Planning Statement Ballakilley Dwellings

Planning Statement

Erection of 49 no. dwellings, approved plots 103-135 and 139-145, Ballakilley, Church Road, Rushen

Erection of 49 no. dwellings (amendment to approved PA 13/00777/B), approved plots 103-135 and 139-145, Ballakilley (residential development under construction), off Church Road, Rushen

Planning Statement

1. In October 2013 planning approval was granted under PA 13/00777/B to develop land at Ballakilley with a residential development of 155 dwellings and associated infrastructure, along with extensive areas of open space which are suitable for sports and amenity use and an area to accommodate a cemetery extension ${ }^{1}$. In response to customer demand for smaller dwellings than those originally approved on the site, a number of changes to house types have been proposed and approved - most notably under PA 14/00549/B, 15/00211/B \& PA 15/00212/B - and as such there are currently 163 dwellings approved within the development.
2. The development at Ballakilley was commenced in early 2014 and to date around 106 dwellings have been released for sale, the majority of which have been constructed. Sales and reservations of these dwellings - along with enquiries from potential customers - has demonstrated that demand is at present focussed upon terraced, semi-detached and smaller detached properties and that demand for larger detached dwellings is extremely low. Phase 1 of the overall development contains 11 larger detached properties (those valued at over $£ 400,000$ ), all of which have been completed for well over 12 months ${ }^{2}$. To date only 2 of these units have been sold, one of which was to the Trustees of the Charlene Creer Trust, and of the remaining dwellings only plots 5 and 151 have attracted any interest of note. Feedback from prospective purchasers suggests that, amongst other things, availability of finance and difficulty in selling current property are restricting sales opportunities.
3. Of the 95 terraced, semi-detached and smaller detached dwellings which have been released for sale around 67 have been sold or reserved. This includes 39 affordable dwellings as agreed under PA 13/00777/B, comprised of 19 public sector dwellings for elderly persons (which are now occupied) and 20 dwellings for sale to First Time Buyers. The First Time Buyer properties are all either complete or substantially complete but to date the Department of Infrastructure has only been able to provide purchasers for 6 of those dwellings. On average

[^0] [^0]: ${ }^{1}$ The approval notice for PA 13/00777/B is attached at Appendix 1 ${ }^{2}$ Plots 1, 2, 5, 8, 146-151 \& 156.

those dwellings which have sold on the open market have generally taken between 6 and 12 months to sell.

1. Clearly new residential development should be planned to meet housing need, and having new properties remain empty because of a lack of demand for that size/type of dwelling will not help to achieve this objective. It for this reason that planning approval is now being sought to change the house types on a number of plots within the development, thus removing a number of previously approved larger detached dwellings and allowing the introduction of smaller house types. It is also the reason why it is proposed to introduce more single storey dwellings into the development. The proposed changes will result in an additional 9 properties within the development, and 172 dwellings in total ${ }^{3}$. The affordable housing contribution to be made is the subject of ongoing discussion with the Housing Division of the Department of Infrastructure.
2. The Ballakilley site is the subject of a Development Brief in the extant Area Plan for the South, which sets out a number of design criteria to which any development must have regard. A lower density of development (and suitable landscaping) is required in the vicinity of Rushen Cemetery, and the part of the application site closest to the cemetery - proposed plots 111 to 119 - will only see an increase of an additional 2 dwellings. Not only will the proposed dwellings be smaller than those previously approved, but those on plots 111113 will be single storey and as such the overall floor area of dwellings in the vicinity of the cemetery will be reduced. Similarly, the density of development within the application site as a whole will increase due to the introduction of smaller dwellings but it will remain low compared to other parts of the development; net density within the application site will rise from 26.6 dwellings per hectare to 32.66 , which compares to approximately 40 dwellings p/ha for the western part of the development. The inclusion of single storey dwellings on the outer edge of the development will add visual variety and help to soften views of it from outside the site as required by the Development Brief.
3. The additional dwellings as proposed will not have a material impact upon the operation of the local highway network or the approved drainage arrangements. The external side boundary of proposed plot 113 is approximately 3 metres further to the north east than previously approved, but

[^0] [^0]: ${ }^{3}$ It is also intended to submit a separate planning application to alter the dwelling types on plots 152 to 154 and this will result in a further additional dwelling.

it remains within the area which is allocated for residential development. The amount of public amenity space and informal children's play space to be provided within the development is approximately 6625 sq.m, which accords with the 6622 sq.m which is required for a development of this size (this calculation takes into account the 9 additional dwellings now proposed as well as the additional dwelling proposed under a separate application for plots 152154, resulting in a development of 173 dwellings which under the provisions of the loM Strategic Plan will have an occupancy level of 473 persons). It should be noted that the public open space approved to the north and east of the residential development under PA 13/00777/B is also likely to include informal play and amenity space, as well as continuing to provide an excess of formal open space (i.e. sports pitches).

1. In summary, the larger dwellings constructed at Ballakilley have largely remained unsold, which is of little or no benefit to either the community or the developer. The introduction of smaller dwelling types (including bungalows) will have less commercial value to the developer than the previously approved scheme but it is intended to better meet housing need, thus allowing the development to move more swiftly towards completion and avoiding the undesirable issue of more new houses standing unsold and empty for long periods of time.