DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00636/B Applicant: Haven Homes Limited Proposal: Erection of detached dwellings with integral garages (amended house types to those approved under PA 15/00167/B) Site Address: Plots 37, 59 & 60 Grove Park Clifton Drive Ramsey Isle of Man Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.07.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

• C 2. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.

Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.

• C 3. The front gardens to the dwellings hereby approved shall not be replaced with hardstanding without the prior written approval of the Department.

Reason: The site is characterised by the trees and greenery intended for retention, and further loss of this could have a harmful effect on the public amenity of the area.

• C 4. Prior to the occupation of any dwelling, there must be between any such dwelling and the Clifton Drive highway an access, including footways constructed to at least base course level and it must also be adequately lit.

Reason: In the interests of ensuring safe pedestrian access to, and movement within, the application site.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received 30th May 2019:

• o 1283-000 A - Site Location Plan
• o 1283-002 L - Proposed Site Plan
• o 1283-024 A - Proposed Plans and Elevations
• o 1283-040 D - Proposed plans and elevations
• o 1283-041 D - Proposed plans and elevations _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 6(4):

• 5 Clifton Drive, Ramsey; as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The site is a parcel of land currently undergoing development in the north west of Ramsey, accessed from Clifton Drive. - 1.2 The application site is the area outlined in red in location plan drawing 1283-000A and site plan drawing 1283-002L, containing the three plots subject to this amendment application, plots 37,59&60), The housing development itself has been previously approved under 15/00167/B for 66 dwellings in total, some of which have been constructed.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval for the development as a whole has been granted and the works commenced. This application relates only to a change of house type for plots 37, 59&60, with no alterations proposed for the access roads into the properties, or the layout of the wider development. - 2.2 Plot 37: The currently approved 3 bedroom house type on this plot had a hipped roof, with a single pitch single storey garage adjoining and a flat roof annex to the lounge area to the south east. The revised proposed house type is a 4 bedroom one, with a first floor living area above the garage and no flat roof annex. There would be no first floor fenestration on the side elevations. The house would sit a similar distance south east of Nos 35&36, and separated from other nearby dwellings by the access road and large areas of private garden. Finish would remain as currently approved with a mix of modern painted render, grey cladding and grey window frames and guttering.

2.3 Plot 59:

The main difference here between the approved house type and the proposed is the change from a hipped roof to a pitched roof, with minor details being altered throughout. The house type would retain the ground floor double garage, and clad/rendered finish. There would be no window openings on the first floor side elevations.

2.4 Plot 60:

This house would be roughly identical to that proposed for Plot 59 but as a mirror image. It would be the furthest distance from any neighbouring dwellings. Both of these plots would feature the largest house types in the development.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The main planning history on the site relates to the previous approval for this development, and part of which this application seeks to amend - 15/00167/B. This application was approved and works have been commenced. There are no planning conditions on that approval which would prevent an alteration in the house types being approved, in principle.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The Ramsey Local Plan 1998 designates the site area as 'Predominantly Residential'. - 4.2 As approval has already been granted for the development, what is important here is to consider whether the changed house types adversely affect the character and appearance of the development and its impact on adjacent properties and highways, as set out in General Policy 2 as follows:

"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 space 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 adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection to the application (28.06.19). - 5.2 A letter was received on 01/07/19 from 5 Clifton Drive which can be summarised thus:

• o Enquiry as to why the planning application site plan (blue line of ownership) includes 5 Clifton Drive which has not been sold to Haven Homes;
• o Concerns over information that plot 38 is to be altered with a road leading to further residential properties.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 As noted previously in this report, the assessment relates solely to the three plots subject to the amended proposed house types. As the principle of the development and wider issues of access, open space and amenity have been previously assessed and considered acceptable, this assessment will deal only with the potential impacts arising from the house

• types in terms of neighbour amenity, highway safety and parking, and visual impact. Each plot will be briefly assessed on these aspects in turn.
• 6.2 Plot 37

• 6.2.1 This plot stands on its own in respect of the wider development, not closely situated to any of the other dwellings. The minor increase in average height of the dwelling is therefore not considered likely to have an unacceptable impact on the amenities of the neighbours either through a loss of privacy or overbearing effect. The driveway would be altered but would retain capacity for 2 vehicles, in addition to the garage. Visually, the property would fit with the wider development through the use of the same finishing materials and style. In these respects, the proposal for plot 37 meets the requirements of General Policy 2.

6.3 Plots 59 & 60

• 6.3.1 The situation is similar for these two plots. Both would feature essentially the same house type, the largest in the development. As they are situated at the end of a cul-de-sac, with large driveways and double garages, parking and access in not considered likely to be an issue. Again, the visual impact is expected to be similar to what was previously approved. The distances between the properties and their neighbouring plots are larger than what might be normally expected in a modern housing development - and similar to the initial approval. Plot 60 would however be brought closer to the boundary with Plot 61. It is apparent from the elevation drawings and proposed site plan that the part of plot 60's dwelling closest to that boundary would be the single storey part of the garage - shadowing or overbearing are therefore not considered to be likely concerns. As with plot 37, the amended proposals for these two plots meet the requirements of General Policy 2 in terms of highways impact, neighbour amenity, and visual impact.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 In summary, the proposed alterations are relatively minor when read in the context of the wider development. The proposed house types would not be out of keeping with the surrounding dwellings from a visual perspective, are not considered likely to result in detrimental impacts on future neighbour amenity, or on parking and highways in the development. In this respect, the proposal accords with the planning policies aforementioned 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 a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 09.07.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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