Planning Officer Report

Case Officer: Mr Jamie Leadbeater Photo Taken: 22.12.2011 Site Visit: 22.12.2011 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the residential curtilage of a dwelling on the urban-rural fringe of Ramsey. The property on the site is one of a small parade of dwellings along the northern edge of Bride Road. Directly across Bride Road, the property overlooks a number of low-rise two storey residential properties. A field exists to the rear boundary of the application site, whilst a detached two storey dwelling lies adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site.

1. The property on the application site is a two storey semi-detached dwelling with detached garage. The property also has a front and rear garden, and a concrete driveway leading up the side of the house to the garage in the north-east corner of the site. It also has a pitched Manx slate roof with two chimney stacks. The front elevation ground floor is finished in brick facing, whilst the remainder of the house is finished in pebbledash. The dwelling has a bay window on the ground floor of the front elevation and a small annex attached to the rear elevation.

The Proposal

1. The proposal consists of alterations and a two storey extension to provide garaging and additional living accommodation. The proposal will involve an extension to the ground annex at ground floor to provide additional dining area space, whilst a two storey extension will be added to the north-eastern side elevation creating a garage on the ground floor and an additional bedroom above it with an ensuite bathroom and dressing room. A patio area is also to be created at ground floor level, extending 2.7 metres into the existing rear garden, whilst the existing detached garage will be demolished.

1. The front elevation of the proposed side extension will be set back from the existing main frontage by 3.5 metres whilst the extension will extend 1 metre further back from the wall of the existing rear annex.

Planning History

1. The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications, however one on the same road is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

Application No.:	11/01714/B
Applicant:	Mr & Mrs Oliver Pearce
Proposal:	Alterations and two storey extension to provide garaging and additional living accommodation
Site Address:	Greenbank
Bride Road
Ramsey
Isle Of Man
IM8 3UN

App. No. 04/00953/B – Alterations and a two storey extension to side of dwelling to provide additional living accommodation, This Y Vollan, Bride Road, Ramsey.

Planning Policy

1. The application site is within an area designated as being within predominantly residential use under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998. There are no policies with Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. 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:

• (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;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space".

1. Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 states "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".

Representations

1. Highways Division recommend approval as the proposal does not raise any adverse traffic management, parking or road safety implications.

Assessment

1. The proposal will increase the mass of the existing property by greater than 50%, and in doing so extend the property significantly towards the site boundary and adjacent property to the north-east. The proposal will also extend the property further towards the rear boundary, however, this is not considered to be significant and adverse.

1. The height of the walling to the two storey side extension will be the same as the height of the existing property and approximately the same as the adjacent property making it acceptable with regards to respecting the character of the existing building and surrounding locality.

1. The proposed finish to the walls, and slating to the roof of the two storey extension to the north-east side elevation, will be the same as the existing and therefore are considered to be in-keeping with the existing property and as such are considered acceptable in design terms. Whilst the roofing on the ground floor annex extension will be different to those on the first floor roof, the difference is considered minimal and the fact that it will be out-of-sight to the public makes it acceptable.

1. Despite the proposal reducing driveway space, it is considered that because a new garage will be integrated into the side extension, providing vehicle storage space, sufficient room should remain within the site for manoeuvrability purposes. In addition, the proposed demolition of the existing garage is considered acceptable due to the fact it would become inaccessible and that garage facilities will be integrated into the proposal for vehicle storage purposes.

1. The proposed patio area is not considered to have an adverse impact on the appearance or function of the rear garden space.

1. The front elevation of the proposed side extension will be set back from the existing main frontage by 3.5 metres and as such is considered to make the overall appearance of the property less onerous and more in-keeping with the existing street-scene along the north of Bride Road.

1. Although the proposal is substantial in size, and it would extend the property significantly towards the boundary with the adjacent property, it is not considered the extension would increase the mass of the property to an extent that it looks overdeveloped, due to the scale of the neighbouring properties along the northern perimeter of Bride Road.

1. Overall, the proposal is considered to be acceptable in scale, siting, and design in respect of the existing building and street scene in the immediate vicinity, and as such is not considered to have an adverse impact on public visual amenity. It also maintains acceptable levels of on-site vehicle manoeuvrability space and parking. Consequently, it is considered the proposal conforms to points b, c, g, and h of General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

RECOMMENDATION

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

PARTY STATUS

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Highways Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such the Highways Division cannot be afforded party status in its own right.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.01.2012 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to alterations, the erection of a two storey extension to side of existing property, the installation of a patio in the rear garden area, and the demolition of the existing detached garage shown in drawings 100669/1, 100669/2 100669/3, and 100669/4, received on 14 December 2011.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 12 January 2012

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : ... Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : ... Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : ... Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager