Officer Report

Application No.: 25/90367/B Applicant: Mr Dave Smith Proposal: Installation of summerhouse to rear garden Site Address: Greeba Mount 32 High View Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5BH Planning Officer: Paul Visigah Photo Taken: 02.07.2025 Site Visit: 02.07.2025 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.08.2025 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Within one month of this approval becoming final, details of a privacy screen to be installed on the southwestern side of the patio area to the southeast of the summerhouse shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The approved privacy screen, measuring no less than 1.8 metres in height, shall then be installed within three months of this approval becoming final and shall be retained and maintained thereafter.

Reason: To safeguard the amenities of adjoining occupiers from overlooking and loss of privacy, in accordance with General Policy 2(g) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed summerhouse and patio area are considered to be of an appropriate scale, design, and siting within the residential curtilage, and do not result in harm to the character or appearance of the area. The development respects the privacy and amenity of neighbouring properties, with potential impacts suitably mitigated through existing boundary treatments and the imposition of a condition requiring privacy screening. The proposal is therefore in accordance with Strategic Policies 1, 3, and 5, General Policy 2, Community Policy 7, and Environment Policy 42 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, as well as the Residential Design Guide (2021).

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the documents and plans received 16 June 2025, and Email received 6 August 2025. _________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal None _________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Greeba Mount, 32 High View Road, Douglas which is a two-storey semi-detached dwelling located on the southern side of High View Road which backs onto the Inner Circle cul-de-sac. - 1.2 The street scene is characterised by similar 1970/1980's dwellings which offer similar architectural styles, with most of which have long narrow rear gardens that are only assessed via the property with no side pedestrian gates. These garden areas are hidden from public view due to the nature of the topography. - 1.3 Within the rear garden is an elevated platform that previously supported a decking area. This platform rises approximately 750mm above the surrounding garden level. Fencing is present on both sides of the platform and along the full extent of the boundaries: the fence on the northeast side stands about 1.8m above the platform, while the fence on the southwestern boundary is approximately 1.1m above the platform (1.8m from the ground level). The neighbouring property also features an elevated decking area and a shed, both of which sit higher than the site's ground level and are positioned adjacent to the proposal area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning approval is sought for the installation of a summerhouse in the rear garden. The summerhouse would be positioned on the existing raised platform that previously supported a decking area. It would measure 5.2m by 5.2m and stand 2.4m tall from floor level to the highest point of its asymmetrical roof, with eaves set at 2.2m. - 2.2 A long, narrow single-pane window would be installed on either side of the patio area, while two similarly styled windows would be positioned on either side of the large patio door on the southeast elevation of the summerhouse. - 2.3 The proposed summerhouse would feature external walls comprising a 75 x 50mm stud wall, incorporating 50mm Kingspan insulation, with a 44mm solid timber external face finished in tongue-and-groove Scandinavian softwood cladding. The structure would be fitted with double French doors and windows made from anthracite grey UPVC. The roof would be finished with EDPM rubber, providing a durable and weather-resistant surface. - 2.4 An extended patio/decking area measuring 1.2m x 5.2m would exist in front of the summerhouse (southeast) to serve as an outdoor sitting area. - 2.5 No trees or mature shrubs would be removed to facilitate the development. There is no provision for the management of foul sewage for the development, although surface water would be discharged to the existing surface water drainage system. - 2.6 This proposal is retrospective, as the development has already been carried out and the summerhouse is currently in situ.

- 3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 Site Specific:

• 3.1.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the East - Map 4 - Douglas. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone. The site is not located within a Registered Tree Area; however, a registered tree is situated adjacent to the site frontage, near the pedestrian footway.

3.2 National: STRATEGIC PLAN (2016)

• 3.2.1 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;

• 1. General Policy 2 - General Development Considerations.
• 2. Strategic Policy 1 - Sustainable Development and efficient use of land and resources, promoting well-located, accessible development that contributes positively to economic growth without undermining sustainability objectives.
• 3. Strategic Policy 3 - Safeguarding the character of existing towns and villages.
• 4. Strategic Policy 5 - Design and visual impact.
• 5. Environment Policy 42 - new development should be designed to take into account the character and identity of the area.
• 6. Paragraph 8.12.1 - supports principle of extensions and alterations in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area nor Registered Building policies.
• 7. Community Policy 7 - Designing out criminal and anti-social behaviour

- 4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 Residential Design Guide (2021)

• 4.1.1 This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction. Section 2.0 on Sustainable Construction, Section 5 on Architectural Details, and 7.0 on Impact on Neighbouring Properties, are considered relevant to the current application.
• 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY

5.1 The site has been the subject of three previous planning applications, however, none of these are considered to be materially relevant to the current application. - 5.2 There is no evidence that planning approval was granted for the decking area or platform upon which the summerhouse sits. However, its presence is visible in 2012 Google Earth imagery available to the Department.

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. - 6.1 DOI Highways Division have not made any comments although they were consulted on 17 June 2025.

6.2 Douglas City Council have not made any comments although they were consulted on 17 June 2025.

6.3 DEFA Forestry has made the following comments (23 June 2025): They have reviewed the proposal and confirm that no registered trees would be impacted by the development. It appears that the construction is unlikely to affect any retained trees. As such, DEFA Forestry has no objection to the proposal in its current form. However, should the application be approved, they recommend that standard tree retention conditions be applied. - 6.4 No comments/objections have been received from neighbouring properties.

- 7.0 ASSESSMENT

7.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• 1. The Impact on the character and appearance of the site and Locality (GP2 b, c, g; STP

3b & RDG 2021); and

• 2. Impact on neighbouring amenity (GP2, g & RDG 2021)

- 7.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE (GP2, STP1, STP3, STP5, EP 42)

• 7.2.1 The summerhouse is considered acceptable in terms of its impact on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area. It is of a modest scale and finished in natural materials, including tongue-and-groove Scandinavian softwood cladding and anthracite grey UPVC fenestration. These materials are considered appropriate within this residential setting and reflect a contemporary domestic design that complements the surrounding built form. This satisfies the requirements of Strategic Policy 5 and Environment Policy 42, which seek to ensure new development contributes positively to the environment and respects the identity of the locality.
• 7.2.2 The structure is located within the rear garden and is not visible from public vantage points due to the nature of the topography and existing boundary treatments. The fencing on both sides of the raised platform, combined with the recessed siting of the summerhouse, ensures that it does not result in visual intrusion or harm to the street scene. As such, the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2(b) and (c), which require development to respect the site and surroundings in terms of siting, layout, and scale.
• 7.2.3 The patio area in front of the summerhouse, measuring 1.2m x 5.2m, is also considered acceptable in terms of visual impact. While it sits on the raised platform, it is modest in scale and does not dominate the site. The materials and layout are consistent with the summerhouse and do not detract from the character of the property. The proposal therefore complies with Strategic Policy 1(b), which promotes efficient use of land and resources, and General Policy 2(b), which requires development to respect the layout and design of the site.

- 7.3 IMPACT ON NEIGHBOURING AMENITY (GP2, STP1, RDG 2021, CP7)

• 7.3.1 In assessing potential impacts on neighbours, it is considered that the summerhouse is positioned on a raised platform approximately 750mm above garden level. While fencing exists on both sides of the platform, the fence on the southwestern boundary sits lower when viewed from the platform, increasing the potential for overlooking into the adjacent garden. This raises a concern under General Policy 2(g) and Residential Design Guide (2021), particularly Section

• 7.0, which require development to safeguard the privacy and amenity of neighbouring properties.

• 7.3.2 The southwest-facing window of the summerhouse is positioned above the platform and could present a potential for direct views into the neighbouring garden. However, existing planting and fencing along this boundary provide a reasonable level of screening, which currently mitigates the potential for overlooking.
• 7.3.3 The patio area in front of the summerhouse, measuring 1.2m x 5.2m, is elevated and positioned close to the southwestern boundary. Given the reduced fence height on this side, there is potential for overlooking when the patio is in use. To address this, the applicant has agreed to a condition requiring the installation of a privacy screen of at least 1.8m in height along the southwestern edge of the patio. This would comply with Residential Design Guide

(2021), paragraph 4.11.10, which supports the use of screening to maintain privacy, provided it does not result in undue loss of light or overbearing impact. On the northeast boundary, the existing 1.8m fence is sufficient to prevent overlooking from the side window and patio area.

• 7.3.4 The summerhouse and patio area may facilitate occasional congregation and outdoor use, which could raise concerns regarding noise and disturbance, particularly given the

• proximity of a neighbouring outdoor sitting area to the southwest. However, the domestic scale of the development, combined with existing boundary treatments and planting, is considered sufficient to mitigate any significant impact. The presence of a similar outdoor facility at the neighbouring property also suggests a degree of mutual use and tolerance of such activity in this part of the garden environment. Furthermore, the neighbouring property to the northeast benefits from sufficient screening, limiting any potential for harm. The imposition of the recommended conditions, particularly the installation of privacy screening, would further ensure that the use of the space remains compatible with the residential character of the area, in accordance with Community Policy 7 and General Policy 2(g).
• 7.3.5 While no objections have been received from neighbouring properties, the imposition of the recommended condition would ensure the development continues to respect the amenity expectations of the surrounding residential environment, in accordance with General Policy 2(g) and the RDG 2021.

- 8.0 CONCLUSION

8.1 The proposed summerhouse and associated patio area are considered acceptable in terms of their impact on both the character of the area and neighbouring amenity. The development is modest in scale, appropriately designed, and well-integrated within the site, in accordance with Strategic Policies 1, 3, and 5, Environment Policy 42, and General Policy 2. Potential amenity impacts have been carefully assessed and are mitigated through existing boundary treatments and the imposition of a condition requiring privacy screening, ensuring compliance with Community Policy 7 and the Residential Design Guide (2021). The proposal therefore represents a sustainable and context-sensitive form of development that aligns with the strategic and general planning objectives of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. - 9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases).
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure, and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity, they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.

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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 07.08.2025 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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