DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00568/B Applicant: Haven Homes Limited Proposal: Erection of a dwelling (amendment to approved under PA 18/00524/B) Site Address: Plot 56 The Meadows Residential Development (Former Fields 434021 And 434031) Corner Of Douglas Road And Victoria Road Castletown Isle Of Man Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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.

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

The proposal is considered to be in accordance with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 in that no unacceptable visual, residential amenity or other impacts were identified.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following plans and drawings received on 5th May 2021:

• 1522 056.00 Location Plan
• 1522 056.01 Site Plan

• 1522 056.04 Proposed Plans
• 1522 056.05 Proposed Elevations _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site relates to Plot 56, a site with an approved detached two storey dwelling in the north-western edge of The Meadows housing development in Castletown. - 1.2 The northwest boundary of the wider development runs along the proposed rear garden boundary of this plot. The steam railway lies beyond this boundary.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is an amended dwelling type to Plot 56. The proposed dwelling would be similar to that approved under PA 18/00524/B, with the exception of the inclusion of an extended element to the rear elevation. - 2.2 As a result, the proposed dwelling would have a footprint of approximately 3 square metres more than the approved, with both ground and first floor levels brought flush with the rear and side elevations on an area previously approved as hardstanding. The additional element would measure 1.1m deep x 2.8m wide, with an eaves height matching the main dwelling. The fenestration would be largely as previously approved, as would the external materials.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site falls within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on Area Plan for South 2013 (map 5 - Castletown). As such, General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan is the key policy in the consideration of this application. - 3.2 GP2 states that 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; and (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality.

3.3 The northern corner of the dwelling as proposed would be within the defined Flight Path Public Safety Zone for Ronaldsway Airport. Transport Policy 11 states that permission will not be granted for development which would result in a significant increase in the number of people residing, working, or congregating within the Public Safety Zone associated with Ronaldsway Airport. - 3.4 DEFA's Residential Design Guidance (2019) is a material consideration. It sets out guidelines for residential extensions in terms of both appearance and avoiding negative impacts on the residential amenity of neighbours.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 There is no relevant planning history for this site, other than the initial planning approval for the site dwelling and wider development (18/00524/B).

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DOI Highways do not oppose the application proposal (04.06.21).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key considerations in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - the visual impact on the character and appearance of the site and wider street scene;
• - the residential amenity of neighbours; and
• - public safety.

6.2 The principle of the development has been established through the extant approval for the wider housing development, which has been commenced. The impact of the proposed changes to the previously approved design is considered below. - 6.3 Design and Appearance

• 6.3.1 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 requires that development proposals respect the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them. It is also important that development does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape.
• 6.3.2 The dwelling would largely appear as per the previously approved scheme, with the minor addition to the rear mainly screened from public view. The design and proportions of the dwelling would remain largely the same, with the 1.1m deep, 2.8m wide addition not having a material impact on the appearance of the wider development.
• 6.3.3 In summary, the proposed amendments to the approved dwelling at Plot 56 would not have an unacceptable impact on the character or appearance of the site or wider street scene by virtue of its modest scale and siting. In this regard, the proposal would accord with Isle of Man Strategic Plan policy GP2 (b,c,g).
• 6.4 Residential Amenity

• 6.4.1 General Policy 2 further requires that new development does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents. Further details of how residential amenity can be impacted are set out in the Residential Design Guide. The key aspects are overlooking (loss of privacy), overbearing (loss of outlook) and overshadowing (loss of sunlight).
• 6.4.2 The additional element to the rear of the dwelling would effectively infill a corner of the rear and sit flush with the main part of the rear elevation. The dwelling as amended would not unacceptably increase the risk of harm in terms of overlooking or shadowing on adjacent dwellings.
• 6.4.3 In summary, it is not considered that the Plot 56 dwelling as amended would result in any increased risk of loss of residential amenity to neighbouring occupants. For this reason, the proposal would accord with part (g) of GP2.

6.5 Public Safety

• 6.5.1 As noted, the northern corner of the dwelling as per the proposed alteration would be within the defined Flight Path Public Safety Zone for Ronaldsway Airport. Transport Policy 11 states that permission will not be granted for development which would result in a significant increase in the number of people residing, working, or congregating within the Public Safety Zone associated with Ronaldsway Airport.
• 6.5.2 The proposal would see an extension to the previously approved dwelling type on the plot and would not result in a "significant increase in the number of people residing, working, or congregating within" the PSZ. As a fallback, a single storey rear extension could be built as permitted development with a greater projection into the PSZ. It is not considered that there would be unexpected impacts on public safety.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 In summary, the proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 of the IOMSP, the guidance set out in the Residential Design Guidance, and the land use zoning set out in the Area Plan for the South. No unacceptable adverse impact has been identified as likely with respect of the appearance of the site and surrounding area, the residential amenity of the neighbours, or existing trees.

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 a Principal Planner 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: 09.07.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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