30 August 2017 · Delegated
1, Victoria Place, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4et
The application sought permission to create a driveway and new vehicular access at 1 Victoria Place, Douglas, Isle of Man. This would have involved removing the existing front garden wall to form an off-street parking space. The application was refused by the Director of Planning and Building Control acting under delegated authority. The officer's report noted that while some neighbouring properties (numbers 3, 4, and 5) have already converted their front areas to parking, numbers 1 and 2 retain their original front gardens. The decision found that removing the wall and creating the parking space would harm the visual character of the area. It also identified that the proposed space would be too short to park a standard car safely and conveniently, and that this could cause inconvenience to other users of the adjacent lane and pose a highway safety risk.
The application was refused on 30 August 2017. The proposed removal of the front garden wall and creation of a driveway would have caused an adverse visual impact on the character of the area. The parking space would also have been too short to safely accommodate a standard-sized car, and the arrangement could have caused inconvenience to other users of the lane and reduced highway safety.
Refusal Reasons
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
The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan of 1998 as Predominantly Residential.
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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (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; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (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; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. 6.3 Development outside of areas zoned for development
