DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/00568/B Applicant: Mr Noel Ronald Proposal: Erection of ground floor extensions and first floor extension to dwelling Site Address: 29 Ballanoa Meadow Santon Isle Of Man IM4 1HQ Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken: 13.07.2023 Site Visit: 13.07.2023 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.03.2024

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Obscure glazing to a level 5 shall be installed in the windows situated to the West of the proposed extension and shall be maintained as such thereafter. Reason: In terms of neighbouring residential amenities.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, dated received on 12th May 2023;

• o APL000
• o APL001
• o APL100 This decision also relates to the following drawings, dated received on 8th February 2024;
• o APL002 - Rev A
• o APL003 - Rev A
• o APL101 - Rev A

• o APL102 - Rev A _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

28 Ballanoa Meadow as they satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status. _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the residential curtilage of 29 Ballanoa Meadow, Santon which sits within the Ballanoa Estate which is an estate built in the early 2000's in Newtown, Santon and is made up of 43 dwellings within two small cul-de-sacs and is a mixture of detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings. - 1.2 No.29 Ballanoa Meadow is a semi-detached dwelling with a single storey attached garage, situated to the North of the second cul-de-sac. To the front elevation there is parking available for two cars. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for two extensions, firstly for an extension to the rear elevation which is to measure approximately 3.2m by 3.8m with an approximate overall height of 3.7m. The extension is proposed to be just over 1m away from the boundary fencing, the roof is hipped with there being windows in all three sides. - 2.2 The second part extension is to infill in front of the existing garage and to go upwards to match the existing building line. The extension will remove the existing garage and will replace this with a utility room and extra space to the lounge to the ground floor level and an additional bedroom and bathroom to first floor level.

PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The following applications are relevant to the assessment of this application; PA99/00590/B - Residential development comprising 43 dwellings, roads and sewers APPROVED AT APPEAL PA03/00982/B - Addition of garage to previously approved dwelling - PERMITTED

3.2 Whilst not the property in question it is relevant to note that No.28 Ballanoa Meadow, the attached semi-detached property to No.29 Ballanoa Meadow has had similar two storey extension approved above their garage under PA22/00076/B. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Proposed Residential," on the Area Plan for the East, Map 11 - Newtown. The site is not within a Conservation Area nor a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the site and the land designation, the most relevant Isle of Man Strategic Plan policies would be General Policy 2 which sets out the general standards towards acceptable development and Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7 which sets out the relevant parking standards.

4.3 The Residential Design Guidance (2021) is also relevant and provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. - 4.4 Furthermore consideration shall also be given to Community Policies 7 and 11 in respect of reducing outbreak of fire and preventing criminal activity and Infrastructure Policy 5 in respect of water conservation.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state, "No Highways Interest." (22.04.23)

5.3 No comments have been received by Santon Commissioners at the time of writing this report. - 5.4 The owner/occupier of 28 Ballanoa Meadow has raised concerns regarding the proposed height of the sunroom and the potential for loss of light and overlooking into their property. (1.06.23)

ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - impact on neighbouring amenity (GP2, g)
• - highway issues (TP7)
• - other matters (RDG, CP7, 11 & IP5)

- 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 There is a general presumption in favour of extensions or alterations to existing properties as per Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, where such works would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent properties or the surrounding area in general.
• 6.2.2 Firstly turning towards the proposed infill and two storey extension to the side elevation over the existing garage, it is noted that several properties within the estate have already had extensions and as such the proposal would not look out of place within its residential setting.
• 6.2.3 Whilst the proposal would not entirely comply with the guidance as sought within the Residential Design Guidance due to its height, overall the proposal in terms of its form, mass and design would provide a suitable extension to a residential property for which there is a general principle in favour of as indicated above in Paragraph 8.12.1.
• 6.2.4 With regards to the proposed extension to the rear of the property, the proposal is modest in appearance and is an extension expected within a residential setting as such it is deemed acceptable.
• 6.2.5 Overall from a character and appearance point of view the proposal is deemed to be an acceptable form of development that complies with those sections of General Policy 2(b) & (c) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

- 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.3.1 Turning towards whether the proposal would impact the neighbouring amenities, the two storey proposal is introducing additional windows to the first floor level of both the front and rear elevations, whilst this is the case, the proposal would not be increasing any additional perceived and actual overlooking than what is currently expected from the estate layout. When looking at whether the proposal would be a loss of light or overshadowing from the built form,

• as stated above it is considered to be relatively modest and not judged to cause harm to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse or considered to harm the neighbouring amenity, specifically those to the rear (No.15/16 Ballanoa Meadow) and to the West, No.30 Ballanoa Meadow.
• 6.3.2 When considering whether the proposal would impact No. 28 Ballanoa Meadows, taking note of their objection to the proposal. Having done a site visit, it is ascertained that the proposal would not increase the already existing overlooking above and beyond what is already in place due to the site level differences, whilst this is the case, there is a likelihood that the overlooking would be different as such a condition should be attached that the glazing which faces the neighbouring property must be glazed to a level 5. It is also deemed that the proposal due to its orientation would not be considered to reduce the light levels above and beyond what would be acceptable for the property.
• 6.3.3 As such on balance, these aspects would be considered to be compliant with those sections of General Policy 2(g).
• 6.4 HIGHWAY ISSUES

• 6.4.1 It is noted that the proposal also includes the removal of the existing garage, whilst this would be removing a car parking space within the property, there are currently two car parking spaces available to the front of the property in line with Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

6.5 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.5.1 The proposed works are an extension to an already existing dwelling, as such the proposal is not expected to create any changes or new issues in respect of criminal actively or spread of fire. The proposal whilst increasing the surface area of the dwelling, any water runoff will be dealt with as per the existing arrangement of the main dwelling. The proposed extension will not increase water usage of the dwelling and therefore there are no new issues in this respect.

CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall the proposal is considered to be acceptable by not to result in any new or increased impacts on the public highway nor will it impact the visual amenity of the surrounding streetscene or neighbouring amenity and as such the proposal complies with General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and

• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 21.03.2024 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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