Heritage Homes Planning Statement

Heritage Homes Ltd.

Erection of a Terrace of 5 no. Dwellings, Vacant Site to Rear of Princess Towers and Port Erin Royal Hotel, Maine Road, Port Erin

RECEIVED ON Planning and Design Statement 21 JUN 2003 DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Erection of a Terrace of 5 no. Dwellings, Vacant Site to Rear of Princess Towers and Port Erin Royal Hotel, Maine Road, Port Erin

1. The site is an area of approximately 1058 sq.m (excluding highway improvement and drainage runs) which adjoins the northern side of Maine Road. The swimming pool building and associated car parking which previously occupied the site were removed some time ago and it remains unused. The buildings immediately to the west and north-west of the site, Princess Towers and the former Port Erin Royal Hotel, are large multi-storey structures which front onto the Promenade, whilst the dwellings to the north, east and directly across Maine Road to the south are smaller in scale.

1. The site is within an area which is designated for Predominantly Residential use in the recently approved Area Plan for the South. The Plan contains a village profile for Port Erin which states, amongst other things, that housing will be provided “by the continued conversion or redevelopment of redundant or under-used land and buildings within the settlement boundary (which may include former hotels)”. A planning approval granted under PA 07/00564/B for the development of the application site with five townhouses with detached garaging has now expired¹, as has the planning approval in principle granted under PA 09/00034/A to redevelop the Port Erin Royal Hotel site for residential purposes.

1. The most recent application in respect of the site, PA 09/01084/B, sought planning consent for a development of 16 apartments and was refused following an appeal². The first reason for refusal related to the unneighbourly and overpowering effect of the proposed building upon 4 Links Close; the townhouses now proposed are considerably lower in height than the apartment building and much further away from the site boundary, and as such will not have an unnacceptable impact upon residential amenity. The second reason for refusal stated that the open space requirements of the development would not be met; Recreation Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan requires open space to be provided with new residential development of ten or more dwellings, which clearly does not apply to the 5 no. townhouses now proposed.

¹ Approval notice and site plan for PA 07/00564/B are attached at Appendix 1 ² Decision notice and Inspector’s report for PA 09/01084/B are attached at Appendix 2

1. Planning approval is now being sought to develop the site with a scheme of 5 no. terraced townhouses, which face onto Maine Road. As can be seen on drawing drw-t-03 the positioning and scale of the terrace is not dissimilar to that previously approved on the site under PA 07/00564/B, although in this instance it is not proposed to erect a detached garage block to the rear of the dwellings. Each dwelling is also now to be set back slightly from its easterly neighbour, not by much but enough to break up the ridge line, provide visual interest and improve amenity for residents when the proposed balconies are in use. Each house will have its own integral garage with off-street parking in front for at least one further car, and the local highway network is capable of accommodating the vehicle movements likely to be generated by the development. Highway and access issues were considered in detail at the appeal for PA 09/01084/B (which proposed a scheme of 16 apartments) and were found to be acceptable. The section of Maine Road which immediately adjoins the site frontage will be resurfaced as part of the proposed development.

1. The proposed dwellings have been designed so as to take account of the site and its context. The creation of dwellings in a terraced form and the use of render, facing brick and slate-like roofs as principal finishes are a reflection of characteristics which are commonly found in the area, but the dwellings will also incorporate more modern detailing (the window pattern and balcony detail, for example) in order to make them distinctive and contemporary.

1. The redevelopment of the site for residential purposes is in accordance with the land use zoning of the Area Plan for the South, and planning approval for a development of 5 no. townhouses on the site has previously been granted under PA 07/00564/B. In this instance the proposed dwellings have been designed so as to acknowledge the characteristics of the site and its surroundings, and parking and access arrangements are considered to be appropriate. On this basis is it respectfully requested that planning approval be granted to the application.