Planning in Principle Justification

Since our circumstances have changed (our daughter has emigrated to Australia this year) we have now decided to apply for planning in principle to build a house on the large side garden to our house, which extends to around .41 of an acre.

Below are points which we hope may help in making your decision:

i. The plot that was previously an orchard for Westdene (not owned by us) on the south side of Westdene now has a new three bedroomed house built on it. That new house, called Ocean View, overlooks Westdene.

ii. A new extension has been built this year to the rear of Ivy Bank, the property below Westdene. Its bedroom windows look onto the rear garden and rooms of Westdene just as we look onto them.

iii. No new access would be required for the plot as it has a large double entrance (which has been there since the 50s) upon which you can park at least four cars. Westdene itself has a separate single car driveway and we would obviously have to apply for a widening of that drive and entrance. (Photographs of both driveways are attached). Croit e Quill Road is one way past Westdene, and Ocean View has a similar width of drive layout to that we would like to eventually apply. A separate plan illustrating a widened drive to Westdene, which could easily accommodate a minimum of two cars, is also attached. Of course this would be applied for formally by us if the planning in principle were approved. We met with Ms Andrea Horley from Highways, on 5th November to discuss and she advised that as our property Westdene and the proposed plot already both have existing driveways improving Westdene's drive by widening it would be favorably looked at.

iv. All homes in the area are built overlooking one another due to the nature of the hillsides leading down to the beach at Laxey.

v. Mr Jason Bolt, Northern Forrester, DEFA, visited the site on 23rd October 2013 and said that he could not see any problem in building a house on the plot in relation to the trees. If that should mean removing the two closest trees a Sycamore (number 14) and a Birch (number 16), he said would have no objections. Mr Bolt also said he would not be against trimming or even thinning some Sycamores on the northern stream edge in the future. We know that the owners of Beechwood below us would have no problem with this and would welcome it. All of these changes would, of course, depend on the requirements of the new owner of the site and their architect in the detailed planning stage. A tree survey carried out by Mr G. Wilson, of Island Tree Services, is attached.

vi. The plot is presently kept as a tidy mowed garden with natural areas, which, until our daughter emigrated was ideal for our grandsons to play in. (As we hope it once again may be for a family).

vii. If a house is permitted to be built on the plot it will give a family the chance of living in a lovely area of Lonan.

viii. The new house would still have a large area of land to its north side, with many mature Sycamore trees and a stream.

ix. The square marked red on the site plan is of a similar size to Westdene for illustration purposes only. Obviously, new owners and their architect would apply for detailed planning to be considered by yourselves, regarding size and design. Westdene was built with a lower basement due to being built on a slope like the plot and it also has a large loft. So, similarly, a proper family sized home could easily fit on the plot which has a much larger area than Westdene's garden.