Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Application No.: | | | :-- | :-- | | Applicant: | Mrs K S Moore | | Proposal: | Change of use of existing holiday accommodation to a residential unit | | Site Address: | Ballajora Cottage Ballajora Ramsey IM7 1BL | ### Considerations Case Officer : Sarah Corlett Site Visit: 06.05.2004 Expected Decision Level: Committee Decision ### Written Representations We have received 1 private representations for this application. ### Consultations Consultee : Highways Division Notes: no adverse traffic impacts Consultee : Maughold Commissioners Notes: objections, see comments Consultee : Chief Fire Officer Notes: see comments Policy

Officer's Report

The site as defined represents the footprint of an existing building situated between "Old Serenity" (to the north) and Ballajora Farm (to the south). The building was the subject of an application for change of use in 1998 (PA 98/1333) to tourist accommodation. Subsequent to this, permission was sought and granted for the change of use of the cottage alongside Ballajora Farmhouse to tourist accommodation and this would stay as tourist accommodation should this latest application succeed.

No details of the residential curtilage have been given: this should be attended to as there is no space for car parking or residential amenity according to the application. Also, this building is very close to others I assume are owned by the applicant. If there is to be no tic to the site, is the site not getting a little overcrowded

The property is a two-storey traditional cottage which sits very close to the property next door which has a single-storey section with a two-storey extension added to it on the northern side. If we had been faced with an application for the conversion of the building from an outbuilding to a permanent dwelling, I may have expressed concern at the proximity to the next door dwelling. There is a difference between tourist accommodation and permanent accommodation, particularly in terms of the use of the private space - the rear garden of which is very close to and may adversely affect the amenities of the house next door.

The applicant has now sent in further information to clarify how the curtilage of the new dwelling would be defined and this indicates that the garden to be used by the new property is directly in front of and behind the building, thus directly alongside the neighbour who is objecting to the application. It is also slightly worrying that the letter refers to the intention that "the Cottage should become totally independent of the Farm...in that way both families will be "independent next-door neighbours". The site and its immediate environs are becoming crowded and I really do feel that had we been faced with an application for the conversion of the barn to a permanent unit then this would have been refused on the basis that it would be unneighbourly in respect of the enjoyment of "Old Serenity".

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 14.05.2004 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

• C: Conditions for approval
• N: Notes attached to conditions
• R: Reasons for refusal
• O: Notes attached to refusals

R 1.

Whilst the building has permission for use as tourist accommodation, the use of the unit as permanent accommodation would adversely affect the enjoyment of the adjacent property, "Old Serenity" in terms of the amount of time when the building would be occupied, the use of the garden space immediately alongside the property (and the neighbouring property) and the incidence of people and vehicles visiting the premises.

Decision Made: __________________________

Committee Meeting Date: __________________________