DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00772/B Applicant: Barmerlea Limited Proposal: Proposed change of use from office to residential use and associated works to frontage, replacing shop front with new windows and an entrance door. Creation of first floor terrace Site Address: 15 Peel Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4LP Planning Officer: Mr Toby Cowell Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.02.2024

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The proposed rendering to be used in the finishing of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing building.

Reason: To ensure that the finished appearance of the development will match the remaining part of the building and to enhance the character and visual amenities of the area.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed development is acceptable in terms of its form and design by providing an additional residential unit in a highly sustainable location, without detriment to the character and appearance of the locality or the amenities of surrounding residential properties, whilst providing a good standard of amenity for future occupants. The proposals are therefore deemed to comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 3, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 36 and 42 and Transport Policy 7 (and associated appendix 7) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following drawings referenced; 4610/P1C Received 25.09.23 4610/S1 4610/EX Received 06.07.23 _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 15 Peel Road, a part single storey and two storey terraced office property sited on the southern side of Peel Road, Douglas. The terrace is characterised by a mixture of two and three storey dwellings providing retail and residential uses. The property is sited above the Isle of Man Steam Railway and given the significant screening from trees and natural vegetation, the rear elevation of the property is not readily visible from the public thoroughfare from this area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the change of use of the existing office to a single 1bedroom residential unit, facilitated by various external works including the installation of a new front door on the Peel Road elevation and blocking up/infilling of the existing entrance/shop front and finished in matching render with 3 no. single top opening windows. The proposals further include the creation of an outdoor terrace atop the existing single-storey flat roof element of the property, which would be enclosed by a rendered wall on the Peel Road elevation with glass balustrades for the remainder at the side and rear. The existing window would be replaced with a doorway opening out onto the terrace. - 2.2 The resultant residential unit would include an en-suite bedroom, utility, bike store and W/C at ground floor with an open plan kitchen/lounge a first-floor level. No on-site parking is to be provided as per the existing situation.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 None of material relevance. - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The application site is identified in the Area Plan for the East as falling within the St George's Mixed Use Area 4. The site is not within a Conservation Area but is located within close proximity to the Douglas North Quay Conservation Area to the south east.

4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;

Strategic Policy

• 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
• 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages

5 Design and visual impact Spatial Policy

• 1 Development in Douglas General Policy
• 2 General Development Considerations

Environment Policy 35 Impact of development upon setting of adjacent Conservation Areas 42 Designed to respect the character and identity of the locality

Transport Policy

• 4 Highway safety 7 Parking

4.5 Area Plan for the East (2020) Town Centre - Mixed Use Proposal 4 There will be a presumption in favour of offices and financial and professional services along Athol Street. Within the area, but outside of Athol Street, offices, financial and professional services, food and drink and some residential uses will also be acceptable. Uses which conflict with these will generally not be supported. As this area lies partly within a Conservation Area, development plans should pay regard to the Conservation Area Character Appraisal for Athol Street and Victoria Street. - 4.6 Residential Design Guide (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction.

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council - Although there is no provision for recycling receptacles shown on the amended plans, we note the limited space available and the waste bin shown within the utility room. Given the limited space available the Council does not object to the proposed development on the condition that the refuse bin must be stored within the utility room bin storage area and be removed from the highway after collection along with any recycling receptacles that also must be stored within the curtilage of the development. (07.11.23)

5.2 Highways Services - Development would have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking, subject to a condition that bin storage must be contained within the site boundary. The Applicant is advised to consider installing cycle parking in an enclosed and secure storage facility to aid Active Travel. (14.07.23)

5.3 Manx Utilities Authority - No response received at the time of writing. - 5.4 Forestry Officer - No response received at the time of writing.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are as follows:

• - Principle of development (SP1)
• - Design and visual impact (SP5, GP2, EP36, 42)
• - Impact upon neighbouring amenity (GP2, g,h)
• - Other matters

- 6.2 PRINCIPLE

• 6.2.1 The site falls within the settlement boundary of Douglas and an area zoned for 'mixed use' whereby the principle of residential related development is acceptable in accordance with Mixed Use Proposal 4 of the Area Plan for the East. This is subject to compliance with additional material planning considerations, particularly in relation to design and residential amenity.

- 6.3 DESIGN AND VISUAL IMPACT

• 6.3.1 The proposed alterations to the exterior are reasonably minimal in the context of the existing property, and largely focus on the removal and infilling of the existing modern shopfront and insertion of a new front door to its side. No concerns are raised over such alterations from a visual standpoint and would likely improve the character and appearance of the property and its subsequent interaction with the streetscene. The use of matching render for the exterior is also welcomed and would amount to a fairly seamless transition from a commercial to residential unit.

• 6.3.2 Turning to the proposed terrace area, this would sit atop a single storey flat roofed element of the property which is of no architectural merit and appears somewhat disjointed in the context of the remainder of the property and wider streetscene stretching westward. The addition of the wall around the front section of the terrace to be finished in matching render is not considered to be excessive in scale and indeed may provide an added degree of visual interest relative to the current situation.
• 6.3.3 On the basis of the above, no concerns are raised over the proposals from a design and visual impact perspective, which would in any case likely result in a modest visual improvement to the benefit of the host property and immediate streetscene, in compliance with General Policy 2 (b) and (c). Likewise, given the modest nature of the external works and its limited visual impact upon existing views to the south and south-east, the proposals would further not result in a material impact upon the character and setting of the adjacent Conservation Area.
• 6.4 RESIDENTIAL AMENITY

6.4.1 The proposals terrace would only afford future occupants a direct view towards a blank wall serving the adjoining commercial unit to the immediate east with long distance views to the south towards the railway line and station car park. Likewise, the proposed 1.4m high front wall for the terrace would largely screen any realistic views into the ground and first-floor windows of properties on the opposite side of the Peel Road. However even if clear views were possible, such a relationship is considered to be appropriate in any case in a densely built-up part of Douglas and particularly noting the retained levels of separation.

• 6.4.2 Future occupants would be afforded reasonable degrees of natural light and ventilation whilst benefitting from a dedicated private terrace. The levels of amenity for future occupants in the context of this city centre location for this 1-bedroom unit is considered to be appropriate. No concerns are therefore raised in this respect with the proposals considered to be compliant with General Policy 2 (g) and (h).

6.5 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.5.1 Comments received from Highway Services and Douglas Borough Council with respect to refuse storage are noted with amended plans submitted having largely resolved previous concerns raised by the Local Authority. Matters relating to the storage of bins on the pavement and the requirement to be removed following refuse collection are however are outside of the control of planning and any future obstruction of the highway from the siting of refuse bins would be subject to enforcement under the Highways Act 1986.

• 6.5.2 The absence of on-site car parking is noted but considered appropriate in this instance given the proposals would not necessitate any additional requirement for on-site parking over

and above its existing lawful use. Likewise, the site is located in a highly sustainable location in the centre of Douglas with the scheme including provision for on-site cycle parking.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed development is acceptable in terms of its form, mass and design by providing an additional residential unit in a highly sustainable location, without detriment to the character and appearance of the locality or the amenities of surrounding residential properties, whilst providing a good standard of amenity for future occupants. The proposals are therefore deemed to comply with Strategic Policy 5, Spatial Policy 3, General Policy 2 and Environment Policies 36 and 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016). The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting 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

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 07.02.2024 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management

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