DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00431/B Applicant: Mr Scott Stewart Proposal: Conversion of dwelling to 2 holiday cottages with associated parking Site Address: Margarita Cottage Baldhoon Road Laxey Isle Of Man IM4 7NA Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.06.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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 the occupation of any holiday cottage the car parking area, as shown on Site Plan date stamped received 23rd March 2020, shall be provided and remain free from obstruction thereafter.

Reason: To ensure that the strategic plan car parking standards are met in the interest of highway safety.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The alteration into two separate properties and the use of the property for tourist accommodation will have a minimal impact on the neighbouring amenity of the current residents and as such complies with General Policy 2, Environmental Policy 36, Paragraph 9.5.8 and Business Policy 13.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 23rd March 2020:

• o Site Plan
• o Site Location Plan
• o Drawing No. 5/339/6

• o Drawing No. 5/339/7

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the curtilage of "Margarita Cottage," Baldhoon Road, Laxey which is

• a two bedroomed cottage situated within the grounds of "Crofton," Baldhoon Road, Laxey.

1.2 "Margarita Cottage," is situated to the north of "Chalma" and to the east of "Crofton" with a winding road down to Baldhoon Road. Due to the topography of the site "Margarita Cottage" is situated higher than "Chalma" but lower than "Crofton."

THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to covert the existing two bedroomed dwelling into two separate one bedroomed properties for holiday lets. Both holiday lets are to have a lounge, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. - 2.2 To the front elevation the application proposes to alter a window on the ground floor level to a stable door and install a stable door in the existing doorway. To the rear the alterations proposed are to replace the rear door with the existing one on the front. There is also the installation of a new uPVC window at first floor level on the northern elevation. - 2.3 Two parking spaces have also been proposed around 30 metres away from the site situated to the first corner of the right of way.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.

PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Laxey and Lonan Local Plan 2005, Laxey Map. The Laxey and Lonan Local Plan 2005 has a policy which is relevant to this assessment, L/RES/PR/1 which states, "4.69 Residential development will generally only be approved within the study area in those areas designated as proposed and existing residential……"

4.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 2, Environment Policy 36, Business Policy 13 and Paragraph 9.5.8 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. - 4.3 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 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;

• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.4 Environment Policy 36 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states, "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area. - 4.5 Business Policy 13 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states. "Permission will generally be given for the use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation providing that it can be demonstrated that such use would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents." - 4.6 Also of relevance is Paragraph 9.5.8 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan which states; "The use of existing private residential properties as tourist accommodation may be acceptable if it can be demonstrated that it will not compromise the amenities of any neighbouring residents."

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state the following, "The proposed subdivision of the indicates the creation of two parking spaces slightly divorced from the proposed units, but are adequately dimensioned and allow space for turning given the alignment and narrowness of the adjoining track. The area should be formed from a consolidated and bound material with surface water drained into the site."

• 5.1.1 Highway Services have also requested three conditions regarding Provision of Parking Areas, Bicycle Parking and Electronic Vehicle Charging Points be attached to the application. (23.04.20)

5.2 Garff Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (27.04.20). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The Fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this application is whether there would be an impact on the neighbouring properties and the local amenities.

SPLITTING OF PROPERTY

6.2 When looking at the proposed alterations of the property the main alteration to the front of the property is the removal of a window and inserting a door, this is done to facilitate the alteration to create two dwellings. These works are minimal and will not be viewable from a main public vantage point apart from the rears of "Chalma" and "Sheun Vollyr," Balhoon Road.

6.3 With regards to any possible overlooking to "Chalma" and "Sheun Vollyr" no new windows are proposed to the front elevation and one window will be altered to a door which has a small window to the upper half, as such any possible overlooking from the alterations will be minimal. TOURIST USE

6.4 It is difficult to assess how an individual person would behave whether they would be a tourist or a permanent resident. As a tourist, a person may be out a lot of the time, but may also have greater late nights and be disruptive on return. On the other hand, permanent residents may be at home more of the time, but be more likely to invite friends or family over for dinner or parties that may be noisy. In general terms, however, the majority of people tend to behave well and raise no concerns, although there will always be a percentage that might not, whether they are a permanent resident or otherwise. - 6.5 Business Policy 13 indicates that permission will generally be given for the use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation providing that it can be demonstrated that such a use would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents. The property is currently being used as a residential property of which the current application will split the property into two holiday cottages. It is considered that the use of the existing residential

• dwelling as permanent tourist accommodation will have a similar impact, whether it is used for tourist or permanent residential use and therefore would not have a significant impact upon the residential amenities of the neighbouring properties.
• 6.6 When looking at the parking provisions for "Margarita Cottage," it is situated down a private lane which accommodates just one other property "Crofton," which is in the same ownership as "Margarita," as such even though the property will be split into two any additional comings and goings are likely to be no more apparent that what is currently.
• 6.7 The addition of the additional parking is a welcome one, whilst the property is close by to the Laxey town centre the main road in which "Margarita Cottage" is situated (Baldhoon Road), is twisty and for the most part lacking in a suitable pavement, as such having the option to park on site is an advantage. It should be noted that the site is close to the Laxey town centre and as such visitors to the property can use other means of transport such as the buses and electric trams. Highways Services recommendations
• 6.8 Whilst Transport Policy 1 requires development to be sited so that it is close to existing public transport routes including rail and cycle routes, this does not extend as far as saying that private dwellings should provide secure bicycle storage and the policy does not mention electric vehicles. The proposal is clearly on a site large enough to facilitate secure parking for both cars and bicycles and there could be external power points which could facilitate the charging of an electric vehicle, should the owner possess one. As such it is not considered necessary or appropriate to ask for these features to be specifically provided.

CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable. 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 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: 30.06.2020

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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