DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00427/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Simon & Nealum Crookall Proposal: Erection of first floor extension over existing detached swimming pool Site Address: Sea Mount Scarlett Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1TB Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.08.2022

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 first floor accommodation over existing detached swimming pool hereby approved shall only be used in association with the main dwelling house "Sea Mount" and for purposes incidental to the use of main dwelling house "Sea Mount" as a single dwelling, for no commercial purposes and only in accordance with the internal layout shown on plan 21 1597
• 03 received on the 04.04.2022.

Reason: The dwelling is within a single residential plot within an area not designated for development. The application does not propose to create separate units of accommodation within the site and has not been considered as such.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed extension has been designed to have a minimal visual impact and would comply with General Policy 2 and Environmental Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings and supporting information submitted on the 4 April 2022, referenced; 21 1597 01, 21 1597 02, 21 1597 03, and 21 1597 04

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of a large dwellinghouse 'Sea Mount', Scarlett Road, Castletown. The site sits to the north of the highway and sits in a rural part of the countryside but immediately adjacent to the coast. Within the walled gardens is a separate (same ownership) cottage and a single storey detached building to the northern corner of the site that houses a swimming pool, gym, changing room and sauna. The building features a separate staircase to the north elevation that leads up and onto a flat roof terrace. This building is finished in ornate Pooil-Vaaish Manx limestone. - 1.2 The site is surrounded on two side to the north and east by agricultural fields and residential curtilage to the south and west.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is a first floor extension above the swimming pool building. The upward built form would sit above the existing walls and would be accessed from the existing flat roof terrace. Projecting out beyond the footprint to the south would be a roof terrace on concrete columns. - 2.2 Internally the space would be bisected to offer ancillary accommodation to 'Sea Mount' that would include a bar area, games area (billiards and table tennis) and cinema / TV room subdivided by a folding screen. A smaller part of the floor plan offers storage / cloakroom, storage and a w/c. - 2.3 Externally the built form would be finished with vertical timber cladding in natural cedar or larch, and treated with a grey / black wood stain. The mono-pitched roof would be a metal standing seam roof in dark grey with deep fascia's to match. The fenestration would be aluminium framed windows on dark grey to match those existing with the general opening being floor to ceiling patio doors to the south and west elevations facing into the site and high level glazing to the east and north elevation.

2.3 In their supporting statement, the agent notes on the design attributes; "The first floor recreation room proposed offers differing materials from the natural stone and is kept long and low with natural wall finishes in a dark stained timber and low mono pitched dark coloured metal roof. This gives the building as a whole, a robust stone base with a differing first floor of lighter construction utilising the footprint of what existing below". - 3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The application site is identified on the Area Plan for the South as 'white land' and within an area of countryside that is not designated for development on Map 5 - Castletown. The dwellinghouse and building are shown outlined on the plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area or at any flood risk from surface water or tidal flooding. - 3.2 The land is also linked to Map 2 Landscape Assessment Areas; that identifies site is within an area that is broadly classified undulating lowland Plain and rugged coast - Ref E10 on the landscape constraints plan on the Area plan for the South.

3.3 Within the written statement for the area plan for the south Ref E10; Castletown Bay - "The overall strategy is to conserve the character, quality and

distinctiveness of the coastal area with its rich ecological habitats, open and expansive panoramic views, and to conserve the coastal setting of Castletown".

3.4 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application; Spatial Policy - 5 Building in defined settlements or GP3 General Policy

• 2 General Development Considerations
• 3 Exceptions to development in the countryside

Environment Policy 1 Protection of the countryside

3.5 Residential Design Guide (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction. - 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 11/00125/B - Erection of a pool house building. Approved. 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Malew Commissioners commented (04/05/22) with no objection.

5.2 Highways Services do not object (No Highways Interest) 29.04.22 - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

• (i) Principle (SP5, GP3)
• (ii) Design (STP5; GP2)
• (iii) Visual Impact (GP2; EP1)

6.1 Principle The starting point here is the land designation within the area plan which designates the site as land not zoned for development. As General Policy 3 would be applicable in this instance, the proposal is for a replacement detached building adjacent to an existing residential dwelling and as such does not specifically fit into any of the criteria for acceptable development in GP3(a-h).

6.2 The application form notes the existing and proposed use of land is residential curtilage as noted in Section 4.0 of this report and the previous planning history is reflective of this in the description and as shown in red on the site plans. Therefore regard must be given to the reasonableness of the scale and siting of the proposed developments within the defined residential curtilage in view of their subsequent impacts.

6.3 This proposal is certainly unique in what is being sought, but equally it is not uncommon for large houses in the countryside with large gardens to seek additional buildings within their curtilage. - 6.4 In this case it is relevant to give weight to Environment Policies 1 which protects the countryside for its own sake and restricts development that would have an adverse visual impact on the countryside. Also the general principles contained with GP2 (a-n) that's offer guidance that specifically addresses those issues affecting building on site that would be general development control principles. On balance the principle of a an upward extension

• above the existing swimming pool building to create ancillary accommodation in the form of a games/ entertainment space within the grounds of the property is acceptable form of development subject to the further assessment below.
• 6.5 Design The overall design approach was to ensure the existing proportions of the existing building (built form) are reflected in the design of the existing building, noting the length, width height and to some degree its appearance. In this case, the proposed ridge height of the mono pitched roof is no higher than the existing buildings on site and the siting is overlapping that of the existing which is tucked away in the corner of the site but at first floor level.
• 6.6 Whilst a contemporary approach has been taken in its design (essentially the roof), the basic form and the use of finishing materials in timber will help soften the overall appearance and whilst on plan form it could be read as increasing the built form on site, in essence it would minimal. On balance the design would be appropriate in this instance for the proposed use as a games room / ancillary accommodation to Sea-Mount and would be complementary to the dwellinghouse and existing built forms on site.
• 6.7 Visual Impact In terms of how visible the scope of works are when compared to the existing, the proposed upward extension would be making this aspect more visible when viewed from afar, however it would only be very slightly larger in footprint in comparison to the structure below given the inclusion of a raised patio terrace to the front (East) and would occupy most of the area of 'development' in terms additional footprint when looking at a plan form. The existing roof terrace to the west is already in existence. Nevertheless the overall design attributes would help to soften the appearance if viewed from the surrounding fields.
• 6.8 In terms of any distant views, these would be read in the same context as the dwellinghouse where the dwelling house would very much remain to be the dominant built form on the landscape and the proposed extension would not appear to be out of keeping given the level and scale of the proposal within its surroundings.
• 6.9 As such this proposal would be seen to be read in conjunction with STP5 and GP2b,c with no detrimental impact on the surrounding countryside as sought by EP1.

7.0 CONCLUSION The planning application would be an acceptable form of development that has been designed to ensure that it would not visually harm the property/ dwellinghouse or that of the surrounding countryside and would comply with Environmental Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan. - 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 confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Committee Meeting Date: 05.09.2022

Signed : J SINGLETON Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).

Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below

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