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Application No.: 16/00256/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Kevin Millward Proposal: Alterations and two storey extension to dwelling Site Address: The Bungalow Woodland Heights Ashley Road Onchan Isle of Man IM4 5BB Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 31.03.2016 Site Visit: 31.03.2016 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of a dwelling known as 'The Bungalow', which is situated in the Woodland Heights area just to the northeast of Onchan. Also within the applicants' control are two proportionally large parcels of land comprising a number of open fields to the south and southeast of The Bungalow and totalling just over 9 hectares. Planning approval has recently been issued for the erection of a small stable block within the field to the south of The Bungalow. - 1.2 The existing dwelling is a large, somewhat sprawling bungalow that offers little by way of architectural interest, although it is of a fairly unobtrusive scale and mass within its landscape. It is, however, fairly typical in this regard of many dwellings of this type and era found occasionally throughout the Island. - 1.3 Vehicle access to application to the application site is from Ashley Road in Onchan and thereafter a private access lane that serves both The Bungalow and the other handful of dwellings in Woodland Heights. The nearest property is just less than 15m to the east of The Bungalow, and is known as 'The Cottage' and is of a similar era as The Bungalow but is a much more modestly sized and proportioned dwelling. The two dwellings are heavily screened from one another by some robust evergreen trees that appear to lie within the ownership of The Cottage, as well as a section of fencing behind. - 1.4 The area is characterised by its rural feel, with a number of trees found in the area and further afield, and the views that can be achieved from outside the site and its access route are of fields and scattered dwellings.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for wholescale alterations to the dwelling, perhaps the most significant of which is a two-storey element to the southwest of the dwelling and which would change its footprint from a T-shape to something more akin to an H-shape. This would also see an additional two-storey element added to the main spine of the dwelling as well, and the entirety of the works would result in the majority of the dwelling being two-storeys while a small element of the existing single storey element would also remain and be subordinate to the new massing of the dwelling.
2.2 The new two-storey elements would retain the pitched roofs and gable walls of the existing dwelling, but this is where the similarity ends. Each elevation would be altered to include a mixture of Manx stone, render and vertical weatherboard cladding with the former two finishes being predominant and the timber used very much as an accentuation. - 2.3 There is proposed to be a significant level of glazing added to the dwelling, which is largely to be vertically expressed throughout the two storeys and on two occasions into the roof as well. - 2.4 A new balcony is proposed at first floor level of the proposed two storey extension; this would be formed of steel posts with glass infill. - 2.5 At the pre-application stage, the applicant and agent were encouraged to consider the possibility of demolishing the existing dwelling and replacing it with another one in order to give them a little more freedom with how the redevelopment could be approached. However, in view of their wholly understandable desire to remain in the dwelling as much as possible during the redevelopment works, they decided upon the redevelopment route instead. A statement explaining this approach, how they view the existing dwelling and its issues in terms of both appearance and use, as well as how they wish the dwelling to be altered to reflect their family's current and future needs, has been submitted with the application. This has been extremely helpful in understanding the proposal in context and also the applicants' desire to redevelop their home. - 2.6 Also submitted are some photomontages showing the dwelling as proposed to be altered from the access lane and also from within the curtilage. These are of a very high quality.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There was a planning approval granted in 2007 (PA 07/00802/B) that showed a similarly massed extension to that now proposed, but did not propose a second-storey element to the existing body of the dwelling. The design of that scheme was significantly less cohesive than that now proposed and, if implemented, would have, albeit taking a subjective judgement, significantly altered rather than improved the appearance of the dwelling. The application was assessed against the Onchan Local Plan as the Strategic Plan was yet to be adopted. In any case, this approval has long-since expired. - 3.2 Also, as noted, planning approval was granted for a stable block in the corner of one of the fields under a much more recent application (15/01017/B).
4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 The site lies within Open Space For Particular Purposes defined on the Onchan Local Plan as Woodland. As Policy O/RES/P/22 of the Local Plan makes clear, "…it should be noted that the Countryside in its entirety within the District is designated by the Local Plan as of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance…". - 4.2 With this in mind, and also being conscious of the design of the existing dwelling and the proposal, the following policies of the Strategic Plan apply.
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."
General Policy 2: "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:
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Although this latter policy might be said not to apply in view of the fact that the site is not zoned for development, it is equally the case that Housing Policy 16 allows for the principle of the development proposed and therefore the provisions of GP2 are appropriate to consider. Moreover, the wording of the policies is relevant and helpful in assessing the proposal in terms of its impact on neighbouring properties' living conditions as well as design.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services of the Department of Infrastructure offered no objection to the proposal on 08.03.2016, while Onchan Commissioners recommended the application be approved on 23.03.2016.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Housing Policy 16 is perhaps the key policy. While the existing dwelling might be representative of a number of similar such dwellings scattered across the Island, it is unlikely to be considered as particularly attractive to many people and so its alteration is acceptable in principle. What is important to consider is the design approach taken and also the impact of any alterations on neighbouring living conditions. - 6.2 In the first place, it is considered that the design changes proposed will vastly improve the appearance of The Bungalow and the area in which it sits. The intention to convert the building into a predominantly two-storey dwelling will result in the remaining single storey element being appropriately subordinate to the larger massing of the newer elements. This is welcome.
6.3 The alterations proposed to the walls of the dwelling are similarly welcome. The use of a mixture of materials traditionally found on dwellings in the countryside, and particularly Manx stone, will help to break up the appearance of the dwelling and provide it with greater interest than is currently the case. The vertical emphasis of the windows will provide further interest and definition to a dwelling that at present is something of a sprawling, undifferentiated mass. - 6.4 All of the changes together represent both a significant re-working of the dwelling but also its revitalisation. While it is inarguable that the dwelling's visual "impact" would certainly be "increased" (as per the wording of Housing Policy 16), it is equally considered the case that the resulting impact will be a notable and welcome improvement over the existing situation. The Bungalow is readily visible when travelling up the access route - which despite not being adopted, and hence not a public highway, remains in place to provide access for visitors and residents alike and in its remodelled form will provide a much more interesting and attractive impression and introduction for visitors to the area. As such, it is considered that while the proposal might not necessarily meet the specific wording of Housing Policy 16, the application remains acceptable in the context of Environment Policies 1 and 2, as well as General Policy 2, and therefore no objection is raised on this ground. - 6.5 Turning then to the impact on neighbouring living conditions, it is considered that the proposal would not have a significantly harmful impact. The elevation facing towards the only dwelling conceivably impacted from this point of view - The Cottage - would not have any new window or door openings. The two-storey extension proposed would have five non-opening floorto-ceiling glazing windows facing towards the northeast at the ground floor, but The Cottage is sited due east from these and in any case is more than 30m distant from them. As such, though there will be some additional glazing facing towards The Cottage, the angles will be oblique, at a notable distance, and also views from here can be achieved from the established garden of The Bungalow in any case. Finally, there is also the fairly significant evergreen trees and fencing separating the two dwellings, and nor has any comment been received from the owners of that property. All of the above is considered sufficient to conclude that the impact on neighbouring living conditions from the proposal will be kept satisfactorily limited and no objection is raised on this point. - 6.6 Highway Services raise no objection. The redevelopment would not provide for any garaging, though none exists at present and so the continuation of this situation where significant parking land already exists is considered acceptable. - 6.7 In view of this, it was considered that the removal of permitted development rights in respect to new garaging might be appropriate. However, it is also considered that the site is isolated. Equally, its nature is such that a garage would very likely only ever be sited to the north / northwest where views thereof would be obtainable solely from within the dwelling's curtilage. A condition is therefore not recommended accordingly as this would likely be viewed as failing to meet the need for that condition to be 'necessary' to make the application acceptable. It is also to be remembered that the extension proposed, if built, would mean no further extensions could be built under permitted development rights.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 In view of the favourable conclusions as outlined above, it is recommended that the application be approved.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation:
01.04.2016
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
The development hereby approved relates to the following plans, all date-stamped as having been received 2nd March 2016: 2015/16/1, 2015/16/2, 2015/16/3, 2015/16/4, 2015/16/5, 2015/16/6 and 2015/16/7.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Interim Director of Planning and Building Control in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 04.04.2016 Determining officer
Signed : J CHANCE Jennifer Chance Interim Director of Planning and Building Control
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