Officer Report

Application No.: 18/01105/B Applicant: Mr Michael Johnson Proposal: Alterations and relocation of vehicular access Site Address: 39 Vicarage Park Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2QE Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.11.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the drawings and plans received on 22nd October, 2018. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing detached dormer bungalow which sits on the western side of a cul de sac to the south of Vicarage Road. The property sits further forward than its neighbour to the north, number 38 and parallel with the cul de sac whereas its neighbour to the south, number 40, sits at an angle to it.

1.2 The property has at the front a wide expanse of hard standing which provides the car parking for the property. The vehicular access takes up a width which is equivalent to half of the frontage of the house - around 6m. - 1.3 There is a garage to the rear of the property which is accessed via the existing hardstanding which continues through gates to the rear where there is additional block paved driveway and turning area which is over 2 vehicle lengths long with a turning area to the side. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the blocking up of the existing vehicular access and the levelling of the ground between the new wall and the house and grassing this over. A new access is proposed to the side which will serve a new area of block paving, with dimensions of 3.65m by a little over 9m. - 2.2 The new frontage will be formed by a wall 70cm high with three pillars 1.4m high either side of the new access and two more in the centre and side of the frontage. PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan of 1998 as Predominantly Residential. As such, the following Strategic Plan policy is relevant:

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;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways and (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The site has been subject to a number of applications for alterations and extensions, none of which are material to the consideration of the current proposal. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection (09.11.18). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The proposal will result in an improvement to the character and appearance of the streetscene through the reduction in the width of the opening and the re-introduction of grass within the front garden. There is plenty of space to the side within the existing hard surfaced space, in addition to the garage, to accommodate two vehicles in addition to the generous space in front of the gates to the side of the house. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposal will retain sufficient car parking spaces and improve the streetscene and is supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. 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 in Article 6(4) 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 30.11.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.