Planning Statement

Planning Statement In Support Of The Erection Of A Detached Garage Associated With Margarita Cottage (Amendment To 24/91168/B), Baldhoon Road, Laxey Im4 7Na

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of Crofton and Margarita Cottage which sit on the north western side of Baldhoon Road to the west of Laxey Village.
1.2 The site slopes steeply upward from the road and accommodates a winding driveway which serpentines around Margarita Cottage before reaching the upper plateau on which Crofton sits. Both properties are in the same ownership and served by the same driveway.
1.3 Crofton is a large, detached dwelling which sits some height above Baldhoon Road. It can be seen to the west of Chalma, the detached dwelling which sits to the east of the access driveway within the site and whose access is taken from the bottom end of the drive as shown in the photograph below.
1.4 To the west of the site is Ballamilghyn Villa, another detached dwelling which has a stone outbuilding alongside which has two ﬂoors of accommodation. These buildings may be seen above the roadside hedge and wall as shown below:

A street-level photograph showing a sloping residential road in a village setting with white houses, parked cars, and stone boundary walls.

1.5 Elsewhere along Baldhoon Road there are a number of dwellings and garages,many of which sit immediately alongside the road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Proposed is the erection of a detached garage towards the lower end of the site on a levelled area to the west of the drive, accessed from the existing entrance from Baldhoon Road.
2.2 The construction of the garage has been commenced. Planning approval was recently granted to the erection of a garage in a similar position (see Planning History). That application was prepared on the basis of the current digital mapping which shows boundary walls, existing steps and the driveway. The garage was begun to be constructed relative to these features. To add further confusion, the Land Registry boundary does not appear to accord with what is understood to be the correct boundary of the site relative to the neighbouring property.
2.3 However, it has become apparent that the base mapping does not show the walling and steps in the position they appear on site and as such, whilst the garage is being built in the same place relative to the adjacent boundary walls, in terms of the relationship with Baldhoon Road, the garage as constructed is closer to the road by approximately 3.5m. The garage as is being constructed also has a roof light in each roof plane the installation of which would constitute Permitted Development were the garage to have been completed in accordance with the approved plans, however, this is no longer proposed.
2.4 The garage as is being constructed, is now over a metre further from the boundary with Ballamilghyn Villa than previously permitted. A distance of 5.6m is retained in front of the garage to the driveway.
2.5 The garage now proposed is the same size as was previously approved - that is, 6.5m by 6.5m with an eaves height of 2.7m and a ridge height of 5.1m.
2.6 The roof is proposed to be ﬁnished in natural slate as was permitted previously with the walls ﬁnished in painted render to match the existing dwellings on the site and the garage door will be centrally placed within the north eastern elevation with a

grey up and over door as before. As with the previous application, a small window is proposed to be erected above the front garage door and there is to be a ground level window in the south eastern elevation facing Baldhoon Road. A pedestrian door is proposed in the north eastern elevation.
2.7 As part of the works and to account for the natural slope of the site, the ground to the immediate south of the garage has been built up slightly to retain the level area on which the garage has been erected.
2.8 The area between the garage and the road is to be landscaped as shown in the submitted plans, with native hedging shrubs introduced.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT
3.1 Area Plan for the East (2020)

3.1.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East as Predominantly Residential and within the settlement boundary of the village. The site is not within the Laxey Conservation Area and is not subject to any Constraints as shown in the maps accompanying the Area Plan.
3.1.2 The site is also outwith the area considered in the Landscape Character Assessment 2008 which considers land outside built up areas.

3.2 Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

3.2.1 This provides over-arching planning policy guidance for development on the Island and is largely non-geographic.
3.2.2 This document presumes in favour of sustainable development within existing settlements and against development in the countryside (General Policy 3, Strategic Policies 1, 2 and 10, Spatial Policy 5, Housing Policy 4 and Transport Policy 1).
3.2.3 Development is expected to make a positive impact on the appearance of an area (Strategic Policies 3, 4 and 5 and Environment Policy 42) and where development is in accordance with the land use designation, there is a general presumption that it will be approved where it complies with a series of conditions as follows:

(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.

3.3 There are no speciﬁc policies or guidance regarding the erection of detached residential structures but it is generally accepted, as has been the case here, that the erection of such structures is acceptable in principle and indeed there is Permitted

Development for such, subject to a number of conditions regarding location, size and design.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY
4.1 The most relevant previous application on this site is 24/91168/B which saw the application for a detached garage permitted subject to conditions, inter alia which require the garages to be used only in connection with Margarita Cottage.
4.2 The planning ofﬁcer visited the site before making her recommendation to permit the application and makes the following comments in her report:

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the erection of a single storey garage which is situated to the ﬁrst bend of the driveway. The proposed garage is to measure 6.5m by 6.5m with an overall pitched roof height of 5.1m. The proposed garage is to be rendered and to have roof slates.

6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

6.2.1 There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.

6.2.3 Baldhoon Road is a mix of properties at varying heights, with the application site being raised by quite a bit in the overall streetscene, as such the addition of a garage within this part of the property will be noticeable. Whilst this is the case, the proposal is for a typical sized and designed garage, which would not look out of place at the front of a property, as such once it is built it is unlikely to impact the overall character and appearance of the overall streetscene above and beyond what is currently in place. As such these aspects are deemed to comply with General Policy 2 (b) & (c).6.3

NEIGHBOURING AMENITY 24/91168/B

6.3.1 When looking at the proposal and whether there would be an impact upon neighbouring amenity, the closest property to be impacted is "Chalma" which is situated to the East of the proposed garage

6.3.2 The level and scale of development proposed here, especially being single storey are considered to be relatively modest and not judged to cause harm to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse or considered to harm the neighbouring amenity, speciﬁcally those to the rear and sides. On balance, these aspects would be considered to be compliant with those sections of General Policy 2(g).

6.4 OTHER MATTERS

6.4.1 Whilst the proposed works are not an extension to the already existing dwelling but stand alone, it is expected that the proposal would not create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal activity or spread of ﬁre. The proposal would be introducing a new surface area, whilst this is the case the application form provided states that any water run off would be dealt with as per the existing arrange of the main dwelling. It is not expected that the proposed garage would increase the water usage of the main dwelling and therefore there are no new issues in this respect.

6.5 COMPLIANCE WITH PA20/00431/B & TRANSPORT POLICY 7

6.5.1 When assessing the application it was noted that the site where the proposed garage is to be situated was part of the overall property which was conditioned for parking under PA20/00431/B for the holiday cottages and formed part of the approval. As such a query was raised with the agent on what the purpose of the garaging is and an additional site plan was received.

6.5.2 The agent conﬁrmed that the proposed garages are to be used in connection with the existing holiday accommodation, therefore, for the proposed works to comply with condition 2 of PA20/00431/B then a condition should be attached to this application for the garage to only be used in connection with the holiday accommodation.
6.5.3 Having discussed the condition with the agent, they have conﬁrmed that a similar condition can be added to this application.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The planning application would be an acceptable form of development that has been designed to ensure that it would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties and would comply with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 and therefore recommended for approval.

4.3 There were no objections from the local authority, the Highway Services Division of Department for Infrastructure or from any neighbours.

Other applications on this site include:

4.4 23/00459/B - Crofton - Alterations and extensions to existing dwelling, including the removal of a two storey extension and single storey garage - Permitted
4.5 20/00431/B - Margarita Cottage - Conversion of dwelling to 2 holiday cottages with associated parking. This application was permitted with the following condition attached:

2 . Prior to the occupation of any holiday cottage the car parking area, as shown on Site Plan date stamped received 23rd March 2020, shall be provided and remain free from obstruction thereafter. Reason: To ensure that the strategic plan car parking standards are met in the interest of highway safety.

4.6 20/00309/B - rebuilding stone walls and landscaping works - Crofton - permitted.

5.0 Assessment And Conclusion

5.1 The applicants undertook the works which have been undertaken in the belief that the works complied with the planning approval which had been granted. When the Department’s Enforcement Ofﬁcers contacted them and explained that there was a discrepancy in the location of the garage as built and as proposed, the applicants ceased any further construction and immediately commenced the preparation of an application to try and regularise the position.
5.2 It is our position that the garage as has been commenced is essentially what had planning approval in that using the ofﬁcer’s description in the previous application, the current planning application seeks approval for the erection of a single storey garage which is situated to the ﬁrst bend of the driveway. The proposed garage is to measure 6.5m by 6.5m with an overall pitched roof height of 5.1m. The proposed garage is to be rendered and to have roof slates.
5.3 Furthermore, her comments that Baldhoon Road is a mix of properties at varying heights, with the application site being raised by quite a bit in the overall streetscene, as such the addition of a garage within this part of the property will be noticeable. Whilst this is the case, the proposal is for a typical sized and designed garage, which would not look out of place at the front of a property, as such once it is built it is unlikely to impact the overall character and appearance of the overall streetscene above and beyond what is currently in place. As such these aspects are deemed to comply with General Policy 2 (b) & (c).6.3 are equally applicable to the current application.
5.4 The previous proposal was considered to have an acceptable impact on those in neighbouring property and what is now proposed is further from Ballamilghyn Villa but still a signiﬁcant distance from Chalma. The applicants have consulted many of the surrounding neighbours about the project under construction and have received the attached letters indicating that none has an objection to what is being constructed.

5.5 Whilst the garage is closer to the road than previously permitted, it is still not immediately alongside the road and there is space and will be landscaping between the structure and the highway. The garage is as close to the internal stone walling within Crofton’s curtilage as is practicable and is now further from the rear boundary with Ballamilghyn Villa. There will be no windows overlooking any other property and the structure replaces parking spaces which were previously used in association with Margarita Cottage so there is no change in the use of the area.
5.6 The garage will provide secure parking for the users of Margarita Cottage and opportunities for bicycle storage and electric vehicle charging which are not currently available, should the need arise.
5.7 The building is still seen in the streetscene in the context of buildings on each side and opposite and we would submit that the impact of the proposal is acceptable and little different to what was previously approved. The building is partially on the footprint of the approved garage and the proposed landscaping will help soften the impact of the garage which is now slightly closer to the road.
5.8 The garage will be highly beneﬁcial to the users of the site and we would hope that this application is considered favourably.

Planning Statement

Planning Statement