Officer Report

Application No.: 17/00321/B Applicant: Mrs Stella Heath Proposal: Conversion of the rear portion of existing garage to create main bedroom en-suite including raising of existing flat roof Site Address: 19 Close Corneil Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6BN Case Officer : Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of an existing detached single storey dwelling which sits within the residential cul-de-sac of Close Corneil, Port Erin. The property sits on the south side of the cul-de-sac which abuts the Ballafesson Road on the western side. The streetscene is characterised by low profile properties with similar finishes, the single storey pitched roof property here has a gable end front elevation facing on to the cul-de-sac whilst the rear gable elevation faces over the rear garden and towards the rear garden and rear elevations of both of Rowandene and 53 Station Road. - 1.2 Attached to the east elevation of the property is a double flat roof garage which are served by a single driveway to one of the garages and a small pedestrian path running in front providing access to the second.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the conversion of part of the central garage into additional living space (an ensuite bathroom) to service an existing bedroom within the main dwelling. This proposal will include the raising of the flat roof by approximately 500mm to allow for the additional head height within the internal area of the en-suite. The roof will be finished in finished in fibreglass. The application runs concurrent with a similar application for the conversion of the front part of the garage in to a living room including the replacement of the garage door with a window and similarly lifting the flat roof height an additional 500mm. - 2.2 During the writing of the report an additional drawing (drawing number 03 Rev A) was submitted by the agent showing an extension to the existing driveway to allow access into the existing garage.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Planning approval was granted for the installation of French doors and the bricking up of the existing side entrance under 07/02130/B. Concurrent to this application, approval has been sought under PA 17/00466/B for the conversion of the front part of the garage with associated raising of the ceiling level as proposed here and the additional replacement of the garage door to a window. This application has been approved subject to a condition relating to the widening of the existing driveway to allow for suitable off road parking space.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South 2013 as Residential. As such, the following parts of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are considered applicable in the assessment of the application:

4.2 Paragraph 8.12.1 - Extensions to Dwellings in built up areas or sites designated for residential use 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." - 4.3 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 and
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the application 11/04/2017 stating that whilst the proposal reduces the parking provision within the garage that there is scope to provide additional parking by extending the existing driveway. - 5.2 The widening of the driveway has been conditioned within concurrent application PA 17/00466/B.

5.2 Port Erin Commissioners are in support of the application 18/04/2017. - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of the current application are whether the proposal would have an adverse impact of the character and appearance of the existing property from the streetscene and whether the proposal would adversely impact the amenities of the neighbours. - 6.2 Whilst the height of the flat roof will increase it is not expected that its additional rise will have a significant impact on the character of the dwelling to warrant a concern, similarly its distance from the neighbours and its minimal increase it is not expected that its development would create any impacts to the amenities of the neighbours. - 6.3 The creation of an en-suite within the garage will reduce the internal area of the garage thus decreasing the off road parking available to the property to 1 space. Since the writing of the report an additional drawing has been submitted which proposes the extension of the existing drive to not only allow for vehicle access into the existing garage but for an additional parking space on the new area of driveway. The property now has 3 off road parking spaces available.

- 7.0 RECOMMENDATION

7.1 Overall it is considered that the application meets the relevant parts of GP2 and paragraph - 8.12.1 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and is therefore recommended for approval.

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:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;

• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

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: 08.06.2017 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• 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.

• C 2. Within three months of the completion of the works to create the en-suite facilities, the driveway must be widened as shown in drawing 03A. Reason: to ensure that the property has adequate car parking on site.

This approval relates to drawing numbers 2017/05/01 and 2017/05/02 date stamped and received 21/03/2017 and 2017/05/03A date stamped and received 02/06/2017.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 12.06.2017 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

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