11 December 2024 · Committee
60, Victoria Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4hq
This application sought approval in principle for the construction of new housing at 60 Victoria Road, Douglas. The proposal involved developing land behind the existing property with four dwellinghouses. The Committee refused the application on 11 December 2024, citing three distinct planning concerns. First, the size, shape, and layout of the site, combined with a lack of adequate amenity space, made the scheme an inappropriate and overdeveloped use of backland that would harm the local townscape. Second, the proposal would result in the loss of green open space and failed to respect the character of the surrounding area in terms of layout, form, and design. Third, the application did not demonstrate how safe vehicular access could be achieved, with visibility at the junction with the public highway being restricted to a degree that would endanger road users.
The application was refused by the Committee on 11 December 2024. The site was considered too small and poorly shaped for four dwellinghouses, resulting in overdevelopment that would harm the character of the townscape and remove important green open space. The proposal also failed to show how safe vehicle access could be provided, with restricted visibility at the junction with the public highway posing a risk to road users.
Refusal Reasons
General Policy 2
Environment Policy 42
pment. 8.13.2 The extent of formal open space with in settlement boundaries in the South is identified on the Proposals Map (Map 3) and Inset Maps (Maps 4-7). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 42) seeks to protect these open spaces and indicates that: 8.13.3 "Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a partic ular area will not be permitted.''
General Policy 2
General Policy 2
Transport Policy 4
Transport Policy 4: The new and existing highways which serve any n ew development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan. 11.3.2 Notwithstanding policies within this plan which encourage travel by means other than private car it is anticipated that the number of vehicles using the Island's roads will continue to increase. This increase in demand is likely to lead to a greater need for road impro vements in order that travel can take place in a safe, effective, and environmentally acceptable manner. The Department of Transport will continue to assess the need for such improvements to public highways and undertake works where appropriate, with much of the improvement within existing roads carried out under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order2005. The need for improvements to the Island's highway network must be balanced against the environmental objectives of this plan.
Transport Policy 7
Transport Policy 7: The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards. The current standards are set out in Appendix 7. 11.5.4 New development can have a significant impact in terms of the traffic generated by it and the impact on the various modes of travel. The Department considers that proposals which are likely to be significant traffic generators should be accompanied by a Transport Assessment(1) which should look at all modes of transport including access by public transport, cycling and on foot.
