Appendix D Planning Statement

Statement of Case Ancillary accommodation. Ballachrink, Richmond Hill Job Ref: 2.1475 Appendix D: Planning Statement

Approval in Principle to Demolish Existing Outbuilding and Erect a Two-Storey Building as Ancillary Accommodation to the Existing House at Upper Ballachrink Richmond Hill Braddan for Dr & Mrs D H K Chalmers

Planning Statement

Job No. 2.1475

Prepared by: McGarrigle + Jackson 19 Mount Havelock Douglas IMI 2QG Tel: 01624 628141 Fax: 629334 email: [email protected] web: www.mcgarrigle-jackson.com

Approval in Principle is sought to demolish the existing outbuildings and erect a two-storey building for the purpose of providing extra living accommodation in association with the existing house.

It is the intention for our client to move into the new accommodation, whilst their daughter and family comprising two adults and two children move into the existing house, which is a substantial dwelling but in fact only has three bedrooms and a study on the first floor.

Our clients daughter's family spend a great deal of their time at the house and visit at least once per day and it is seen as a natural progression for them to take up residence. The house and garden provide a safe environment in which to raise children, whilst enabling them to sell their modest house on Cool Drive, thereby freeing up a house at exactly the level for which there is a genuine need in the area.

The design of the ancillary accommodation is envisaged to be in the style of a barn, which is of course a logical form to enhance the existing house which is the former farmhouse and replace the poor quality outbuildings with a more substantial building in a style entirely compatible with the immediate environment.

The area to the rear is marked as woodland, in fact our client planted the trees some 30 years ago to provide wind cover and they are generally softwoods, pine, fir, etc. and are shallow rooted in poor soil over a rock layer. severe damage has been experienced in the high winds of the past few years and discussions have already taken place with Friends of the Earth to carry out a programme of tree management and it is hoped that up to a 1000 hardwood species will be planted in due course, it is therefore the intention to remove sufficient trees to enable this development to take place but enhance the woodland area in general with appropriate superior species.

Access to the present lane is from Richmond Hill via the existing splayed entry, which though possibly not considered ideal is in fact used on a daily basis by the family as a whole, who therefore know the restrictions; it is fair to say that there has not been a recorded accident on this junction in living memory. It is also a fact that the present system of recording and displaying accidents statistics to the lower areas of Richmond Hill has had a marked influence on the number of incidents on what used to be regarded as a black spot. The actual increase in traffic is therefore negligible over that using the lane on a daily basis.

Approval PA 01/02168/B was granted in 4th March 2002 for major extension and alterations to the main house, together with demolition of the outbuildings and the formation of a new building to from garaging and private office facilities.

The present proposal is to retain the existing house in its present form and create all the required accommodation in a new building, giving the opportunity of enhancing the building grouping at the same time in addition to generally improving the immediate landscaped area.

It is not the intention to develop a second dwelling on the site for ultimate sale but to organise the accommodation previously identified as necessary in the earlier approval in a more logical and less disruptive manner thereby avoiding major alterations to what is a traditional Manx farmhouse, the poor quality outbuildings are removed and the required facilities which will include a private office be accommodated in a sympathetically designed separate wing and therefore our client would be happy to accept a condition of any approval granted that the new accommodation is ancillary to the main house.