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Application No.: 16/00190/B Applicant: The Peel & Western District Housing Committee Proposal: Erection of a 32 unit sheltered housing scheme with associated parking (comprising amendments to PA 15/01109/B) Site Address: Westlands Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1JG Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report THE SITE
1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing sheltered housing complex containing 42 apartments, operated by the Peel and Western District Housing Committee and located to the south west of Rheast Bridson, to the east of Tynwald Close and to the north of a number of properties which front onto Peel Road - Hillsboro, Glen View, The Haven, Colmor, Toronto Vale and Holmcroft with Graie and Croit-e-Ferish sitting to the south of this. To the south east is a currently open field and land to the east which has been recently been granted planning approval for the development of a two storey sheltered housing scheme for the same applicant - 14/01136/B which was approved at appeal following local objections to the scheme on grounds relating, inter alia, to highway safety and the impact of the building on the living conditions of those living nearby. Hillsboro and Glen View had a rear gable which has a first floor window in each currently looking out over the boundary wall onto the car park and access and Glen View has a flat roofed garage at the back of the site which accesses onto a lane which joins the application site access. The Haven has been extended and has a rear elevation which has a large area of glass which is currently around 14m from the existing building. Both it and Colmor have another window at first floor level looking towards the application site. Holmcroft has a blank side gable which faces the application building which is currently around 7m from the application building. 11, Rheast Bridson is a bungalow which has a number of windows and a door on the elevation facing towards the application site. The boundary of these two sites is formed by bushes on both sides of the boundary fence and a number of deciduous trees which provide some screening between the two. - 1.2 The existing buildings on the site are two storey and arranged in a courtyard style layout with the open end opposite 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5a, Rheast Bridson. The buildings are as close as 7m from Holmcroft. Access to the site is via Tynwald Close onto the A1 Douglas - Peel Road. - 1.3 The surrounding houses are mainly bungalows to the west, east and north with two storey properties to the north (65 and 67, Rheast Bridson) and south. - 1.4 Car parking is available to the west of the building in the form of 11 formal spaces in front of the building. A further 15 lie off Rheast Bridson to the rear of the building. These spaces are public spaces and will remain as such, shared between the users of Westlands and residents of and visitors to Rheast Bridson. There were more vehicles parked informally to the west of the building on the officer's site visit, potentially restricting vehicular movement. Tynwald Close has some on street parking in addition to the driveways enjoyed by the individual properties there. - 1.5 Planning approval has been granted recently to a scheme of redevelopment which it is now proposed to change very slightly (PA 15/01109/B).
2.1 Previously proposed was the demolition of the existing buildings on the site and their replacement with a two storey single building accommodating 32 sheltered housing units. Access will remain from Tynwald Close with the building set back further from the south west , allowing more space for car parking spaces to the front of the building - 13 spaces with a further 5 spaces suitable for use by disabled people. The changes are the slight relocation (1.5m) of a projecting bay on the Rheast Bridson elevation, the addition of a single storey porch on the corner of the north and western elevations, the change from a door to a window on the southern elevation. - 2.2 The building will be more compact than the existing which focuses on an open area in the centre of the layout and comes no closer to Rheast Bridson than does the existing building, although there will be a greater mass alongside the road than at present. - 2.3 The proposed building will be between 3m and 1m taller than the existing which is two storey and which is similar to the height to eaves of the existing building. The additional mass is at roof level, due to the greater depth of the proposed building and by virtue of this, a greater and taller roofspan. - 2.4 The building will be finished in grey roof tiles with red ridge and hip tiles, roughcast painted rendered walls with cedral cladding and Manx stone in paces. All windows will be white coloured uPVC with gutters, fascias and soffitts all black uPVC.
2.4 The building will be 28.5m from 4, Rheast Bridson, directly across the adopted highway and will be 3m taller at the ridge which is a further 9m away (the eaves level of the proposed building is around the height of the ridge of 4, Rheast Bridson). The building will be 10.7m from 11, Rheast Bridson which is single storey and whose longer elevations are roughly parallel with the gable of the proposed building. The building will be 10.8m from Holmcroft, a two storey dwelling which has been extended and which currently sits 7m from the existing building. The building will be over 14m from 65, Rheast Bridson, to the north which backs onto the site and is a two storey terraced dwelling. A bin store will be placed between the proposed building and 65, Rheast Bridson.
2.6 The applicant explains that the scheme is managed by the Peel and Western District Housing Committee which supports housing need in Peel, Michael, Patrick, German and Marown. They believe that the existing buildings do not meet the needs of their residents nor attractive to people who wish to relocate to the Peel area. The accommodation is small with the floor areas well below current standards and make facilities shared by couples difficult to accommodate. The bungalows to the west are also small and not suitable to people with mobility problems. There are limited and in some cases, no communal facilities, mains services need upgrading and parking facilities do not meet modern day needs. Evidence of the need for change can be seen in the number of people who have been offered a place at the existing buildings and who have declined the offer. - 2.7 The overall vision is to improve and increase the facilities on the site through a programme of phased rebuild.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Peel Local Plan of 1989 as Predominantly Residential. The area is not within Peel's Conservation Area.
3.2 As such, the appropriate Strategic Plan policy is as follows:
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:
3.3 Environment Policy 4 makes provision for the protection of habitats and species of value and in this respect is relevant in that bats are known to roost within the site.
4.1 The site has been the subject of applications for minor alterations to the existing buildings, none of which is considered relevant to the consideration of the current application. Development was approved for a new sheltered housing scheme on the land to the south (see paragraph 1.1 above) which is not directly alongside the application site but is related in that it represents the enabling facility to which current residents of the application building can be relocated whilst work on the application site is underway.
4.2 That application also brought to light the presence of bats within the current application site which may be disturbed by any demolition works. As such, provision was to be made within that development for alternative accommodation for the bats:
"Prior to the demolition of the existing boiler house a scheme must be approved by the Department which makes alternative provision for housing the bats which are known to roost in the current building. Pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), are considered to be using the warm roof as a maternity site, to raise their young, during the summer months. The scheme must be implemented in accordance with these details and retained as such thereafter. The proposed development provides an opportunity for such relocation.
Reason: This species is protected under the Wildlife Act 1990. It is therefore important that an alternative site be provided prior to the demolition of the roost, that the bats be safely excluded from the current site, and that the new site mimics the original site as far as possible to maximise the chances of success in rehoming the bats. The applicant should consult DEFA in this respect."
REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Peel Town Commissioners do not object to the application (05/03/16).
5.2 Department of Infrastructure Housing indicate that in this case the housing is exclusively public sector homes for rent and as such there is no requirement for an allocation of 25% affordable homes (25.02.16).
5.3 The owner of 10, Rheast Bridson objects to the application, indicating that the project will entail a lot of heavy vehicles travelling to and from the site, disturbing their amenities. She is already
experiencing noise and nuisance from the other Westlands-related development nearby. She asks that additional car parking be built in to the development and that off road parking be provided during building works (02.03.16).
6.1 The proposed modifications alter the scheme only slightly and all of the conclusions reaches in PA 15/01109/B are still applicable here. The principle of redeveloping the facilities is not objectionable and is in line with the scheme formulated by the Housing Committee's programme of upgrading the existing facilities to meet modern day expectations and requirements. The issues are whether the proposal results in any adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area, on the living conditions of those in nearby residential property and whether the proposal results in any adverse impact on highway safety either by virtue of the proposed provisions for access or for car parking.
6.2 The existing buildings are not only poor in terms of the internal space and facilities which they offer to their residents but are also of poor external form, being very much buildings of their time with awkward angles, modern, characterless window forms and odd and sudden steps in the ridge height. What is proposed is more attractive and interesting with variety in finishes and a brighter presentation to all elevations. The building will have a different shape and whilst the resident of 4, Rheast Bridson considers this to "deviate" from the existing, as if the existing form were something to be replicated without lawful or possible alteration, the change will bring about greater distances from properties which are currently uncomfortably close to the existing building (The Haven, Colmor and Holmcroft) and whilst there will be a greater mass of building to the south west of 2-5a, Rheast Bridson, this is not at a distance which itself is unacceptable. In addition, whilst the building is taller at its ridge, the eaves level is not that different from that of the existing building, with the additional height sloping away from the highway. As such, it is not considered that there would be an adverse impact on the streetscene or on the living conditions of nearby residents such as to warrant refusal of the application.
6.3 The proposal will result in a decrease in ten units from the existing situation and an increase in the number of parking spaces available to them. Whether the spaces on Rheast Bridson are available to the public or not, the mathematics of the scheme result in a greater number of spaces being available to a lower number of people. As such, the proposal cannot be considered to have an adverse impact on highway safety in terms of car parking provision.
6.4 Access to the site is via Tynwald Close which is relatively narrow and there is limited space for vehicular turning and manoeuvring. Visibility from Tynwald Close onto Douglas-Peel Road is good in both directions and in any case, the proposal is to reduce numbers of residents and improve the number of parking spaces and as such, the proposal is not considered to be detrimental in highway safety terms and there is no objection from Department of Infrastructure Highway Services to the scheme. - 6.5 Whilst the works will involve heavy vehicles coming and going through the nearby residential streets, this is inevitable, the site being served by narrow residential streets in all directions. The passage of heavy vehicles along such streets is the area of responsibility of Department of Infrastructure Highway Services rather than the planning system and the applicant should liaise with them and with those living nearby to ensure that disturbance is kept to a minimum. The local authority should be able to ensure that this sort of communication is maintained throughout the project.
7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
In addition to those above, article 6(3) of the Order requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.
In this instance, it is recommended that the owner of the following property has sufficient interest and should be awarded the status of an Interested Person in accordance with Government Circular 0046/13:
10, Rheast Bridson
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.03.2016 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
This approval relates to drawings SC1210B/P/00-02A, SC1210B/P/00-03, SC1210B/P/10-01, SC1210B/P/10-03A, SC1210B/P/10-04A, SC1210B/P/12-01B all received on 18th February, 2016.
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 : 30.03.2016 Determining officer
Signed : J CHANCE Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management
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