Planning Officer Report

Officer's Report

Application No.:	13/00383/B
Applicant:	Mr & Mrs Clifford Teare
Proposal:	Erection of a replacement detached garage
Site Address:	Woodlands Lezayre Road Glen Tramman Ramsey Isle Of Man IM7 2AW
Case Officer:	Miss Melissa McKnight
Photo Taken:	16.04.2013
Site Visit:	16.04.2013
Expected Decision Level:	Officer Delegation

The Application Site

1. The application site is the residential curtilage of Woodlands, a two storey detached property sited on the northern side of the A3 Lezayre Road, Lezayre.
2. The surrounding area is characterised by sparsely distributed detached dwellings and established farm holdings. The dwellings within the immediate area are primarily sited back from the highway and screened by natural vegetation and belts of trees.

The Proposal

1. This current planning application seeks the approval for the demolition of the existing single garage and erection of a new three car detached garage.
2. The proposed garage would measure 11.5 metres wide, have a depth of just less than 7.5 metres and would have a maximum height of 4.5 metres. The existing garage measures 3 metres wide and would have a depth of 5 metres.
3. The proposed garage would be finished in materials to match the existing.

Planning History

1. Planning permission was granted in 2006 for the additional use of cottage annexe as self catering tourist accommodation under PA 05/92245/C. Prior to this planning approval, planning permission was sought under PA 04/01478/B for the erection of two storey extension on north west elevation in 2004. Also in 2004 planning permission was sought for the erection of a detached triple garage to replace existing single garage similar to this current scheme which was granted planning approval under PA 04/00708/B. Planning permission was also granted in 1997 for the Alterations and extensions to dwelling under PA 97/00936/B.

Planning Policy

1. The application site is within an area designated as Woodland not zoned for development, under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982.

1. In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

• (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10);
• (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11);
• (c) previously developed land(1) which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment;
• (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14);
• (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services;
• (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry;
• (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and
• (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage."

Environment Policy 1: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an overriding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative."

Environment Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted where it would result in the unacceptable loss of or damage to woodland areas, especially ancient, natural and semi-natural woodlands, which have public amenity or conservation value."

Representations

1. Lezayre Parish Commissioners and Highways Division have no objection to the current planning application.

Assessment

1. As identified within the Planning History section of this report previous planning approval has been granted in 2004 for a detached triple garage. However, one must take regard that this planning application was submitted and assessed prior to the introduction of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2207 and would therefore not have been assessed against the relevant policies.
2. The important impacts to consider in the assessment of this current planning application are the impacts of the proposal on the visual and public amenity of the locality.
3. The application site dwelling is visible from a main public thoroughfare and is set below the highway. The existing garage is set further back and is only partially visible from a

main public thoroughfare if one was travelling by foot. For one travelling by vehicle, the existing garage is not visible given the existing height of the boundary wall and position of the garage below the highway. Whilst the proposed garage is to be significantly larger than the existing, it is deemed that any views gained would not be of a scale to cause harm to the visual amenity of the landscape nor harm the public amenity of those with the locality.

1. The proposed garage would be erected on the boundary of Long acre, XXX metres from the neighbouring property which is set below the application site. However, it is considered that given the existing hedgerow boundary possibly just the roof of the new garage would be visible which is deemed minimal and not of a scale to warrant a reason for refusal.

1. The proposed garage would be single storey and would remain subordinate to the house and would appear as a garage to be used incidental to the main dwellinghouse.

1. The proposed development, whilst of a larger scale than what it is to replace, is not considered to be of a scale that would cause a detrimental harm to the character and quality of the landscape or impact on the area of woodland.

Recommendation

1. Overall it is concluded that the planning application does not accord to the provisions of General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

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

Party Status

1. The local authority is, Lezayre Parish Commissioners, is 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.

1. The Highway Authority is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the Planning Authority is part. As such, the Highway Authority cannot be afforded party status in this case.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 07.05.2013

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 for the erection of a replacement detached garage relates to drawing number SM12/290/2 and SM12/290/3 all date stamped 28th March 2013.

C 3. The proposed detached garage may be used only for the storage of motor vehicles and domestic items all in association with the main dwellinghouse 'Woodlands'.

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...5...13............

Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................