DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00417/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Simon and Caroline Dunn Proposal: Proposed relocation of existing vehicular access into domestic property. Site Address: North Star House West Baldwin Isle Of Man IM4 5EZ Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 23.06.2022

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.

• C 2. The visibility splay(s) identified on drawing 101; shall be constructed in accordance with the approved plans and thereafter kept permanently clear of any obstruction exceeding 1m in height above adjoining carriageway level. Reason: In the interests of highway safety.
• C 3. Within 3 months of the new access being brought into use, the existing access shall be blocked up in accordance with the approved details. Reason: to ensure the development takes place in accordance with the approved details.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with Environment Policy 1 and Transport Policy 4 & 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 11th April 2022;

• o Drawing No. 100
• o Drawing No. 101
• o Drawing No. A978-LS-01
• o Drawing No. Road Safety Audit dated March 2022 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of North Star House, West Baldwin which is a two storey property situated to the North West of the West Baldwin Road and adjacent to the junction with Crosby Ballamodda Road heading East and linking with the East Baldwin Road. - 1.2 The existing property sits on a modest plot of which, in front of the main dwelling and the adjacent barns, the front is laid to paving. There is a boundary wall which wraps around the whole of the front and South elevation - 1.3 Currently there is an entrance into the property which is situated directly onto the junction of the main West Baldwin Road and the lane which services the properties to the North West of the property. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to relocate and block up the existing driveway from its current position to the main West Baldwin Road. The proposed entrance gap will measure 6m with side pillars measuring 0.89m by 0.89m with a height of 0.8m on each side. - 2.2 With the relocation of the driveway, is the reduction in height of the existing walling to 0.8m high. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "not designated for development" on the Area plan for the East. The site is not within a Conservation Area nor a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 The following Strategic Policies are relevant in the assessment of this application, Environment Policy 1 which seeks to protect the countryside for its own sake, Transport Policy

• 4 which seeks that any new highway must be capable of accommodating both vehicular and pedestrian journeys and Transport Policy 7 which seeks that parking is in accordance with the parking standards in Appendix 7.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and do not oppose subject to conditions. (10.05.22)

5.3 Braddan Commissioners have considered the application and state they have no objections. (25.04.22) - 5.4 Correspondence was received from the agent on behalf of the applicant which was between themselves and Manx Utilities, no representation has been received at the time of writing this report upon the application. ASSESSMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of the planning application is whether there would be a visual impact on the proposed works within the streetscene and the potential impact upon highway safety.

6.2 The proposal within this application, is relocating and blocking up the existing entrance from the South side of the front to the East side of the front. Having looked at the information provided within the application, it can be seen the main reasoning for this is Highway Services, with it being difficult to exit the existing driveway due its close proximity to the junction with the main road.

6.3 Highway Services have access the proposed new entrance and state, "the proposal does represent a significant improvement from the existing arrangement. The visibility from the proposed access is acceptable to Highways." - 6.4 Turning towards the possible impact upon the overall streetscene. Taking into account that there is no change to the front of the dwelling, with the area already hardstanding, the proposed relocation of the entrances will have a minimal impact upon the overall streetscene, this will also include the reduction of the walling upon the front to facilitate visibility.

6.7 With the above in mind the acceptability of the proposal with regards to character, appearance and Highway Safety is acceptable. CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with Environment Policy 1 and Transport Policy 4 & 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable. 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 the Head of Development Management 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 : 24.06.2022 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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