DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00999/B Applicant: Mr Colin & Mrs Charlotte Coole Proposal: Erection of an extension to rear elevation and removal of a chimney stack Site Address: 11 Greyfriars Close Ballabeg Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 4EJ Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.10.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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.

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

It is considered that the works would have an acceptable visual and amenity impact and is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Section

3.2 of the Residential Design Guide 2019.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing numbers 1854-01 and 1854-02 both date stamped and received 01/09/2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 11 Greyfriars Close, Ballabeg, a detached single storey dormer bungalow situated part way along the small cul-de-sac and on the northern side of the road. - 1.2 The dwelling has an existing flat roof extension to one side of the rear elevation and a small lean-to extension below the rear dormer window. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the demolition of the existing small rear lean-to and the erection of a new infill extension at the rear projecting 3.6m and stretching 8.4m of the rear elevation. The proposed extension is to have a flat roof level with the eaves of the main house, a roof lantern is proposed above and bi-folding doors and a window on the rear elevation. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There are no previous applications considered relevant or material to the assessment of the current proposal. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area designated as 'residential' on the Area Plan for the South 2013. In terms of policy it is important to consider General Policy 2 and paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 in the assessment of this application, as well as section 3.2 of the Residential Design Guide 2019 (RDG) which refers to extension to existing dwellings and flat roof design:

4.2 General Policy 2 states (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;

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

4.3 "Paragraph 8.12.1 - Extensions to Dwellings in built up areas or sites designated for residential use 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." - 4.4 RDG 2019 - Section 3.2 POTENTIAL VISUAL IMPACT OF AN EXTENSION UPON THE EXISTING HOUSE

"3.2.1 The first aspect which the Department considers when determining the suitability of an extension to a house is whether the design of the extension fits with the existing property. Extensions should generally appear subordinate to the existing house i.e. appear as smaller additions rather than being overbearing features dominating the existing house.

3.2.2 Extensions should generally have the same roof pitch (angle) and shape as the existing dwelling and the height (roof ridge) should be lower than that of the main building. Generally, pitch roofs are the preferred roof type compared to flat roofs which are generally inappropriate forms of development, especially if publically viewable, unless the existing property has a flat/low pitched roof design. The extension should normally incorporate any design/interesting

features of the existing dwelling (with windows and doors replicating the design, proportions and materials of the original building, and being in line with the existing openings) unless a deliberate design decision has been made to adopt a different approach..."

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Rushen Parish Commissioners - no comments received as of 21/10/2020.

5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No highways interest (21/09/2020).

5.3 Neighbours' views - No comments received. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 There is a presumption in favour of residential development here as set out in GP2 and paragraph 8.12.1 so long as development does not have any adverse impact on the character or appearance of the existing dwelling and surrounding area, or on the living conditions of the neighbours.

6.2 The works are contained at the rear and will not be publicly visible. The existing dwelling already has an existing flat roof extension and the proposal will not seek to make worse the general appearance of the dwelling from the rear. The development will likely be seen by the neighbour to the east, but given the step between these two properties and the fairly low level design of the extension the proposal is not expected to result in any overbearing or adverse impacts on living conditions or amenity. There are no windows proposed facing the neighbour.

6.3 The RDG is clear that flat roofed extensions will rarely be considered an acceptable form of extension unless the main house already has features of this sort, which is the case here. Furthermore it's likely that an alternative pitched roofed approach could have a much greater impact on the outlook from the neighbour's property as well as a significant increased impact on the applicants existing dormer window, and so it would be reasonable to state that the flat roof design approach is deliberate and acceptable in this case. CONCLUSION - 7.1 It is considered that the works would have an acceptable visual and amenity impact and is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Section 3.2 of the Residential Design Guide 2019. 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: 22.10.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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