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The site represents an area of land which fronts onto Castletown Road (A5) between the Four Roads roundabout and Southlands Old People's Home but excluding three residential properties in this frontage - Ballajofay, Erinville and Fairview. The site includes other dwellings in this frontage - Milverton, which is set back behind the rear of Ballajofay, Erinville and Fairview, and other properties to the east of these - Lowlands and numbers 1, 2 and 3, Waterboard Houses which sit alongside the north western corner of the site alongside the roundabout. The eastern side of the site bounds the rear of properties which front onto Four Roads - Ballakayt, Santon, Clover Dale and The Laurels. To the south and west of the site is Southlands residential complex. Within the site there are presently garages and a store.
Access to the site is presently from Castletown Road between Southlands and Ballajofay and Milverton and also between the Waterboard Houses. The former access also serves Southlands/Reayrt ny Chrink numbers 1 to 43.
Milverton and the Waterboard Houses have recently been demolished.
The site lies within an area of Predominantly Shopping, Residential and Buildings for Civic Cultural and Other Special Use (Aged persons home) on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982. Part of the site is within the domain of the Port Erin Local Plan which designates the site as Residential - Old People's Home. The site is also the subject of provision in the draft Port St. Mary Area Plan which was the subject of a public inquiry but which progressed no further than this. On this plan the site is identified as Residential, Depot and Area of Buildings for Civic Cultural or Other Special Use (Sheltered Housing).
The following applications have been submitted in respect of the application site:
3 June 2009
PA 05/01542/B - Erection of a two storey extension to side of building for the installation of an 8 person lift Permitted - 29th September 2005 Conditions
PA 07/01863/B - Erection of an extension Permitted - 16th November 2007 Conditions
PA 09/00602/B - Installation of metal railings to replace existing wooden balustrade Permitted - 27th May 2009 Conditions
Proposed is the demolition of all of the existing buildings within the site and their replacement with a new complex accommodating 34 sheltered housing units - 28 single bedroomed units and 6 two bedroomed units. The development takes the form of three blocks, one in place of the Waterboard Houses and Lowlands which will accommodate twelve units in a 8.4 m deep three storey block which is 1.6 m from the eastern gable of Fairview, compared with Lowlands which is 0.8 m from the gable of Fairview and which is 16.5 m deep. The new block will be set back from the highway by some 4.5 m compared with Lowlands which is only 1.8 m from the back of the footway. The building has a lift as well as a stair case.
The eastern block accommodates two units per floor - on the ground floor one of the units is wheelchair accessible, above there are a single bed and two bedroom units on each floor. This building does not have a lift within it and access is from the other two blocks via an external walkway, similar to the existing Southlands arrangement. The building backs onto the rear of Ballakayt and Santon, separated by an existing tree which is to be retained. To the rear of the new building is a green area which could be used for rotary washing lines. The new building will be 18.5m from the main rear elevation of Ballakayt and slightly further away from Santon.
The southern block is the largest of the three and backs onto Reayrt ny Chrink - the existing elderly persons' complex and separated therefrom by an access road and car parking.
Bin storage facilities are provided within the courtyard in the centre of all three buildings, parking is provided around the buildings in the form of 31 spaces, some of which are suitable for use by disabled persons. In addition, parking spaces have been provided to the west of Ballajafoy - two spaces each for Ballajafoy, Erinville and Fairview and five spaces for Thie Rosien.
A number of trees in the centre of the site will be felled as a result of this application and some trees at the eastern side of the site will need to be trimmed back to accommodate the new northernmost block. New trees and shrubs are to be planted around the site including a row of trees in front of the northernmost block and reinforcement of the eastern boundary. Two pergolas are proposed, one in front of the northernmost block and one to the west of the eastern block.
An amendment to the existing access is proposed, realigning the entrance further west but retaining the entrance to Southlands.
The architecture is consistent within the scheme, the buildings are all slightly different in height - the northernmost block is the lowest at 10.25m high which is just over a metre lower than the ridge of Fairview, the southern block is 11.5m high and the eastern block is the highest at 12m high. The finish is mainly painted render with come stonework on the ground floor and timber feature panelling within gables and eaves level gable roofing. No details are provided of the roof or window materials.
REPRESENTATIONS
Port St. Mary Commissioners acting as the drainage authority for the site request that the applicant discuss the drainage of the site with them. They note that the application states that surface water from the development will be disposed of via existing sewers. The Commissioners indicate that there are no known public surface water sewers in the vicinity and that surface water should not be disposed of to the main foul sewer.
Port St May Commissioners fully endorse the scheme and raise no objections to the planning application.
Manx Electricity Authority raise comments regarding existing and proposed electricity supplies to the site. These are not material planning considerations and should not be referred to in the planning decision notice but should be the subject of discussions between the applicant and the Authority.
Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division raise no objection and note that waiting restrictions need to be the subject of an application to the dot under non-planning legislation.
The owners of White Rose Cottage object to the application on the basis that the northernmost block is considered too high and will cause a darkening effect on their property. They also express concern that the increase in the number of units facing their property will introduce increased overlooking and a decrease in privacy and would request that this building is reduced to two storeys. They raise no objection to the principle of the development or the use of the site for sheltered housing.
ASSESSMENT
3 June 2009
09/00667/8
The site is designated for a variety of uses on the various plans applicable to the site, all of which refer to residential and to old people's accommodation. As such the proposed use of the site is considered to be in accordance with the land use designation in the prevailing area plan and the appropriate policy within the Strategic Plan is general Policy 2 which 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 space 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 adverse 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." In this case there is no development brief in the prevailing local or area plans.
The new development is lower than the properties to the west on Castletown Road due to the provision of lower internal ceiling heights within the new buildings and the closest buildings to the application site are terraced two storey properties with accommodation within the roofspace. The frontage to Castletown Road is considered to be in keeping with the streetscene and the general form of development in this area which is generally varied - from the complex of large buildings at Southlands, with individual properties, semi-detached dwellings and terraces. The eastern elevation is set back from Four Roads and screened therefrom by existing vegetation which is to be reinforced by new planting. Whilst the new building will be higher than the existing buildings fronting onto Four Roads it is not considered that there will be an adverse visual impact due to the set back and vegetation.
There are no acknowledged features of ecological interest for nature conservation or natural features within the site which will be adversely affected by the proposal and which should be protected and the sea is not presently visible from the site where it will be obscured by the proposed development.
It is not accepted that the proposal will affect the amenities of those in neighbouring properties. Whilst there is an objection from the owners of White Rose Cottage regarding light and privacy, the new building will be in excess of 17m from the cottage across a public highway. Whilst the rule of thumb for the separation distance of windows which look directly towards each other is 20m below which there may be issues of diminution of privacy, this is generally applied across private space where there is not already a view afforded by others and in this case there is a public highway used by vehicles of all types including buses and as such, it is not accepted that the proposed dwelling will afford an unreasonable opportunity for overlooking of those in White Rose Cottage.
3 June 2009
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