Planning Statement Letter

Dear Sir/Madam, Please find enclosed an application for approval in principle for a dwelling on a plot of land at Ard Reayrt, Laxey. This land is zoned as residential on the Laxey Local Plan.

The plot was the rear portion of the garden to “Wayside” but was retained by the Redpath family when they sold off Wayside in the mid 70’s. An original lane, 4.5m wide, gives access to this and all adjoining properties from the Ramsey Road. Whilst this lane would give adequate access for construction vehicles and is used for vehicles access by the Ramsey Road properties on the lower side, this includes a double garage at the (lower side) of the application site. These garages are currently subject to ongoing litigation. Consequently we have obtained outline approval for a single driveway access, from the Ard.Reayrt Road, over the verge owned by L.V.C., such driveway would be predominantly for car access and can be constructed as to not lead to a loss of trees on the verge, or damage to their roots.

This application will involve the removal of some trees and saplings from the inner area of the plot. Trees on the perimeter boundaries are the only ones that existed when this was garden, all the inner trees being typical self seeded sycamore and ash with one or two holly. No trees on the perimeter will be removed.

The proposal will entail the removal of six or seven sycamores and ash trees in the inner and some trimming of two or three others out and removal of two hawthorns. This is only a small percentage of the total tree population on this site.

The removal of inner trees will not affect residents of Ard Reayrt, as these trees are screened from view by the trees existing on the plots rear boundary and on the verge.

The trees on this site cannot be seen from the Ramsey Road, the nearest public viewpoints, found, being on the main Douglas Road, between the I.O.M. Bank and the Queens Hotel. More distant sightings are available from Rencell Hill and the high level Ballacollister Road beyond. The enclosed photographs illustrate these points, and show that the site does not stand out, but blends into the general background of trees between adjoining plots and the Ard Reayrt estate behind.

The proposed dwelling surrounded by trees, as it would be, would be in keeping with others in the area, where there is a mix of residences and trees around this area on the North side of the Laxey Valley.

Multiple stems make a true estimate difficult but excluding Holly and Hawthorne trees less than 20% of the trees on the site and none of those established on the boundaries are proposed to be removed for this application.

Whilst we have had email consultation with the planning officer Mr. Ed Riley and Forestry officer Mr. Andrew Igoea who have concerns on tree loss, we feel that the trees shown to be removed, will not have the impact they consider it will on neighbours or the public in general.

We would point to a recent appeal P.A. 13/91346/A in the Fairy Cottage area of Laxey, where similar circumstances were a major consideration, where the inspector considered that the removal of some inner trees to allow for a dwelling was acceptable.

Paragraph 34/35 concludes that the removal of inner trees would not have a material effect on the landscape feature and would not have a material effect on the landscape features of the immediate locality of this site.

Yours faithfully,

J.A. Callow

for Partington, Nixon & Kinrade