Planning Statement In Support Of The Additional Use Of Glen Cottage, Glen Road, Laxey As Tourist Accommodation
The image displays a close-up section of a vintage black and white topographical map, likely an Ordnance Survey map. It shows road networks, building footprints, and vegetation symbols typical of a site location plan.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 1 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Glen Cottage is a detached dwelling which fronts onto Glen Road in the heart of Laxey. Somewhat unusually the property has no additional land available to it beyond its footprint and it sits immediately in front of another residential property, with only 0.5m distance separating them at the closest point.
1.2 As is shown in the image on the title page which is a map dating from 1860, this arrangement has been in situ for a considerable time.
1.3 The property is a traditional Manx cottage, albeit with recent works which have resulted in the reroofing of the property which included the removal of all three chimneys (not undertaken by the applicant who has only very recently purchased the property). These works were deemed lawful by the issue of a Certificate of Lawfulness (24/00886/LAW).
1.4 The property has an offset front door with flat roofed, modest porch and two windows to the left at ground floor and two more above them at first floor level, a window above the front door, at first floor level and two windows, one above the other, to the right of the front door and porch. The front porch abuts the highway along with the front elevation of the cottage.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 2 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
A site location plan showing the boundaries and footprints of Fern Cottage, Glen Cottage, and Burnside along a road.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 3 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
A street-level photograph of a two-story, rendered residential building with a slate roof and white sash windows.A street-level photograph showing a row of residential houses in a rural village setting with parked cars and a hill in the background.
2.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT Area Plan for the East (2020)
2.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East as Predominantly Residential. The site also lies within the Laxey Conservation Area CA). Unlike other CAs, there is no appraisal for this one.
2.2 The building is not Registered and there are no constraints shown on the maps accompanying the Area Plan.
2.3 On the National Flood Risk maps the property is within an area at high risk from river flooding as well as from from surface water flooding from the adjacent watercourse although it is understood that some works have recently been undertaken to increase the size and capacity of the culvert serving that adjacent water course, discharging into the Laxey River. In addition, the flood wall approved under 21/00298/B has been implemented.
2.4 The second phase of this flood protection work - shown in 21/00875/B has yet to be implemented as has the works covered in 23/01057/B which proposed the continuation of the flood wall from the area covered in 21/00875/B to the bridge connecting Old Laxey Hill and Glen Road.
Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
2.5 The Strategic Plan contains a number of policies which are relevant to the proposal.
2.6 Development within a Conservation Area is expected to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Area and take account of the special character of the area (Environment Policy 35 and also CA/2 of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man).
2.7 Development which is at risk of or increased the risk to other property, of flooding is presumed against (Environment Policies 10 and 13).
2.8 Use of residential properties as tourist accommodation is generally considered acceptable provided it would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents (Business Policy 13).
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 4 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY AND RELEVANT OTHER APPLICATIONS
3.1 The site has been the subject of the following applications:
24/00885/LAW - Certificate of Lawful Use for roofing and removal of chimneys - granted
17/00497/B - erection of shed (retrospective): this piece of lane, at the end of the lane to the north east of the application site, was formerly in the same ownership and used as amenity space for Glen Cottage
15/00617/B - installation of replacement windows to front elevation - permitted
11/01641/B - installation of replacement windows (retrospective) - refused at appeal
3.2 Other applications within similar areas subject to flood risk which were permitted within Laxey include the following:
The Flood Risk Team make the following comments on the application but raise no objection: the additional living space should not be used as sleeping accommodation. Flood mitigation measures should be employed A flood escape/action plan should be displayed for the users of the holiday accommodation
The Planning Officer makes no reference to Environment Policies 10 or 13 in her report, no reference to flood risk nor attaches conditions to the approval relative to the comments of the Flood Risk Team.
22/00278/C - additional use of residential property (class 3.3) as tourist living accommodation (class 3.6), 1, Amulree, Glen Road, Laxey
3.3 Other applications within Laxey within the Conservation Area but not within areas shown as at risk of flooding include these which were all permitted:
23/01175/C - additional use as tourist accommodation, Glevum, The Promenade, Laxey
19/00895/C - additional use of a residential property as tourist living accommodation, 3, Tent Road, Laxey.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 5 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
19/01125/B - installation of replacement front door and additional use of residential property as tourist living accommodation, Mariner’s House, Back Shore Road, Laxey
19/009893/B - alterations and additional use of residential dwelling as tourist living accommodation, 7, Shore Road, Laxey
24/00833/C - change of use from residential to tourist accommodation, 2, Church Hill, Laxey
3.4 We have not found any application within the Laxey Conservation Area for the use of existing residential property as tourist accommodation, which was refused.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 6 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
4.0 THE PROPOSAL
4.1 Proposed is the additional use of the property as tourist accommodation. No changes are proposed to the building internally or externally.
4.2 The applicant wishes flexibility in the use of the premises to ensure the best change of the cottage being occupied throughout the year. The site is located on a busy tourist thoroughfare which links the upper part of the village, past St. George’s Woollen Mill and on down Glen Road to the beach and harbour.
4.3 The property is ideally suited to permanent residential or tourist accommodation but given the very limited curtilage and lack of outdoor amenity space of any kind, the attraction for permanent residents may be limited and the applicant would wish for him to have the opportunity to allow shorter term rentals for those visiting the Island to provide for better levels of occupation during the year.
4.4 The applicant is aware that the site lies within an area at risk of flooding but also understands that measures have been undertaken to reduce the risk of damage from flood events including works to the watercourse to the south and the erection of the flood wall alongside the river. Whilst these works cannot ensure that Glen Cottage will not be affected by flood events, they afford more protection than was in place prior to their implementation.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 7 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
A photograph showing the side elevation of a white residential building with a slate roof, situated next to a parked car and a decorative concrete fence.
4.5 No sleeping accommodation is on the ground floor of the premises. All visitors will be provided with information on how to receive alerts for extreme weather conditions and potential flood warnings and sandbags and other emergency equipment will be made available along with instructions on how to use them along with evacuation procedures.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 8 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
5.0 CONCLUSION
5.1 The property is ideally placed for both permanent and tourist accommodation.
5.2 Whilst the site is within an area at risk of flooding, this has not prevented other applications from being permitted, including two properties almost directly opposite the site, to accommodate tourists as well as permanent occupants.
5.3 All visitors will be provided with information about how to be prepared for potential flood events and what to do should one occur and the property be at risk of flood water ingress.
5.4 No sleeping accommodation is contained within the ground floor.
5.5 The additional use of the property for tourist accommodation will ensure its continued occupation and use, which will enhance the character and vibrancy of the Conservation Area whilst allowing visitors to the Island to reside for a short time within one of the most historically interesting villages on the Island and close to various forms of public transport so not reliant upon private transport. This is particularly important as there is no on site parking available to the premises.
5.6 The lack of any on site private amenity space and its proximity to the carriageway could render the property less attractive as a permanent residence and the ability for tourists to stay here will enable continued income from the property to ensure its continued maintenance which is important as the property is a prominent one within a busy streetscene.
5.7 There will be no adverse impact on those in neighbouring property from the proposed additional use and we note in a number of the other applications for tourist accommodation in existing residential properties, that the planning officers noted that there is little if any difference in the pattern and impact of use between the two types of occupation.
5.8 We would submit that the proposal enhances the Conservation Area though the continued use of the property and is otherwise in accordance with all other relevant planning policies.
Sarah Corlett 18.11.24
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd 9 Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett
Company Registration 134325C
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Source & Provenance
Official reference
25/90030/C
Source authority
Isle of Man Government Planning & Building Control
