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Applicant: Mr Adam Cooke Proposal Proposed conversion of existing Gardener's garage / store into living accommodation. Site Address Apartment 1 Courtyard Billown Mansion Billown Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3DL Case Officer : Mr Hamish Laird Photo Taken: 28.02.2024 Site Visit: 28.02.2024 Expected Decision Level Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation 18.03.2024
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application is considered to comply with the tests of Planning Circular 8/89 and Housing Policy 11 of the Strategic Plan and is recommended for approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information; The development shall be carried out in accordance with the following plans and documents:
Drawing No. 2 - Ground Floor Plan and Elevations as Proposed;
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None ________________________________________________________________
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site comprises the ground floor garage area of the existing gardeners garage/store at ground floor and an apartment (Apartment 1) at first floor level with a separate access both contained within this 2-storey, detached outbuilding located within the grounds of and close to the garage block and main dwelling at Billown Mansion, Ballasalla. The building is accessed via a private access driveway running through the private estate and is surrounding by an area of paved hardstanding. - 1.2 The existing building is stone built with a red tiled roof, there are a number of peaked dormers throughout the roof-scape and all the windows and doors within the stone facing elevations have a surrounding white render band. The building is currently used as living accommodation on the first floor and for a garage containing lawnmowers, garden machinery, tools, implements and garden supplies in the ground floor store.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current full application proposes the conversion of the ground floor Gardener's garage/store into a self-contained flat, not dissimilar to the arrangement on the upper floor. The works include the replacement of existing main up and over, sectional access door with a new glazed entrance door and 4 No. new white Upvc double glazed windows to serve the proposed lounge. A ramped access up to the entrance of the proposed Apartment 2 would provide a level threshold in accordance with disabled design requirements via the installation of a raised paved patio at same level. Otherwise, the existing window arrangements in both of the side elevations; and, also the rear elevation being retained with the existing windows at ground floor level being replaced with white Upvc double glazed windows to match those existing. 4 No. Solar PV Panels would be installed on the south facing side roof-slope. - 2.2 Existing on-site parking arrangements serving the mansion complex would be utilised. - 2.3 The covering letter accompanying the application advises that "The current gardener's accommodation is to be relocated to a new replacement building being built in the grounds of "Billown". The replacement building has an extant planning approval obtained on 5th November, 2020, (PA20/00640/B) Once the replacement building is completed the current gardener's accommodation will become redundant and available for conversion."
3.1 The site is situated within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as 'Low Density Housing in Parkland' (LDHP). The written statement accompanying the plan states that until such a time that a Planning Policy Statement is provided for LDHP applications shall be considered against Planning Circular 8/89 and the relevant policies of the Strategic Plan. PC 8/89 states buildings must be substantial, designed to highest quality and sited within at least 1 acres of its own grounds and General Policy 3(b) supports the conversion of rural buildings subject only to the tests of Housing Policy 11: "Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where:
Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form. Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character."
4.0 RELEVANT SITE HISTORY 20/00198/B - Conversion of stables to living accommodation at The Stables, Billown Mansion Estate, Billown, Ballasalla - Permitted 24.4.20. 20/00640/B - Erection of garden store/garage at Billown Mansion Estate, Billown, Ballasalla Permitted 5.11.2020. 08/00164/B 0 Erection of conservatory - Billown Mansion Estate, Billown, Ballasalla - Permitted 29.4.2008. 01/00249/B - Conversion of loft over stables to separate living accommodation - Permitted 24.7.2001. 99/00492/B - Creation of tennis court, Billown House, Malew. Permitted 28.8.1999. 95/01387/B - Proposed new indoor swimming pool and extension, Billown House, Malew. Permitted 8.3.96. 93/00340/B - Creation of lake, bridge and landscaping, Billown House, Malew. Permitted on Review - 1.1.94. 92/00400/B - Alterations and extension, Billown House, Malew. Permitted 1.1.94. 89/01796/B - Alterations and extensions to create extra living accommodation, Billown House, Malew. Permitted 1.1.94. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners - no objections (1/11/2023). - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - (27/10/2023) comments as follows: "23/01172/B - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as the
site is accessed by a good condition private road in a country type estate with suitable accesses onto the public highway. Bin facilities would be similar to the adjacent house. The Applicant is advised to consider an EV charging point on the site to aid net zero objectives and secure cycle parking for the residents."
6.1 The existing gardeners garage/store building is fairly sizeable, is of historic and architectural interest, and is readily capable of conversion/renovation given that there is an existing Apartment on the floor level above. The structure sits within a much larger private estate extending to around 24 acres, and is well-related to the main house and garage facilities serving it, and reads as part of the main residential complex. The ground floor is capable of accommodating the proposal and its residential use would not be incompatible with adjacent properties or the land use designation of the Area Plan. The use as a gardeners garage/store is ongoing and is no, as yet, redundant which runs counter to the provisions of Housing Policy 11a). However, the applicants covering letter advises that PP has been granted for a replacement facility and when complete the gardens garage and store would in effect, become redundant. The proposal, therefore, meets all the elements of HP11 and externally, would require minimal changes to facilitate such a conversion.
6.2 The external alterations required to facilitate the proposal would not result in any harm to the overall visual quality or appearance of the building and there is sufficient space surrounding the building or within land owned by the applicant to accommodate parking for both the existing first floor flat and the ground floor conversion without harm to the safety of the private access road. - 6.3 The comments received from DoI Highways Services are noted. Whilst the provision of an EV charging point is desirable in terms of meeting net zero objectives, it cannot be insisted upon without planning policies in place to back up such a condition. Secure cycle parking on the site can be provided elsewhere and owing to the relative isolation of the Estate from nearby residential areas, cycle security on its own is not considered to be an overriding issue.
7.1 The application is considered to comply with the tests of Planning Circular 8/89 and Housing Policy 11 of the Strategic Plan and is recommended for approval. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to the it by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : …Permitted……….... Committee Meeting Date:…25.03.2024
Signed :………H LAIRD………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
Customer note
This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.
Application No 23/01172/B Applicant Mr Adam Cooke Proposal Proposed conversion of existing Gardener's garage / store into living
accommodation.
Site Address Apartment 1 Courtyard Billown Mansion Billown Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 3DL Planning Officer Mr Hamish Laird Presenting Officer As above Addendum to the Officer Report The Committee determined to accept the Case Officers recommendation with a slight revision to the wording of condition 3, revisited to read
C 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification) the erection, construction or alteration of fences, walls or gates within, or on the boundary of, the curtilage of Billown Mansion as indicated by the site edged red on the submitted site location plan (Drawing No. HLK/23/182 drg. no: 5) is expressly prohibited by this approval, and no such form of development shall be carried out, without the prior written approval of the Department.
Reason: To control development in the interests of the amenities of the surrounding area.
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