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THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSAL IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL AND THERE IS AN OBJECTION FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY
The site represents the curtilage of Ballacomish, prior to its demolition, a large dwelling situated to the north of Ballabeg, on the western side of the Ronague Road (B42). The dwelling sits roughly in the centre of the site with woodland to the west. The site stretches to the west to a lane leading north from the B42 towards the A27. There are three accesses from the Ronague Road into the site, one to the east of the dwelling, one to the south of this and one to the north.
The former dwelling was a relatively large one which was visible only from the south, from the A28 Ballakeighan Road. The dwelling had a rectangular two storey core with a long single storey annex to the left (west) and planning permission for a similar extension to the right (east). There was also an existing conservatory on the western elevation. The property was vaguely traditional in shape but lacked the detailing of a truly traditional quarterland farmhouse of this size, with no substantial gable chimney stacks (instead there was a single chimney part way along the ridge), concrete roof tiles and
shutters around each of the windows. At the rear there was a number of extensions and annexes and another single storey conservatory.
To the rear of the house were outbuildings and a tennis court surrounded by a high evergreen hedge. This screened any view of the dwelling, buildings or tennis court from the access to the north of the house, through the existing gateway.
Access to the former dwelling is from the south, via a long driveway which runs at right angles to the Ronague Road until below the site of the former dwelling, then parallel to the road up to the house.
The dwelling was discernible from the south, from a distance of around a mile although as one proceeds close to Ballabeg the building becomes obscured by existing buildings closer to the viewer and the natural topography which rises from Ballabeg village to the north.
The construction of the approved replacement dwelling and outbuilding has commenced on site and the frame of the new buildings are visible from the Ballakeighan Road to the south.
The site is identified on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 as within an area of High Landscape Value and Scenic or Coastal Significance.
On the 2009 draft Southern Area Plan the site is identified as one of sixteen HiP sites (Housing in Parkland) referring to the provision in the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 for Low Density Housing in Parkland. The plan describes such areas at paragraph 3.7 of the draft Written Statement and states: "There is a need for the Area Plan to plan for the provision of a full range of housing types and tenures" within this sector there is a growing demand for larger houses, often in a countryside location to reflect the increasing standard of living in recent years and the needs of some people moving to the Island "The Department has therefore recently carried out a survey on the existing land use category 'Low Density Housing in Parkland' and examined the existing policy framework. The Department judges that the designation of well chosen dwellings and their extensive landscaped grounds in a category 'Houses in Parkland' has the potential to satisfy some of the demand for larger houses in the countryside by increasing the scope for more extensive extension or alteration of such properties. It would also allow for extensions to be proposed at a size greater than would be permitted under current policy".
The Written Statement goes on to include Policies which state:
"Development within sites which are identified as Housing in Parkland will only be permitted where the character of the property and the site is preserved or enhanced. Such properties must be substantial and any proposals designed and finished to the highest quality and sit comfortably and naturally within their own landscaped grounds. Existing trees within such sites should generally be retained unless their amenity value is not considered to be positive (the advice of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will be obtained in this respect) and any trees to be lost must be replaced by new trees of a type and species and in a location approved by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Development proposals must also acknowledge the policies within the Strategic Plan - Environment Policies 1 and 2 - which seek to protect the Island's countryside for its own sake and the impact of any alterations or extensions to existing large houses in the countryside will also be considered in respect of the visual impact they have on their surrounding landscape." (Housing Policy 2)
"Development proposals within site which are identified as Housing in Parkland which include extensions of a significant nature or replacement dwellings must include a landscaping master plan for the entire site." (Housing Policy 3)
"Development proposals within sites which are identified as Housing in Parkland which include extensions of a significant nature or replacement dwellings must include a design statement which
demonstrates how the environmental impacts of such are to be offset on site. In addition, the Department will require a contribution to the Sustainability Offset Fund to offset the wider sustainability impacts of the development". (Housing Policy 4)
Housing Recommendation 1: "Government will investigate and work towards setting up a Sustainability Offset Fund which is intended to mitigate the impacts of substantial development within Housing in Parkland sites. If and when this becomes operations, the Department will require a contribution to this fund by applicants in particular circumstances".
The modified draft plan issued in January 2011 changed the HiP designation to Low Density Housing in Parkland, for which the majority of the site is designated. The introduction of the Sustainability Offset fund has been deferred.
There is no provision within the Strategic Plan for the development and extension or alteration of large houses in their own grounds. In the absence of such a policy or policies, the provisions of Housing Policy 15 and 16 are applicable which state respectively:
"The extension or alteration of existing traditionally styled properties in the countryside will normally only be approved where these respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally)" and
"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".
Now proposed is a series of alterations to the dwelling which is under construction, the creation of a new access, a new horse walker and the creation of staff accommodation where there was previously to be offices.
The proposed changes to the dwelling itself do not involve any change to the size, shape, massing or footprint of the dwelling and concern the spa annex to the west of the main core of the dwelling. This annex is now to feature louvred window apertures in longer shapes and a crisp white finish and slight increase in the height. It is proposed to extend the rear entrance upward and to finish this part of the elevation in stone. The spa annex now has a separate character rather than matching the main dwelling and adding to the overall mass of the main core.
The new entrance moves the access 110m southwards to a safer position, with the closing off of the existing lowest entrance onto the Ronague Road (B42). The drive up to the house will be in a similar form to that of the existing with a slight curved alignment and with a post and wire boundary treatment up until the existing drive where the lane becomes more formal, straight and narrower. The existing access lane is to be dug up and removed and the existing lowest access closed off completely and that parallel with the dwelling walled off but with a lay-by and post drop off point and bin store. The gate pillars are to be octagonal and built from the same stone as the house with metal railings and matching gates and stone side walls built into the existing sod hedges on each side. The land on each side of the lower part of the new driveway will be used as paddock.
The horse walker is 2.26m high and 15m in diameter positioned to the north (behind) the stable block. The structure will be enclosed with Manx banking and will not be generally seen by the passing public. The structure is circular in plan form with a lightweight roof partially covering the facility and metal framed sides with mesh above more solid panels.
Also proposed is the change from approved office space (home office) above the garaging to the rear of the main house, to additional staff accommodation in the form of a two bedroomed unit the same as that above the other garage with a 7.5m by 12.5m footprint.
The site has been the subject of a number of applications:
The tennis court was approved under PA 85/0368 and further extensions to the dwelling to provide a swimming pool, billiard room and conservatory under PA 87/1666. Further alterations and extensions were permitted under PA 07/0907. An indoor, covered manege was permitted under 08/1966 on the site of the tennis court.
PA 08/02290 proposed the retention and re-modelling of the main core of the building and the single storey western annex, building to the front of the swimming pool with a lobby and games room coming forward of the existing frontage by 3m, building at the rear of the main core to provide plant room, utility room and drying room and to the east is a kitchen, drawing room and dining room, extending out by 13.5m. On the first floor an extension was proposed to provide an en-suite bathroom to the sixth bedroom on the front elevation and a larger extension over the new western wing to provide two bedrooms with en-suite facilities. Also proposed was a small extension at the rear which straightened out the rear main core - the existing rear elevation steps in and out. The second floor accommodation was not to change in shape although roofspace would be available to the east, accessible from the second floor existing accommodation, above the new side extension. The proposed accommodation represented around an additional 359 sq. m of floor space on the ground floor and a further 178 sq m on the first floor, compared with 474 sq. m and 198 sq. m respectively and 20 sq. m less floor area in the attic - a total of 517 sq m of floor space added to 728 sq m - an increase of 71% of the existing floor area.
The application also introduced new detailing throughout the dwelling - curved parapet walling, dentilled cornices, detailed heads over the windows, new glazing, removal of the round headed windows in the swimming pool annex, introduction of two projecting annexes on the front elevation with significant amounts of glazing and substantial chimneys.
There is planning permission for an extension which provides 375 sq m of accommodation in a single storey form, mirroring that existing on the western side, extending the dwelling 23.5m in this direction.
PA 09/1557 proposed alterations to the approved scheme, including stables, staff accommodation and garaging - permitted
PA 10/0807 proposed the redevelopment of the dwelling and outbuildings and was permitted
Arbory Parish Commissioners express concern that the new entrance would be very much out of keeping with the appearance of Ronague Road and wonder whether the access is safe.
The Highway Authority indicates that there are no adverse traffic impacts from the proposal.
The alterations to the dwelling do not change the size or massing of the proposal, only the finish and appearance of the annex and whilst this would now be different, its visual impact is not considered unacceptable.
The horse walker will be screened from public view from the south by the house and stabling and whilst it may be visible from the field entrance to the north east, it is not unacceptable on a site already characterised by large stables and paddocks.
The provision of staff accommodation in place of the originally approved offices is not considered to be objectionable as the property is a large one within its own grounds which will both have to be maintained, as well as a sizeable stable complex with horses which need to be cared for. Whilst not
generally a justification for new accommodation, in the case of a large house where a lodge may be found, this additional accommodation is considered acceptable.
The most significant change to the approved scheme and the existing situation is the closure of the existing access and the provision of a new access further down the Ronague Road. The existing access has rendered walling and square gate pillars. The new access will have a shorter extent of walling than the existing and will have stonework in the pillars rather than rendered walling. The proposed entrance is not dissimilar to that at Cool Drinagh/Ballacurphey to the south of the site. Bearing this in mind, and the status and character of what is being developed on the site, and that the access has been considered to be acceptable by the Highway Authority, the proposed access changes are considered to be acceptable.
The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 16.03.2011
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This permission relates to the extension of the property, creation of staff accommodation, creation of new access, closing off of existing access and alterations to remaining accesses, erection of horse walker, all as shown in drawings 914 X001 A, 914 P102, 914 P103, 914 P302, 914 P900, 914 P901, 914 P902, 914 P903, all received on 3rd February, 2011 and 915 P101B received on 11th February, 2011.
C 3. The access to be blocked off, must be so, in accordance with the approved drawings within one month of the creation of the new access including visibility splays.
C 4.
The accommodation above the new garaging must be used only for persons associated with the equestrian facilities and/or the dwelling and its grounds and may not be occupied separate therefrom.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Authority in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005
Decision Made : A Authority Meeting Date : 31-3-11
Signed : Sabrault Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Authority an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate
YES/NO
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