Statement of Supporting Information

Statement of Supporting Information

Erection of Four Houses (in Place of Two Bungalows Approved Under PA 01/1722) and Rearrangement of the Lockable Gates Approved Under PA 098/1627 (One Gate to be Repositioned and One to be Removed) to Allow Access from Erin Way, Field 411353 and land to the west, off Erin Way and Truggan Close, Port Erin

RECEIVED ON The Site AUG 2003 DEPT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The site is an undeveloped parcel of land with an area of approximately 0.65 of an acre (excluding the section of access road which runs between Erin Way and Truggan Close), and is located directly to the south east of the dwellings of Truggan Close and to the south of Erin Way. Immediately to the east of the site are recently constructed dwellings situated on Erin Way and Erin Rise, and to the south west is an existing tourist cottage known as "Ballahane Cottage". A newly constructed dwelling known as "Ballahane House" is located to the south eastern side of the site.

Planning History

1. Planning approval for the layout of development on parts of the main residential estate to the north of the site was first granted under PA 98/01024, which included a secondary gated access road connected to Truggan Close (with a set of gates at either end), although this approval and the subsequent approvals for house types were not taken up. Approval for the 5 dwellings of Truggan Close was granted under PA 98/01627, which also indicated a secondary access road in the form indicated above, and this development has been complete for some time. Planning approval has also been granted under PA 99/1803 for the removal of pedestrian access along the secondary access road.

1. Detailed applications for the main residential area (off Erin Way) and the site which forms the subject of this application were submitted in 2001 (PAs 01/01720, 01/01721 & 01/1722), although the access road, which has yet to be completed, was not included within the site boundaries of these applications. Approval to develop the site which forms the subject of this

application with two single storey dwellings was granted under PA 01/01722, with access to be taken through Truggan Close from Truggan Road, and this approval remains valid.

1. The site has most recently been the subject of PA 04/02209, which proposed to develop the site with 4 no. detached 2 storey dwellings and to provide vehicular access from Erin Way to the north. After being approved by the Planning Committee at the initial stage it was then refused at review because the alterations proposed to the access road were outside of the defined site. Upon the advice of the Planning Officer a revised application has now been submitted in order to rectify this omission.

The Proposal

1. The principle revision from the scheme previously proposed under PA 04/02209 is the inclusion of the secondary access road within the defined site. The access road has also been straightened to reflect the line of the unfinished road which exists on site, and the boundary of plot 1b has been redefined so as to set it further back from Erin Way. The space to the north of that boundary will now be landscaped public open space, with low retaining walls either side and a fence that is softened by hedge planting in front. The previously approved gate at the northern end of the access road has been removed so as to allow access from Erin Way, whilst the gate at the southern end is retained (albeit moved slightly to the north to minimise disruption to the adjoining wall and bank) and will be kept closed and locked unless access is required in the event of a road blockage elsewhere. The key to the gate can be held by the Department of Transport and any other public authority that may require access.

1. The emergency access route is designed to accommodate residential traffic for a short period of time in the unlikely event of a road blockage elsewhere in the area, it is not specifically for use by emergency services vehicles; in this instance the most likely beneficiaries of such an arrangement are the residents of Truggan Close, because if there were to be a blockage at the entrance to the Close then access could temporarily be taken to the north, whilst because of its loop arrangement an incident on Erin Way would still not require access to be taken through Truggan Close. The route will not be a

convenient "shortcut" to anywhere and as such levels of use even by pedestrians and cyclists are likely to be low.

1. The application includes drawings which illustrate the relationship between the proposed development and adjacent dwellings. Section A-A of drawing 2096.3.10 (A) runs through the large recently built dwelling to the east of the site and the dwelling proposed for the plot nearest to it (2b), and indicates that the new unit will be lower in terms of both floor level and building height. There will also be over 20 metres between the properties. Section B-B illustrates the relationship between Ballahane Cottage and the dwelling proposed for the plot nearest to it (3b), as well as the dwelling proposed for plot 1b at the northern point of the site. It clearly shows that due to their lower level and the distance from Ballahane Cottage the new dwellings will not have an undue adverse impact upon the cottage, particularly given the screening effect of the tree belt at the cottage boundary (which is to be strengthened with additional tree planting within the new plots). An elevational drawing is also included which shows that the ridge levels of the dwellings proposed for the southern part of the site are comparable to those of the existing dwellings of Truggan Close.

1. The sections also demonstrate that due to the levels and positioning of the new dwellings they will not be any more prominent in the landscape than the existing buildings. The "Oak" type dwelling proposed for the northern part of the site will be the most easily viewed of the four due to the lie of the land to the north. It is designed to reflect the proportions and features of more traditional dwellings, even more so than the dwellings of Truggan Close, and will not be out of keeping with the appearance of Ballahane House. The "Maple" house types to the rear of the site will not be easily viewed, either from the north (from where they will sit behind the Oak) or from Truggan Road due to their lower level and screening by existing buildings and trees.