DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00314/B Applicant: Mrs Vita Bhadhouria Proposal: Erection of 2 storey side extension with balcony to the rear and replacement doors and windows Site Address: Bridge House West Baldwin Isle Of Man IM4 5HA Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.12.2022

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. Prior to any works being undertaken relating to the roof, gables or eaves, including any roof preparation or clearance works, a bat mitigation plan including a method statement for construction works on or around the roof spaces shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. These details shall include but are not limited to the following:

• o Timing of works
• o Details of supervision and checks by a suitably qualified ecologist - before, during and
• on completion of works
• o Details of at least 2 bat boxes suitable for crevice dwelling bats to be installed and details of their timing of installation
• o Detail about how construction works are to be carried out - such as isolation of loft areas, continued access by bats, creation of a new bat access points (including type, location and number of access points)
• o Details of roofing membranes to be used
• o Details of the steps that will be taken should bats be found during works
• o Detail of how contractors will be made aware of the presence of bats and the mitigation plan to be worked too. The works shall be carried out in full accordance with the approved details unless alternative details are first submitted to and approved in writing by the Department.

Reason: To ensure suitable mitigation is in place to safeguard bats. This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The application has an acceptable visual and amenity impact, and not subject to flood risk beyond the risk of the existing dwelling. Subject to a condition relating to the bats the proposal is also considered to have an acceptable impact on bat habitats. The application is considered to accord with Housing Policy 16, Environment Policies, 4, 10 and 13 and with the principles set

• out in General Policy 2 and the Residential Design Guide. Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following information:

• - Existing and proposed floor plans and elevation dwg: 447-01 date received 14/03/2022.
• - Site and location plan dwg: 447-02 Rev A date received 27/07/2022.
• - Parking plan dwg: 447-03 date received 10/08/2022.
• - Bat survey report dated 16/10/2022. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site relates to existing detached dwelling Bridge House, West Baldwin. The site sits on the western side of the road and opposite the bridge crossing over to St Luke's Church and East Baldwin. - 1.2 The dwelling is non-traditional property finished with a red roof and painted render and red coloured timber cladding to the upper part of the gables. There are two gables facing the main road, one two storey and the other one and half storey. - 1.3 The dwelling is set back slightly from the road with a detached garage to one side with parking in front.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Approval is sought for the removal of rear conservatory and the erection of a side on the end gable nearest to the garage. The extension is to be two storey and finished with a two storey front facing gable at both the front and rear. The application also includes alterations throughout the existing dwelling which includes the removal of the top gable cladding and its finish in render and the installation of large glazing units to the rear elevation. The proposed extension is to be finished in red roof materials matching the main house. - 2.2 There are no changes proposed to the existing garage or off road parking.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The application site has been the subject of three previous applications in 1993 and 1996 for extensions and alterations including the erection of the rear conservatory. Most recently the application was approved for replacement roof tiles in 2014.

4.0 Planning Policy

4.1 The application site is not designated for development on the Area Plan for the East 2020 and also recognised as being within an area of registered trees although these trees are located away from the house in this case. There is a river running along the northern side of the site which connects to the River Glass, the site is recognised as being at high surface water flood risk. The IOM Strategic Plan sets out policies that seek to make best use of existing developed sites and ensuring new development is of good design (Strategic Policies 1 and 5) and meets with the general standards towards acceptable development and not having an adverse visual or amenity impacts on its neighbours or surroundings (General Policy 2). Housing Policy 16 makes specific reference to extensions to existing non-traditional dwellings in the countryside and they must not adversely increase public views.

4.2 Consideration shall also be given to Environment Policies 4, 10 and 13, and Community Policies 7 and 11 in respect of limiting harm to habitats, reducing flood risk, reducing outbreak of fire and preventing criminal activity and Infrastructure Policy 5 in respect of water conservation .In addition to the Strategic Plan policies, consideration shall also be given to Residential Design Guidance 2021 in addressing local distinctiveness and offers guidance on extensions and good neighbourliness Sections 4 and 7. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Marown Parish Commissioners - no objections (17/06/2022 and 23/09/2022).

5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No highways interest (15/04/2022 and18/08/2022).

5.3 DEFA Ecosystems - do not oppose subject to conditions (27/04/2022 and 21/11/2022) concerns were initially expressed due to the high potential for bats at the site and a preliminary bat survey was requested. A bat survey was received and confirmed bats were roosting in the dwelling. Ecosystems were content with the level of survey that had been undertaken but concerned for the lack of mitigation details provided and request that these be provided by condition in respect of a bat mitigation plan including a method statement which should include at the very least those details below and also the applicant to remind of their statutory duties under the Wildlife Act 1990:

• o Timing of works.
• o checks by an ecologist.
• o Details of at least 2 bat boxes - suitable for crevice dwelling bats to be erected around the property prior to works taking place,
• o Supervision by a suitably qualified ecologist and checks following work completion.
• o Much greater detail about how the works are to be carried out in consideration with bats (method statement). If mitigation option 1 is selected - details of how loft areas are to be isolated from living quarters but which will allow continued access by bats, and creation of a new bat access points following the erection of the extension (type, location and number of access points) etc. If option 2 is selected (not our preference) then number, type and location
• of boxes to be erected, materials and method for roost entry point blocking etc.
• o Type of roofing membranes.
• o Details of the steps that will be taken should bats be found during works
• o Confirmation that contractors will be made aware of the presence of bats and the details contained in the mitigation plan.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 There are no immediate neighbours to be affected by the works, and given the siting ofthe proposals between the existing house and garage and away from the trees there are to beno issues in this respect. Therefore the main issues to consider are the impact of the works

upon the character and appearance of the existing dwelling and the street scene from public view, and whether there would be any increase to flood risk or harm to the bats.

6.2 The existing dwelling is non-traditional and so there is no need to adopt a prescriptive approach to design compared with a more traditionally styled dwelling. By the very nature of the extensions size, scale and positioning on the side elevation would increase the overall appearance of the property but given the works are in-keeping with the main house they are not considered to be unacceptable or to adversely harm public views.

6.3 Flood risk maps indicate high surface water risk due to the watercourse running to the north of the site. The proposed extension is to replace the existing conservatory and will result in an increase to the overall footprint. While there is no flood risk assessment provided nor any mitigation, minded that the works are an extension to the existing property which is already at risk that the proposals in this case would not be so far beyond the existing arrangement as to result in any new or significant adverse issues warranting a refusal. It would be in the applicants own interest to design the internal arrangements to limit flood risk such as installing electrical sockets at higher internal levels.

6.4 Bats have been found at the site. The bat survey report has outlined some mitigation but is lacking in proper detail. Ecosystems have stated that they'd be happy to support the proposal but in order to suitably safeguard the bats a planning condition seeking detailed mitigation plans must be provided and approved prior to any works being undertaken as to mitigate any adverse harm. - 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 For the reasons outlined above the proposal is considered to have an acceptable visual and amenity impact, and not to be subject to increased flood risk beyond the existing dwelling as to warrant a refusal in this case. Subject to a condition relating to the bats the proposal is also considered to have an acceptable impact on bat habitats. - 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

8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner 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: 03.01.2023 Determining officer

Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Principal Planner

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