is for the time being a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in the area, of any powers under this Act". This sets out the approach to be taken in determining planning applications, which includes giving great weight to the asset's conservation when considering the impact of a proposed development on the asset. Given that the site is within a Conservation Area, the above requirements apply and appropriate consideration will be given in section 7. Strategy and Guidance - 5.2 The Residential Design Guide (July 2021) has the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 6.1 Douglas Borough Council has not commented at the time of the report (10.03.2025). - 6.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (14.01.2025).
7.0 ASSESSMENT Conservation Areas Statutory Test - 7.1 Before assessing elements of the proposal, as it is within a Conservation Area, a test should be applied to this proposal as mentioned in 5.1. It is whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area. - 7.2 The section of the Selborne Drive Conservation Area has a variety of buildings style. 1930s-style terraced house is, while not a major element, but still a positive contribution to the character of the area. - 7.3 The single-storey rear extension is subordinate and given its relationship to the neighbouring properties will not be visible from public view other than the access lane that runs to the rear of the site and from the neighbouring gardens. - 7.4 A roof terrace is not common in the Selborne Drive Conservation Area. This being said, given the size, positioning and materials of the roof terrace is it is not considered to impact the overall character of the house within the streetscene. Therefore, the roof terrace is considered to preserve the character of the Conservation Area.
7.5 In summary, the proposal is considered to preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and passes the test. Elements of Assessment - 7.6 The key considerations of this application are its impact on the house itself, the character and streetscene of the area and neighbouring amenities. Design of the House Itself - 7.7 As mentioned in 7.2-7.4, the proposal is not considered to harm the design of the house. Character and Appearance - 7.8 The proposal is not readily visible to the public, so it is considered to have no impact on the appearance of the area. - 7.9 As mentioned in 7.2-7.4, the proposal is considered to have no negative impact on the character of the Area. Neighbouring Amenities - 7.10 The proposed extension is similar in size and siting to the neighbouring single-storey extension and is therefore considered to have no additional overbearing or overshadowing concerns. - 7.11 Overlooking is a natural concern for roof terraces in densely built areas. In this case, the only additional overlooking created is to the mid-terrace house next door, an obscure screen can be conditioned to remove this additional element of overlooking.
8.0 CONCLUSION - 8.1 The proposed extension and roof terrace do not harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The proposal is also considered to have no additional impact on the neighbouring property with the conditions attached. Therefore, the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide and is recommended for an approval.
9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE - 9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status, and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 13.03.2025 Determining Officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
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