Officer Planning Report

Planning Report And Recommendations {{table:183556}} {{table:183557}} {{table:183558}} ### Considerations ### Written Representations ### Consultations {{table:183559}} Consulttee : Chief Fire Officer Notes : Note received Consulttee : IOM Water Authority Notes : Note received Consulttee : Drainage Services Manager Notes : No objection Consulttee : Highways Division Notes : Consulttee : Douglas Corporation Notes : Objection

Officer's Report

Site

The application site comprises of a three storey end of terrace property situated on the northern side of Sydney Street. The site is within a predominantly residential area. The site is not within a Conservation Area and nor is it a Registered Building. To the west of the application site is the residential property of No.5 Sydney Street. To the east of the application site is the public highway of Oxford Street. There is an on-street parking bay adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site. Parking is restricted during the hours of 8am-6pm Monday to Friday where is parking is allowed for 2 hours and no return within 2 hours.

Proposed Development

This application is seeking planning permission for the demolition of an existing annex to No.6 Sydney Street and to erect a detached dwelling with associated parking. The dwelling will be 10.5m in length and 5.7m in width. A 1.1m x 3.4m two storey outrigger will be built on the east facing elevation of the dwelling. The height of the dwelling will be 8.3m to the ridge. The west facing wall of the dwelling will have no windows. The dwelling will be rendered and the outrigger will be clad in timber. The new dwelling will have 4 bedrooms.

Planning Status And Relevant Policies

Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application: General Policy 2, Environment Policy 42, Housing Policy 6, Transport Policy 7

Environment Policy 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan states that "New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality. Inappropriate backland development, and

the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a particular area will not be permitted. Those open or green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans."

Housing Policy 6 of the Strategic Plan states that "Development of land which is zoned for residential development must be undertaken in accordance with the brief in the relevant area plan, or, in the absence of a brief, in accordance with the criteria in paragraph 6.2 of this Plan. Briefs will encourage good and innovative design, and will not be needlessly prescriptive."

Transport Policy 7 states that "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards."

The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Douglas Local Plan) Order 1998 zones the area a predominantly residential.

Planning History

The following previous applications are considered relevant in the consideration of this application:

05/00799/A - Installation of roof dormers on front and rear elevations, replacement uPVC windows to front side and rear, additional side windows to replace existing doors, new back door, demolition of chimney stack and replacement garage roof – granted 27th October 2005

99/01661/B - Installation of replacement windows to rear of dwelling – granted 9th February 2000

Representations

The Public Works Committee of Douglas Corporation has objected to the application on the grounds that the proposed development is not in keeping with the surroundings.

Highways Division of the Department of Transport have objected to the application on the following grounds: "The proposal does not provide sufficient off street parking for this proposed four bedroom dwelling, nor the existing dwelling at 6 Sydney Street. In addition the proposed new access will result in the removal of on-street car parking made available to residents of Oxford Street and nearby area who permit to park there. Therefore this proposal will result in exacerbating an area already saturated with parking congestion."

Standard comments have been received from the Isle of Man Water Authority and the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service.

The occupiers of No.2 Oxford Street have objected to the application on the following grounds:

• the development is grossly out of character and does not fit in one bit with the overall charm of a Victorian terraced street.
• The proposed building jars with the Victorian ambience of the Sydney Street/Oxford Street areas.
• The application does not bear any resemblance to the type of Victorian house in Oxford Street
• Concerned about the loss of on-street parking by removing another 5 car parking spaces and will intensify the existing parking problem in Oxford Street.
• No.6 Sydney Street should remain 6 Sydney Street in its entirety as a complete house.
• The timber cladding section appears to protrude further out than the present building line of the present Victorian terraced houses.
• Do not feel that any principle should be given or established that will permit the division of 6 Sydney Street into two buildings.
• Concerned about vehicles egressing from the proposed building.
• View from this property and from the rear of houses on Woodbourne Road will be completely obstructed
• Loss of light to the property

The occupier of No.5 Sydney Street is concerned about the following issues:

• Loss of light to the property
• Loss of on street car parking spaces
• The impact of the development on the character of the street.

The occupiers of No.3 Oxford Street consider the development to be out of character with this Victorian Terraced street and the development will result on the loss of parking spaces.

The occupier of No.5 Sydney Street is concerned about the following issues:

• Loss of light to the top end of the street.
• Loss of on street car parking spaces
• This sort of “build whatever we like where we like” must stop – keep these sort of buildings for the out of town estates; do not allow them in our Victorian streets.

The occupiers of No.8 Oxford Street have objected to the application on the following grounds

• Out of character with the existing houses and no other house in Oxford Street has balcony
• The site is intended for one house and should be kept that way.
• The development will result in the loss of parking spaces.
• Vehicles crossing the pavement will pose a danger to pedestrians.
• Over intensive use of the site.
• Loss of light to No’s2-4 Oxford Street
• Views from No. 2 Oxford Street to the houses on Woodbourne Road will be blocked.
• The development is within close proximity to two conservation zones. This must be taken into account.

The occupier of No.11 Oxford Street have objected to the application

• Out of character with the Victorian style of houses on Sydney Street or Oxford Street and would appear more akin to some sort of chalet with the timber cladding and balcony.
• The development will result in the loss of parking spaces.

The occupier of No.12 Oxford Street is primarily concerned about the loss of on-street car parking on Oxford Street and that the new dwelling will not fit into the current aesthetics without standing out like the proverbial ‘sore thumb’. The occupier has also commented that the growing trend is to build as many dwellings as possible into a small as space as possible and not worry about the effects on the surroundings or the practicalities of those actually living there.

The occupier of No.4 Oxford Street has objected to the application on the following grounds:

• The development represents an excessively intensive use of the site.
• Loss of light to the adjacent properties in Sydney Street and will restrict the current open aspect available to properties at the south end of Oxford Street.
• The proposed new building is to be modern building fronted with timber cladding, double French windows at ground level and a balcony on the first floor. Each of these features makes the proposed building wholly unsuitable for Oxford Street
• Loss of on street parking and will result in increased levels of illegal parking
• There may be issues of road safety with vehicles emerging across pavements into the street with vehicles parked on both sides.
• Off-road parking is totally out of keeping with the nature of a Victorian terrace of houses.
• If off-road parking is granted on this occasion there is no logical limit to the precedent that will be set for the rest of the street. It is hard to see how this could equitably be resisted for other properties. If applications for off-road parking are allowed generally then this will exacerbate the situation regarding the availability of on-road parking.

The occupier of No.17 Oxford Street has objected to the application on the following grounds:

• This type of development will not fit in with the Victorian terrace houses already in the street and will not blend in with the character of the neighbourhood.