APL Planning Statement

Planning Statement

Address: Ballacallin House, Niarbyl Road, Dalby, Isle of Man

• 1.0 Proposal
• 1.1 Full planning approval is sought for the creation of a balcony to the West Elevation of Ballacallin House with a lower level terrace area under. The property is situated on the corner of Niarbyl Road and Dalby Road.
• 1.2 The balcony would be created off a two storey extension that was approved in 2022 (ref: 21/01539/B).
• 1.3 The roof terrace would be approximately 3m wide and 1.5m deep giving an approximate area of 4.5m2.
• 1.4 The balcony would be finished with a composite decked finish and have glazed balustrading.
• 1.5 The balcony will be accessed from the living space to the first floor level via a door to the apex glazed gable unit.
• 1.6 The lower terrace area would be accessed from the ground floor level and be approximately 5.9m x 2.5m in size giving an area of 14.75m2. Due to the garden sloping away, this terrace would be approximately 1m above existing ground level. This terrace would have the same composite decking and glazed balustrading finish as the balcony above.
• 1.7 The wall aspect to the terrace will be finished with composite cladding. It will be a void space so it can be utilised for storage.
• 1.8 It is proposed to renovate the existing porch to omit the side elevations glazing, replace

with painted render to match the existing and insert a new composite front door with side lights. It is also proposed to replace the porch roof tiles with slate to match the main roof.

• 2.0 The Application Site
• 2.1 The application site is a typcial detached two storey Manx cottage with a porch. As point

• 1.2, approval was gained in 2022 (ref: 21/01539/B) to erect a two storey extension to the West elevation of the cottage. This is currently being completed.
• 2.2 The property is situated on the corner of Niarbyl Road and Dalby Road. Aesthetically, there is a mix of Architectural styles and ages of properties to the surrounding area and Dalby as a whole.

• 2.3 The application site is located within the centre of Dalby village and is within an area designated as predominantly residential on Dalby Draft Map 17 of the Area Plan for the North and West.
• 2.4 The site in question has clear views out from the West elevation over the fields and out to sea with no interuption from other dwellings. It also has nice view from the South elevation over the fields on the opposite side of Niarbyl Road.
• 2.5 The closest neighbouring property is Manville bungalow to the South West of the site in question. Due to the orientation and drop in ground level, neither property impacts one another.
• 2.6 The building is finished with a painted render finish to the wall elevations and the main roofs have a slate finish.
• 2.7 The porch currently has a tiled roof finish with dwarf rendered walls and glazing around all elevations. Key Policies for the Proposal

In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of ManStrategic Plan 2016 contains one policy that is considered materially relevant to the assessment of this planning application:

General Policy 2 states:"Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (b)respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c)does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g)does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;

3.0 Siting

• 3.1 The siting of the proposal is on the West elevation of the dwelling.
• 3.2 Due to the orientation and location, the proposed balcony is not visible from Dalby Road or the majority of Niarbyl Road. You would have to be nearly down the Niarbyl Cafe to be able to see the proposal. From other points the proposal is blocked by other dwellings or natural features of the area.
• 3.3 As above, the proposal would not be seen from the street scene and as such would not cause an adverse visual impact to the detriment of the area.
• 3.4 The lower level terrace would not be seen from any area due to the slope of the land and as such does not have any impact on the surroundings.

4.0 Scale

• 4.1 The scale of the proposal ties is in keeping with the site in question. At 3x1.5m, the balcony is of a modest size that whilst being functional does not overpower the site or the aesthetics of the property.
• 4.2 The proposed balcony will be approximately 3.8m in height with the glazed balustrading finishing at approximately 4.9m above existing ground level. This height is comfortably lower than the eaves height of 6.4m to the extension which ensures the balcony remains subservant to the main dwelling.

5.0 Form

• 5.1 The form of the terrace and balcony will be a positive addition to the property. The surroundings are a mix of finishes and without any continuity.
• 5.2 Balconies are present to similar properties throughtout the island so there is strong precedent in place.
• 5.3 The proposal of using glazed balustrading will give a positive contemporary finish against the more traditional dwelling finish via the apex glazed gable end. Feasibility was given to utilising more traditional metal balustrading but this was put to one side due to :

• A – A significant amount more maintenance would be required to the balustrading due to the severe weather exposure of the area and regular painting required.
• B – The glazing will maximise the views out from the first floor living area. If it was railings this would seriously impede the outlook.

• 5.4 The proposal does not detract from the appearance of the existing dwelling.

6.0 Overlooking/ Overbearing

• 6.1 Due to the proposed location, overlooking would not occur.
• 6.2 Due to the orientation of the site, Manville to the South West does not have any outlooking windows that would be impacted and neither do they have garden space to this area.
• 6.3 Fuchsia Cottage to the North is set further back along Dalby Road. Due to this and their garage being located between themselves and Ballacallin House, the proposal would not have an overlooking or overbearing impact. Using the 45 degree rule of thumb from the residential design guidance 2019, the proposed balcony is comfortably outside that area of view from Fuchsia Cottage. Conclusions

It should be considered that the proposal can be viewed favourably when assessed against each of the key criteria set out in the planning policies. Provisions have been made from the Development Plan with strong regard for Strategic Plan Policy:

• General Policy 2 It is felt that the proposal complies with the points outlined in the policies outlined above and also takes into account and is felt meets the points raised in Residential Design Guidance 2019.