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SUPPORTING STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF SEYMAR DEVELOPMENTS LTD
DEVELOPMENT OF 8no. TOWNHOUSES AND ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING AND LANDSCAPING ON LAND OFF PREMIER ROAD AND MOORAGH PROMENADE, PREMIER ROAD, RAMSEY
October 2022
Introduction 3 Site History 4 Site Location 5 Proposed Development 5 Relevant Planning Policies 5 Site Layout 9 Landscaping 9 Design 10 Access 13 Transportation 13 Ecology and Trees 14 Flood Risk & Drainage 14 Conclusion 16
This statement is prepared on behalf of Seymar developments and is submitted in support of the development of eight townhouses and associated car parking and landscaping on land off Premier Road and Mooragh Promenade, Premier Road, Ramsey.
The following issues are covered within this statement:
These issues are dealt with in turn throughout this report.
SITE HISTORY The site is currently vacant and has no structures erected on it. The key planning history for the site is summarized below:
The site is located alongside Mooragh Promenade at the corner of Premier Road and Mooragh Promenade. Ramsey Park Hotel and a four story apartment block lie immediately to the west, Mooragh Lake further to the west, residential properties to the south and the promenade to the east.
Within the wider area residential properties dominate to the north / northwest and Ramsey Town Centre is to the south beyond Sulby River.
Access for the existing site is currently served off Premier Road with pedestrian access also available.
The development now proposed has been designed taking careful consideration of significant market factors alongside the previously approved schemes to ensure the same objectives can be achieved and a high quality, vibrant and distinctive development is provided where people from the island and beyond will want to live. The development as a whole will provide a very impressive development on this prominent site in Ramsey. In addition further consideration has been given to comments received during application 21/00600/B and the subsequent discussions with the planning department.
The proposal includes the development of 2no. blocks of 4no. 3.5-storey townhouses, each with a double garage, additional parking for 12 vehicles and sensitive landscaping to complement and soften the development. The proposals have been designed with careful consideration of Ramsey Park Hotel, the existing apartments and the remainder of the promenade to ensure a suitable relationship is maintained in this locality.
The proposals have been designed to ensure each elevation adds interest and provides a positive development at this important location. This ensures a positive relationship with the Promenade.
This site requires something unique and special that will stand out in the market place and provide a high quality development appropriate to its prominent location. This also needs to be balanced against the relationship with the adjoining buildings along the Promenade. The current proposals achieve their objectives and provide a scheme which is viable and deliverable within the current market place.
The relevant planning policies in the Development Plan applicable to the determination of this application are set out below.
‘New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3.’
‘Proposals for development must ensure that the individual character of our towns and villages is protected or enhanced by:
Strategic Policy 5:
‘New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to take account of the Strategic Aims and Policies.’
General Policy 2:
‘Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
Housing Policy 1:
‘The housing needs of the Island will be met by making provision for sufficient development opportunities to enable 5,100 additional dwellings (net of demolitions), and including those created by conversion, to be built over the Plan period 2011 to 2026.’
‘New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances:
‘In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the Department will normally require that 25% of
provision should be made up of affordable housing. This policy will apply to development of 8 dwellings or more.’
Environmental Policy 42:
‘New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality. Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a particular area will not be permitted. Those open or green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans.
Ramsey Local Plan 1998 – Written Statement 3.7 C. Mooragh Promenade
Dwellings should be of a high standard, and should be designed to acknowledge the architectural style, scale and massing of adjacent Victorian buildings, particularly on sites which face the promenade and the harbourside and Old river road, and design and scale should be appropriate to a harbourside location. On the Peveril plot and the Manor house site, there could be included office use with on-site parking space and open space provision; these particular developments should be undertaken after consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (D.A.F.F.), and should include appropriate measures to identify and transplant rare plans.
The layout of the proposals has been arranged to replicate the existing arrangement on site in respect of the vehicular access off Premier Road, the pedestrian access off Premier Road and the existing built form surrounding the site. This also replicates the location of built form within the approved application for 2 apartment blocks. The proposed townhouses are located on the eastern part of the site facing Mooragh Promenade. This not only replicates the current and approved arrangement of built form on site but is also positioned to continue the line of built form fronting the promenade. This positioning and effective site development combined with choice of materials and design features complies with strategic policies 1, 2, 3 and 5 of The Isle of Man Strategic plan 2016 as well as general policy 2. These policies all cover different aspects of the broad area of effective, sustainable, sensitive, responsible and well-designed development in keeping with local characteristics.
Vehicular access to the properties is proposed via the existing access off Premier Road, thus providing access to the rear of the properties. This positioning ensures a safe and convenient access both to and from the site. Each property benefits from a double garage and there is ample additional parking available for the prospective residents. This specifically relates to strategic policy 1c regarding utilizing existing infrastructure and services and satisfies it by relying on existing road networks and accesses to public highways.
Pedestrian access is also provided to each dwelling directly off Mooragh Promenade, to allow for alternative methods of access to each property and provide an active frontage to Mooragh Promenade.
The proposed dwellings are positioned and orientated in such a way to maximize the benefit from views towards Mooragh Promenade to the east and also ensure that a positive relationship is maintained with the Ramsey Park Hotel, apartments to the west and the properties to the south. This sensitive approach to development in this area satisfies both the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, environmental policy 42 and Ramsey Local Plan 1998’s written statement on Mooragh Promenade (3.7 C), both of which relate to promoting development that is sensitively designed and enhances existing development and the general visual amenity of the area.
Each property will benefit from landscaping and planting to further assist in maintaining a high quality of visual amenity.
Each property benefits from landscaping to soften the impact of built form and provide valuable amenity for the dwellings. This includes a generous area of front garden space with a combination of planted, lawned and paved areas. This
provides a buffer between the dwellings and the road and provides a ‘soft’ appearance when viewed from Mooragh Promenade.
A low rendered wall along Mooragh Promenade provides a quality boundary treatment replicating the treatment of other buildings along the Promenade.
The result is a landscaping scheme which provides greenspace and planting to soften the impact of development while providing valuable amenity for prospective residents. This, alongside the boundary walls, will serve to enhance the appearance of the proposals, not only from within the proposals but also from public vantage points surrounding the site.
This is a significant benefit of the scheme and ensures the proposals include an appropriate mix of flora on site to not only soften the built form but also provide added interest, intrigue and quality to the development. This helps ensure that the development is compliant with strategic policy 3 and 5 by enhancing the character of the area and making a positive contribution to the environment of the island.
The aim is to produce a high quality development appropriate in scale and character for the site and its prominent location on Mooragh Promenade whilst also ensuring deliverability. The overall aim is to provide a development that will be both aesthetically pleasing and economically viable.
The aim of the proposal is to provide a high quality development that maximizes the opportunity on site whilst providing a development appropriate to this sensitive location in accordance to Ramsey local plan 1998 and relevant policies from the Isle of Man Strategic plan 2016.
The sensitive location of the site adjacent Mooragh Promenade is such that it is considered essential to provide a high quality and positive elevational treatment to all boundaries. The views of the development are considered as important as the views from the site and an integral part of the design has been to ensure a high standard is maintained on all publicly visible elevations.
The key is to ensure a high quality development is achieved appropriate to this important and prominent location. We believe the proposed development achieves these aims.
The proposed development has been carefully designed in context with the neighboring Mooragh Promenade properties to maintain a positive relationship. In particular careful consideration has been given to the alignment, scale, bulk and key design principles of the properties (i.e. scale, elevational treatment and roof shape). These elements were given further careful consideration in light of the comments from the planning officer during previous discussions. This approach
ensures the development complies with Ramsey local plan policy 3.7 c and Isle of Man Strategic policy 5, general policy 2 and environmental policy 42.
The external elevations have been carefully designed to ensure a positive relationship is achieved with all publicly visible vistas. The main entrance to the properties and primary elevation fronts onto Mooragh Promenade including an active frontage with Juliette balconies at first and second floor with a balcony within the third floor dormer to provide added interest. Each block includes a steeply pitched roof slope and a number of intersecting gables which serves to continue the established pattern of roof shape and repeated gables at eaves level along the promenade. This roof shape is important to maintain a positive relationship with the promenade and create interest and symmetry between the buildings.
The side elevations of each block, facing Premier Road and the hotel exit road respectively, include a further protruding gable feature and additional pitch as part of the roof detail. This serves to add interest and provide corner emphasis to the development, consistent with the design principles of the promenade and the previously approved apartment scheme.
The rear elevation of the properties are simpler in form taking account of the relationship with the existing apartments and hotel. The proposed design provides an appropriate relationship both internally and externally to safeguard privacy and amenity of prospective residents. The roof design to the rear provides a softer appearance and reduces the overall mass of the roof shape and the inclusion of balconies above the garage provides additional quality and interest to the proposals.
The height and scale of the properties has been maximized as far as possible. Following previous comments we have sought to increase the height as far as possible however a 3.5-storey townhouse is the maximum feasible, any higher and the scheme would not be viable. Alongside the overall height we have also sought to provide higher ceiling heights for each floor within the properties to better reflect the floor levels of existing properties along the Promenade. Whilst the height of the buildings is not continuous with the existing buildings, or indeed the approved apartment scheme, it does provide a high quality and appropriate compromise to ensure a satisfactory relationship with the surrounding area remains. The proposed scheme includes eaves height of c.7950mm and a top ridge height of c. 13650mm (from finished ground floor level). The height, coupled with the overall scale and bulk in the form of two blocks of townhouses, ensures the scheme is deliverable whilst ensuring the development provides a positive contribution to the area and is appropriate in the context of the Promenade.
In this regard, it is important to note there are other buildings along the Promenade that vary in height to that of the Victorian terraces, as such there is
no pre-requisite that the height must remain consistent. The policies state proposals should ‘acknowledge the architectural style, scale and massing of adjacent Victorian buildings’ and in our opinion the proposed development has afforded very careful consideration of the Promenade and is fully compliant with this requirement.
The attention to detail in the design elements of the elevations assist the development in complying with Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 policy 3 and 5 by providing a positive contribution to the area as well complying with General Policy 2, environmental policy 42 and Ramsey Local Plan 1998 37 c by ensuring the development coalesces well with the existing built form in the area and is sensitive to the historic design of the existing streetscape.
The proposed materials have been carefully selected and the properties are constructed from a combination of render, glazing, slate roofs and a combination of manx stone and render for the boundary walls. This selection of materials aims to coalesce the proposed development with the existing apartment scheme, hotel and more historic buildings on Mooragh Promenade. By doing this the scheme complies with Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 Strategic Policy 3 b, which requires development to have regard in the design of new development to the use of local materials and character.
All windows are to be upvc or aluminium double glazed windows. The balconies include glass panels in stainless steel frames.
To assist in complying with Ramsey Local plan policy 3.7 C and Isle of Man Strategic plan 2016 environmental policy 42, the boundary wall facing the promenade is rendered to match the boundary walls on the rest of the promenade and to provide a high quality boundary feature for the development in keeping with the existing development on site. The boundary walls to the side and rear are Manx Stone to complement the appearance of Lakeview Apartments.
The use of these materials in the manner proposed will provide a high quality development with appropriate materials in context with the local area as required in Strategic Policy 3b. This ensures the proposed development does not look out of place and rather will be a significant improvement to the site and its surroundings.
The proposals have been carefully arranged and orientated with consideration of neighboring properties/uses to avoid any amenity or privacy issues and also to ensure each property benefits from a healthy proportion of private amenity space.
The result is a high quality and appropriate design for this sensitive location in compliance with all relevant planning policies.
It is proposed to use the existing single vehicular access off Premier Road, located to provide the required visibility splays in both directions and ensure safe and easy access both into and out of the site.
The access of Premier Road leads directly into the car park which currently provides parking for the existing apartments and access for service vehicles for the hotel. The proposed development provides each property with a double garage and additional 12 parking spaces within the wider site. This provides a total of 28 parking spaces, a ratio of 3.5, compliant with the desired 2.0 set out in the parking standards. In addition, in the event further parking is required there remains ample parking opportunities along Premier Road and Mooragh Promenade in close proximity to the site.
Pedestrian access is via the primary entrance off Mooragh Promenade and also the rear entrance via the car park.
As part of the proposals it is important to assess the transportation implications of the development to ensure the scheme is acceptable from highway safety, traffic and transportation issues. The key issues are discussed below.
Existing Site Conditions The site currently accommodates hotel and an apartment block with a pedestrian access off Park Road.
All roads in the vicinity of the site are adopted highways. Premier Road is a twolane two-way road linking Mooragh Promenade with Park Road. Park Road is a two-lane two-way road providing links towards Ramsey town centre to the south. Mooragh promenade is a dual carriageway providing links to the north and south.
To the east of the site the junction of Premier Road with Mooragh Promenade is a priority ‘stop’ junction. The visibility splays at the junction are extensive to the north and south.
To the west of the site the junction of Premier Road with Park Road is a simple priority junction. The visibility splays at the junction are extensive to the north and south.
Proposals It is proposed to develop the site with two blocks of 4no. townhouses. The proposed layout is submitted as part of this application.
The proposed access will utilize the same access point to the existing apartments to retain the relationship between access to the site and Premier Road. This will ensure the proposals interact with the local highway network in an appropriate
manner. The proposals provide pedestrian access off Mooragh Promenade to the front of the building and also have a pedestrian entrance to the rear via the car park.
Accessibility The site is well served by public transport and the nearest bus stop is located on the corner of Premier Road and Mooragh Promenade. Cycling has the potential to substitute for short car trips, particularly those less than 5 km. Ramsey town center is approximately 800m from the site. Summary
The proposed development would benefit from suitable access off Premier Road, is located in close proximity to bus stops providing public transport links to the north and the town center to the south and the level of traffic to be generated would have an insignificant impact upon the local highway network. Therefore the proposals are considered acceptable oh highways grounds.
As established through the previous application for apartments, the site previously accommodated rare species of clover. Condition 5 of the previous planning permission (Ref: 17/00870/B) requires the submission of details regarding the translocation of protected species. Information to discharge this condition has been submitted and approved and translocation of the clover has now been undertaken. The clover is now at the receptor site bedding in to its new environs.
For completeness, the relevant surveys and proposed strategy for translocation are submitted in support of this planning application.
There are no trees on the site which to be removed as part of the proposals. As such a tree survey has not been undertaken and is deemed unnecessary.
The site is located in an area at risk of tidal flooding. Discussions have been undertaken with civil and structural engineers Graham Schofield Associates to determine the most suitable strategy to mitigate the risk of flooding. The proposed buildings are required to provide a minimum floor level of 6.24m above datum.
This can be achieved and the proposed development will satisfy these requirements. As set out in the accompanying Flood Risk Assessment and drainage Strategy the proposed buildings will have a finished ground floor level of 6.440m.
The proposals include a drainage strategy to ensure the site will not increase the risk of flooding to other areas. Records have been reviewed and a combined sewer runs along Park Road, it is proposed that the development could discharge foul drainage into this at an acceptable rate of 0.23 liters per second. Surface water drainage would be discharged through designed soakaways as detailed in the flood risk assessment.
This statement is prepared in support of the proposed development of two blocks of four townhouses at the vacant land off Premier Road, Ramsey. This statement has been prepared to cover all issues affecting the site.
The wider site is currently mixed use in nature therefore the principle of residential use is accepted. In addition, by virtue of the planning history of the site, in particular the planning permission for the two 6 storey apartment blocks (Ref: 17/00870/B) the principle of residential on this particular part of the land is established.
The proposed development has been designed in accordance with the relevant planning policies, in context with the history of the site and in context with the site and surrounding area. This has taken careful consideration of the need to provide a high quality development upon this prominent site.
The proposals have been carefully designed to sit appropriately in context with the surrounding uses, in particular Ramsey Park Hotel, the existing apartments, Mooragh Lake and Mooragh Promenade. The result is a high quality development appropriate to the site and its surroundings.
In light of the above, and following a detailed assessment of all other matters, the proposed development complies with all relevant planning policies and represents a high quality and deliverable development for this site.
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