Officer Report

Application No.: 18/01159/B Applicant: Oleksandr & Olena Lisovy Proposal: Construction of first floor extension to existing single storey dwelling including raising roof eaves level Site Address: The Palms 15 Marathon Road Douglas Isle of Man IM2 4HN Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken: 22.11.2018 Site Visit: 22.11.2018 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 11.12.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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 permission relates to the following plans and drawings date stamped received on 6th November 2018:

• o 190/001: Location and Site Plans
• o 190/010: Existing floor plan and elevations
• o 190/021: Proposed floor plans and elevations
• o 190/022: Existing and proposed street elevations

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 'The Palms', 15 Marathon Road, Douglas. A detached single storey bungalow fronting onto Marathon Road. To the south west is 3 Marathon Road - a large two storey dwelling, and at the north east 'Thie Vane' a one and a half storey bungalow. Both properties are sat higher than the site dwelling, and all three feature different architectural styles and form. The site also sits lower at ground level than the semi-detached properties to the rear - with a 30m distance from the rear gable of the dwelling and these properties. - 1.2 The dwelling is a bungalow, with gable wall to the front and a veranda. To the front of the property are two conifer trees, partially screening the property from Marathon Road. There is a low stepped concrete wall bounding the site and Thie Vane, and hedging on the other side.

2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed are a number of alterations and extension to the dwelling via the addition of a first floor. It is proposed that this be accommodated via the raising of the eaves level by approximately 1.7m. - 2.2 Additionally, a number of window openings would be added and amended, with a balcony on the first floor front elevation and two floor to ceiling windows on the rear. A chimney stack is proposed on a new prow gable roof with is to feature large overhanging eaves at the gable ends. - 2.3 The first floor exterior walls are to feature treated cedar cladding, with the other parts of the wall rendered to match the existing. All new windows and doors would be white uPVC to match the existing, concrete tiles would be used also to match the existing. It is not proposed that the condition or position of the existing trees would be changed.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 A planning application for a small rear extension on the site dwelling was approved via (09/00707/B), but has not been constructed.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The Douglas Local Plan 1998 (North map) designates the site as within an area zoned for Predominantly Residential use. - 4.2 Due to the land use designation, General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 applies (in part). "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;"

4.3 It is also important to have regard to Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Strategic Plan: "As a general policy, in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application (23.11.18). - 5.2 Highway Services advise that there is no highways interest (16.11.18).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 In considering an extension such as this in a residential area, it important to have specific regard to potential impacts on neighbours and their amenity, and the appearance of both the site itself and the street scene or character of the area. - 6.2 Impact on Neighbours

• 6.2.1 The key considerations in terms of impact on neighbours are risks of overshadowing and/or overlooking and loss of privacy to dwellings within 20 metres of the site dwelling. As the proposal would involve an increase in height of approximately 1.7m, these considerations must be assessed as per the above policy in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
• 6.2.2 Any extension to a dwelling should not result in significant levels of loss of daylight or overshadowing, especially to habitable rooms or private gardens. Due to the minimum 8m spacing between the side of No3 Marathon Road and its ground level and height, any loss of light is unlikely to be severe or detrimental to the residential amenity of owners/occupiers of that dwelling. The level of shadowing can be estimated by the following; A simple check can be undertaken by drawing a section in a plane perpendicular to the main face of the building affected. If the potential obstructing extension subtends an angle to the horizontal, at a height

2 metres from ground level, less than 25° then there will still be the potential for good daylight to the interior. If this test is applied, Thie Vane may experience some slight shadowing in the late evening period on openings on its south west elevation. This would not however be so severe as to warrant a reason for refusal on the grounds of loss of light.

• 6.2.3 Overbearing effect would not be an issue at the proposal would bring the dwelling to a height almost matching that of Thie Vane when viewed from Marathon Road, and still significantly lower than No.3 to the south west.
• 6.2.4 Overlooking at either side of the dwelling is also unlikely as there would be no openings on the side elevations other than a total of 5 roof lights. At the rear, two floor to ceiling windows are proposed but given the 30m distance to the rear wall of the closest property to the rear, and 14m from the rear gable to the boundary, overlooking would be restricted. The proposed first floor balcony to the front would face out towards the front garden and the road, again unlikely to cause an unacceptable loss of privacy to any neighbours.

6.3 Impact on Appearance of the Dwelling

• 6.3.1 The redesign of the dwelling to incorporate a first floor and the change from a standard pitched roof to a prow roof would alter the appearance of the dwelling in form and design.
• 6.3.2 It is considered however, that the alteration proposed would enhance the visual aesthetic of the building whilst providing additional living space for the residents. In this regard, the proposal is in compliance with GP2 (b).

6.4 Impact on Street Scene

• 6.4.1 Similarly, given the nature of the redesign and extension, it is not considered that the character or appearance of the street scene would be harmed. The property would not appear bulky or out of place next two the surrounding properties, and is set back from the roadside and partly screened by existing trees. The proposed prow roof is a relatively unusual feature but the area contains a number of properties with differing architectural styles - there is no one prevailing style on Marathon Road. In this respect, the proposal complies with GP2 (b,c&g).
• 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 In summary, the proposal meets the requirements of the Douglas Local Plan and aforementioned policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is acceptable. - 8.0 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 a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 17.12.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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