Why Was This Refused?
- ✓Flood risk not adequately addressed for the riverside site
- ✓Balcony and apartment design would cause overlooking and loss of privacy for future residents
- ✓Local road network unable to safely accommodate traffic from 88 new dwellings
- ✓No recreational or amenity open space provided as required
- ✓No affordable housing provision included in the scheme
- ✓privacy
- ✓overlooking
- ✓flooding
- ✓highways
- ✓amenity
- ✓overlooking and loss of privacy
- ✓lack of open space provision
Heritage Homes Ltd applied for planning permission to build 88 dwellings and 4 small commercial units on land between the River Douglas and Lake Road in Douglas, along with associated parking and shared open space. The application was refused by the Department of Infrastructure on 29 August 2013. The refusal was based on five separate reasons. The site's proximity to the River Douglas raised unresolved flooding concerns. The design of balconies, terraces, and apartments was found to create unacceptable overlooking and loss of privacy for future occupiers. The local transport network was considered unable to safely handle the additional traffic the development would generate.
The Department of Infrastructure refused this application. The decision was based on five grounds: undemonstrated flood risk, overlooking and loss of privacy caused by the balcony and apartment design, inadequate road infrastructure to handle the traffic generated, no provision of recreational or amenity open space, and no affordable housing contribution.
Refusal Reasons
- ✕The proposed development would be contrary to General Policy 2(I) Environment Policy 13 as it has not been adequately demonstrated that the development would not result in an unacceptable risk in terms of on-site and/or off-site flooding.
- ✕The proposed development would be contrary to General Policy 2(h) and Housing Policy 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, in that by reason of the design of the balconies, terraces and apartments, it would create an unacceptable residential environment for the future occupiers of the development in terms of overlooking and loss of privacy.
- ✕The proposed development would be contrary to General Policy 2(i) and Transport Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 in that the transport infrastructure will not be able to safely accommodate the traffic generated by the new development.
- ✕The proposed development would be contrary to Recreation Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 in that the development does not provide any recreational and amenity space that is in accordance with appendix 6 of the plan.
- ✕The proposed development would be contrary to Housing Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 in that the development does not provide any affordable housing provision.
