5 August 2016 · Delegated
Thie Nyn Ashlish, Patrick Village, Isle Of Man, IM5 3ah
Permission was granted for a rear extension to the dwelling at Thie-Nyn-Ashlish, Patrick Village, Isle of Man. The application was determined under delegated powers and approved on 5 August 2016. The main planning considerations were the effect of the extension on the character and appearance of the existing building and its impact on the local countryside. A site visit confirmed that the extension would be located at the rear of the property and would not be visible from Patrick Road or any public vantage point. The officer also noted that the elevation closest to the proposed kitchen extension belongs to the neighbouring property's garage, which has only a side access door. The proposal was found to comply with the relevant housing policy in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
The application was approved by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture under delegated powers. The extension was found to be acceptable in terms of its impact on the character of the existing building and the surrounding countryside. A key factor was that the extension sits at the rear of the property and is not visible from the public highway. The formal decision record lists 1 condition.
Extensions to properties in the countryside
explains that where development already exists, any alteration or extension to it should not detract from the local amenities of the countryside. There must also be control over the size and form of extensions to ensure a sensitively balanced appearance that will not destroy the character of the existing property.
8.12.2 Extensions to properties in the countryside As there is a general p olicy against development in the Island's countryside, it is important that where development exists, either in an historic or recently approved form, it should not, when altered or extended detract from the amenities of the countryside. Care therefore, must be taken to control the size and form of extensions to property in the countryside. In the case of traditional properties, the proportion and form of the building is sensitively balanced and extensions of inappropriate size or proportions will not be ac ceptable where these destroy the existing character of the property. In the case of non -traditional properties, where these are of poor or unsympathetic appearance, extensions which would increase the impact of the property will generally not be acceptable . It may be preferable to consider the redevelopment of non -traditional dwellings or properties of poor form with buildings of a more traditional style and in these cases, the Department may consider an increase in size of the replacement property over and above the size of the building to be replaced, where improvements to the appearance of the property would justify this.
The extension of non-traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public.
The proposed extension is not visible to the public or from the public highway of Patrick Road as its location is at the rear of the property, therefore in compliance with Housing Policy 16.
Housing Policy 16: The extension of non -traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public. 8.13 Conversion of Buildings to Flats 8.13.1 There are in the Island, and particularly in Douglas, many substantial buildings which, because of their size or form, are no longer suitable for the originally intended use as either single dwellings or holiday accommodation, but which are still structur ally sound. The Department has for many years encouraged the conversion of such buildings, where appropriate, into flats. 8.13.2 The size, layout, occupancy, etc., of flats are controlled by the Housing (Flats) Regulations 1982. However, all flats should also have a good external environment, characterised by - (a) a pleasant, clear outlook, particularly from the principal room(s) of the flat and (b) access to external space for the purpose of clothes-drying, refuse storage, car-parking, and general amenity. 8.13.3 Many buildings which are generally suitable for conversion into flats not only have very little space around them, but also have an annex or "outlet" at the rear. The Department may require the demolition, in total or in part, of such "outlets" even where the immediate use of the cleared space may not be possible, for example where more than one rear annex may be needed to be removed to gain access or highway work such as road widening may be required to make the cleared space useful. Such demolition will: (a) remove accommodation which has a poor environment and limited outlook; (b) permit the creation of parking space; and (c) assist in admitting light and air to the rear of the building proper. Where such demolition is not so required, the accommodation must generally be organised so that every flat has an outlook from the front of the building, and so that no flat is contained entirely within an "outlet". Exception may be made to this general approach where the environment at, and the outlook from, the rear are pleasant and open.
Condition 1
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
