25 November 2010 · Delegated
Ballaglea House, Corlea Road, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 3ba
This application sought permission for alterations and extensions to Ballaglea House, a two-storey modern dwelling on Corlea Road, Ballasalla. The site extends approximately 230 metres south of the highway, and the house is visible from the road when approached from the west. The application was refused on 25 November 2010 by a delegated Senior Planning Officer. The decision found that the proposed side and northern extensions would be visible from Corlea Road and would add to the size and mass of what is already a non-traditional property. Although the applicant proposed planting to screen the extensions, this had not yet been established at the time of the decision. Until adequate screening was in place and mature enough to be effective, the proposal was considered to conflict with the relevant housing policy.
The application was refused because the proposed side and northern extensions would be visible from Corlea Road and would increase the size and mass of a non-traditional property. Although planting was proposed to screen the extensions, it was not yet in place or established, so the proposal did not meet the relevant housing policy requirements at the time of the decision.
Refusal Reasons
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.
The proposed side and northern extensions would be visible from the Corlea Road and would increase the size and mass of what is a non-traditional property. As such this would conflict with Housing Policy 16.
Housing Policy 16: 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. 8.13 Conversion of Buildings to Flats 8.13.1 There are in the Island, and particularly in Douglas, many substantial buildings which, because of their size or form, are no longer suitable for the originally intended use as either single dwellings or holiday accommodation, but which are still structur ally sound. The Department has for many years encouraged the conversion of such buildings, where appropriate, into flats. 8.13.2 The size, layout, occupancy, etc., of flats are controlled by the Housing (Flats) Regulations 1982. However, all flats should also have a good external environment, characterised by - (a) a pleasant, clear outlook, particularly from the principal room(s) of the flat and (b) access to external space for the purpose of clothes-drying, refuse storage, car-parking, and general amenity. 8.13.3 Many buildings which are generally suitable for conversion into flats not only have very little space around them, but also have an annex or "outlet" at the rear. The Department may require the demolition, in total or in part, of such "outlets" even where the immediate use of the cleared space may not be possible, for example where more than one rear annex may be needed to be removed to gain access or highway work such as road widening may be required to make the cleared space useful. Such demolition will: (a) remove accommodation which has a poor environment and limited outlook; (b) permit the creation of parking space; and (c) assist in admitting light and air to the rear of the building proper. Where such demolition is not so required, the accommodation must generally be organised so that every flat has an outlook from the front of the building, and so that no flat is contained entirely within an "outlet". Exception may be made to this general approach where the environment at, and the outlook from, the rear are pleasant and open.
The Role of Landscape Character in Development
The draft Planning Policy Statement 2/09 - The Role of Landscape Character in Development states:
