DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00392/B Applicant: Mrs Stephanie Lawther Proposal: Alterations, erection of first floor extension and creation of driveway and vehicular access Site Address: Reina Malvern Road Douglas Isle of Man IM2 5AP Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken: 07.05.2019 Site Visit: 07.05.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.05.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 1st April 2019:

• o PTA 202-01 Site, Location Plans and existing plans and elevations
• o PTA 202-11 Proposed plans
• o PTA 202-03B Proposed elevations
• o PTA 202-12 Visibility splays, floor plans _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of a detached two-storey dwelling on Malvern Road, Douglas. The application relates to the property 'Reina' on Malvern Road. The road is a street characterised by terraced properties on the northern side forming part of the Selbourne Drive Conservation Area, and a mix of styles on the southern side. The site forms part of a triangle of detached dwellings situated in-between Malvern Road, Stoney Road and Bray Hill. - 1.2 The properties on the southern side of Malvern Road, including Reina, are set slightly back and below the level of the road. There is also significant hedging and tree cover between the north-facing elevations and the roadside. There is no prevailing architectural style on this side of the road, with a mix of heights, form, finish and roof design present - none of the properties are of any significant architectural value. - 1.3 Reina is somewhat unique in that is separated from the neighbouring property of 'Barnwood' by just 2.5 metres on the south eastern side. Barnwood features a steeply pitched roof and a conservatory to the rear, with overlook into the rear garden of Reina. Reina itself has a painted cream render finish with some red brick detailing, and a brown tiled roof. There is a low boundary wall to the front and no onsite parking.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is a further extension to that approved under PA 18/00944/B, adding a first floor hipped roof extension on top of the ground floor extension approved, and the creation of driveway parking for 2 vehicles at the front of the site. The finish would match that of the existing dwelling, with no new windows created on the south east elevation, one new window on the rear elevation and two bedroom windows on the north west facing elevation. Decking is also proposed from the patio doors on the north west side elevation. Part of the front wall of the site would be removed to facilitate access between the driveway/parking area and the road.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site is designated as 'Predominantly Residential' under the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998, (Map 3, North). It is across the street from the Selbourne Drive Conservation Area. - 3.2 In terms of general planning guidelines, it is important to consider General Policy 2 (GP2) of the same Strategic Plan;

"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;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."

3.3 Paragraph 8.12.1 (Extensions to Dwellings in built up areas or sites designated for residential use) of the Strategic Plan also states that;

"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."

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 A recent planning application was approved on this site (18/00944/B) which as for the ground floor extension. No conditions were added to this approval above the standard requirement for work to be commenced within 4 years.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application (26.04.19). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services do not oppose the application but point out that a Section 109A Highway Agreement would be required for the new vehicular crossing with dropped kerbs to cover the full access width (10.05.19).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 There are two prominent issues to be considered in this proposal. Firstly, the impact the proposed development may have on the character and appearance of both the building and the surrounding area, including the adjacent Selbourne Drive Conservation Area. Secondly, any potential impact on neighbour amenity, the this case particularly the amenity of residents of Barnwood to the south east and Bray Cottage to the north west. Finally, the impact on parking and access is assessed. - 6.2 Visual Impact

• 6.2.1 Given the site's close proximity to the Selbourne Drive Conservation Area, it is useful to examine any potential negative impact on this area which may result from development nearby. In this instance, the extension proposed sited behind Reina and therefore not highly visible from within the Conservation Area, or to vehicles and pedestrians using Malvern Road or Bray Hill. The use of the finishes and form matching the existing dwelling would ensure that the extension ties in with the main dwelling. The extension proposed would not appear as a disjointed addition when viewed from the site, neighbouring dwellings, or from Bray Hill towards the rear/side elevations.
• 6.2.2 The alterations to the frontage and creation of a parking area would be similar to that of the neighbouring dwelling of Barnwood, and would retain a garden strip/shrubbery around part of the boundary. Whilst the removal of the majority of the front garden is something which is discouraged (normally anything above a 50% reduction in garden), as the site is not within a conservation area or of any traditional importance, the neighbouring dwelling features a similar parking area, the site is set below the level of the road, and some boundary treatment and garden would remain, the impact is not regarded as overly unacceptable. On balance, the provision of off street parking, freeing on street space for residents of the traditional terraces opposite, outweighs the visual impact.
• 6.3 Impact on Neighbours

• 6.3.1 In assessing the impact of the proposal on the residential amenity of the immediate neighbours, the recently published DEFA Residential Design Guide is taken into account and provides a useful summary of the main considerations, particularly overlooking, overbearing and overshadowing.
• 6.3.2 There are no additional windows proposed for the south east side elevation, and the one proposed for the rear would be a significant enough distance from properties to the rear so as to limit any impact of overlooking. As noted in the Residential Design Guide, the general rule of thumb is that overlooking risk is increased where a habitable window would face a neighbouring habitable window or look into a garden within 20 metres. With the above in

• mind, the neighbour most at risk of experiencing a loss of privacy is Bray Cottage to the north west. However, the windows on that property sit much lower than those proposed on the site property, and direct overlooking from the bedroom windows proposed would not be at an unacceptable or unusual level.
• 6.3.3 With regard to loss of light and outlook (overshadowing and overbearing) the neighbour most at risk is Barnwood to the south east. The two properties are within close proximity, and the proposed first floor extension would extend further to the rear than Barnwood, with a likelihood that it will partially block the light reaching the sunroom of Barnwood - particularly in the evening with the sunlight coming from the west. It is a full glass conservatory however, and any loss of light would not be so noticeable and detrimental as to unacceptably impede the ability of the residents at Barnwood to fully enjoy their property. In addition, no comments or representations have been received to the contrary. The situation is similar in relation to outlook. Barnwood would retain good outlook to the rear and no further loss of outlook or light on the side windows.
• 6.4 Parking and Access

• 6.4.1 There is currently no parking on site, and the provision of 2 spaces within the curtilage of the dwelling would reduce the demand of on-street parking on Malvern Road. As stated in

• 6.2.2, this would outweigh the moderate visual impact on the street scene.

6.4.2 Highways Services do not oppose the application - the access arrangements proposed are therefore considered to be in accordance with General Policy 2 (i&h), in that there would be no detrimental impact on highway safety.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 In summary, impact on both visual appearance and character and neighbour amenity would be somewhat minimal and these aspects are not regarded as substantial so as to be reasons for refusal. As the above assessment makes clear, the proposal complies with the aforementioned IOMSP policies and is recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), 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. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 20.05.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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