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Application No.: 24/91345/B Applicant: Mr Andrew Butterworth Proposal: Erection of two storey extension with integral garages Site Address: Balladhoo Croft Clanna Road Braaid Isle Of Man IM4 2HW Planning Officer: Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 01.05.2025 _________________________________________________________________ R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons Reasons for Refusal R 1. The proposed extension harms the character of the existing house and the character of the countryside with its excessive mass and poor form. Therefore, the proposal is considered to fail to comply with General Policy 2, General Policy 3, Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15, Housing Policy 16 of the Strategic Plan and Policy 3 of Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside. Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: Department of Infrastructure - No objection
_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is Balladhoo Croft, Clanna Road (B37), The Braaid, a two-storey house located on the east of Clanna Road, at its north end. - 1.2 Clanna Road continues from the north end of Clannagh Road and crosses St Marks Road. A dozen houses are scattered near this junction, a mix of the traditional Manx Cottage and modern detached houses. - 1.3 The site of Balladhoo Croft is on a west-facing slope. The slope level sharply drops when it approaches the road. The driveway of Balladhoo Croft cuts into the slope at road level
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is to erect extensions to the existing house and relocate the driveway from the side of the house to the front. - 2.2 The extensions consist of a two-storey extension on the rear of the existing house and a two-storey side extension on the north elevation of the proposed rear extension. Both have a pitched roof. The external floor space (definition in section 4) of the proposed extension is approx. 225 square metres in total. - 2.3 The rear extension is approx. 8.5m wide and projects approx. 14.7m from the rear elevation of the main house. It has the same height as the existing house. This extension is finished in white renders and slate roofs. There are sliding doors on the south (side) elevation. There is a covered balcony on the first floor of the east (rear) elevation. - 2.4 The side extension is approx. 7.9m wide and projects approx. 12m from the proposed rear extension's north (side) elevation. Its height recesses from the ridge of the rear extension. This extension is finished with stone cladding and a slate roof. There are two garage doors on the west (front) elevation. - 2.5 The proposal also includes erecting a mono-pitched-roof porch at the inner corner of the two extensions. It is approx. 3.2m wide and project 1.8m from the north elevation of the rear extension. - 2.6 There are solar panels on the south elevation of the rear extension and the east elevation of the side extension. - 2.7 The proposal also includes re-rendering the existing front porch with stone cladding. - 2.8 The proposal also includes the demolition of the existing detached garage. However, as it is a detached structure, its complete demolition is not a development, according to Section 6(2)(e) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999. Therefore, it is not regulated by planning.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Erection of dwelling and detached garage, Site B was APPROVED under PA 97/01351/B. - 3.2 Extension to dwelling was APPROVED under PA 99/02172/B, which is for the existing porch.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY Site Specific - 4.1 The site is not within an area designated for any development in the Area Plan for the East, meaning it is considered part of the countryside.
4.3 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan has no assumption in favour of new development. In decision-making, approval should usually not be granted where a planning application conflicts with the Plan. - 4.4 Spatial Policy 5 states that developments should only occur in defined settlements unless they comply with exceptions in General Policy 3. - 4.5 Environment Policy 1 echoes Spatial Policy 5 and General Policy 3. It defines the countryside as areas outside existing settlements or not designated for development (as mentioned in 4.1). It shows that development adversely affecting the countryside will almost always be prohibited. It also states that the countryside is protected "for its own sake". In decision-making, this means there is an assumption against development in the countryside. - 4.6 Housing Policy 15 states: "The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)." - 4.7 Housing Policy 16 states: "The extension of non-traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public." - 4.8 General Policy 2 (b) (c) and (g) set out design requirements for development, of which they should respect the character of the site itself and its immediate and not-so-immediate surroundings. - 4.9 General Policy 2 (g) also set out that amenities enjoyed by the site and the site around it should be protected or preserved. - 4.10 Appendix 1 defines "floor space" and "floor area" as "the space or area in question should be measured externally, and should not include attics or outbuildings." PPS and NPD - 4.11 Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside provides general guidance on the design details of houses in the countryside. - 4.12 The circular states: "The typical dwelling takes the form of a double cube volume topped by a steep pitch roof with gable ends. … Two storey L shaped plans … should be avoided." - 4.13 Policy 3 states: "Extensions to existing buildings should maintain the character of the original form."
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS This section is a summary. The original texts of the consultations and comments received are available on the Planning Application Search on the government website. - 6.1 Santon Commissioners has not commented at the time of the report (22.04.2025). - 6.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (14.01.2025). - 6.3 DEFA Forestry has not commented at the time of the report (22.04.2025). - 6.4 Manx Utilities (Electricity) has not commented at the time of the report (22.04.2025). - 6.5 One neighbouring property was notified by letter. No public comments have been received.
7.1 The key considerations are the impact of the proposal on the design of the building, the character and streetscene of the area and amenities of the neighbouring properties. Design of the Building - 7.2 General Policy 2 requires development to respect the sites and surroundings regarding the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them. Design - Housing Policy 15 - 7.3 The house is a traditionally styled Manx cottage, which means Housing Policy 15 applies. While Housing Policy 16 is for non-traditional-styled houses, the part about public view may still be applicable since it is visible from at least one public highway. - 7.4 Housing Policy 15 has two requirements for extending a traditional house in the countryside. First, the extension needs to respect the existing property's proportion, form and appearance. Second, external floor space should not be more than 50% of that of the existing house unless in exceptional circumstances. - 7.5 The existing house has an external floor space of 70 square metres. The proposed extensions have an external floor space of approx. 225 square metres, which is a 220% increase in external floor space. Such an increase is beyond the 50% limit in Housing Policy 15. The applicant provided no exceptional circumstances to justify exceeding the 50% limit. The fact that the proposed extensions are eco-friendly does not justify such an excessive increase in floor area. - 7.6 The existing house has the typical length, width and height proportion of a traditional Manx cottage, as mentioned in paragraph 4.13. The proposed extensions, especially their lengths, do not conform to the existing proportion of the house. - 7.7 The proposed extensions are also more significant in mass, making them not subordinate to the existing house. - 7.8 Given the mass and siting of the extension are not considered acceptable, other design elements of the proposed extensions, such as wall finishing and the proportion and
Neighbouring Amenities 7.13 There is no house (except a garage) within 20m of the proposed extension, so the proposal is considered to have no additional overbearing, overshadowing or overlooking impact.
Planning Balance Assessment 7.14 While the proposal would not harm neighbouring amenities, the proposed extensions are out of proportion compared to the mass of the existing house. They are considered to harm the design of the house as well as the existing character of the countryside, which is a sufficient reason for recommending refusal.
8.1 The proposed extensions harm the character of the existing house and the character of the countryside with its excessive mass and poor form. Therefore, the proposal is considered to fail to comply with General Policy 2, General Policy 3, Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15, Housing Policy 16 of the Strategic Plan and Policy 3 of Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside. It is recommended for a refusal. - 9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS
9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
9.2 The decision-maker must determine:
9.3 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 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 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 : Refused Date: 07.05.2025 Determining Officer
Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner
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