DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00592/B Applicant: Castletown Commissioners Proposal: Erection of a new refuse bin enclosure. Site Address: Corner Of The Crofts & Malew Street Malew Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LR Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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 comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to Drawing No. 2019_003 A received on 25th May 2021. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the Land Northwest of 73 Malew Street, and Northeast of 1 Albert Terrace, Castletown. The land is situated at the junction between Malew Street and The Crofts, and currently houses a Victorian Phone Box and some Wheelie Bins. This land is also situated about 204 metres northwest of the Castle Rushen.

- 2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the erection of a new refuse bin enclosure within the site. This enclosure would comprise a 2m high treated Red Cedar Cladding supported by hot dipped galvanized framework with posts welded to hot dipped galvanized Baseplates. This enclosure would be 7.9m long, 1.84m wide on the elevation fronting Malew Street and 2.16m wide at the rear. A 1.46m wide timber and steel hinge door will provide access to this bin enclosure. - 2.2 This enclosure would provide storage for 11 wheelie bins.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within Castletown's Conservation Area and within an area designated as Residential on the Area Plan for the South (2013). The site is not in a flood risk area. - 3.2 The following policies are considered relevant in the consideration of this application: - 3.3 General Policy 2 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:

• 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;

• 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;

3.4 Environment Policy 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. - 5.1 The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division have indicated that they 'Do not oppose' in a letter dated 14 June 2021. - 5.2 Castletown Commissioners have not made any representations on the application although they were consulted on 1 June 2021. - 5.3 No comments have been received from neighbouring properties.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key considerations in the determination of this application are the visual impact of the proposal and the impacts on neighbouring properties. - 6.2 The proposed enclosure would ensure that the bin area could be locked when not in use, improving the general appearance of the area and offering an improvement on the existing situation where the bins are just stored in the open and within public glare. Moreover, the enclosure would appear as a domestic fence enclosure which is common in residential areas and would not have any detrimental impacts on the character of the area which is characterised by

• walled enclosures, particularly along The Crofts. In this regard the proposal complies with GP2 (b, c, g) and Environment Policy 35.
• 6.3 In terms of impacts on neighbouring properties, it is considered that the bin enclosure would be completely segregated by the existing stone walls on the boundary with the adjacent properties. It is also not considered that there would be any concerns with smell as the wheelie bins would be covered and the area already houses wheelie bins in its current form, although exposed to public views; which the current scheme would conceal. As such, it is considered that the proposal would tidy up the area on the boundary with the neighbours and as such comply with GP 2(g).

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 On balance the application is considered acceptable and that there shall be no impact on the amenity of the neighbours or the Castletown Conservation Area. 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 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: 04.08.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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