DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 23/01386/B Applicant: Mr Andrew & Mrs Christine Duncan Proposal: Rear and upwards extension above garage, installation of front and rear elevation dormers and installation of window and door to side elevation. Site Address: The Dowry Richmond Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 3PA Planning Officer: Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken: 05.02.2024 Site Visit: 05.02.2024 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 23.05.2024

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 All roofing materials hereby approved for the extension and dormers shall be finished to match the existing roof of the main house and retained as such thereafter. Reason: in the interest of visual amenity.
• C 3. The dormer cheeks hereby approved shall be finished in dark grey tiles to match the existing dormer cheeks and retained as such thereafter. Reason: In the interest of visual amenity.

N . FOR YOUR INFORMATION Please be aware that a ban on the installation of fossil fuel heating systems in any new building(s) and or extension(s), will come into force on 1st January 2025.

You therefore are encouraged to ensure that your proposed development includes alternatives to fossil fuel heating systems if you believe that such works will not be completed by that date.

To this end, if you propose an alternative, such as air source or ground source heat pump(s), or any other heating system that would require planning approval, the details of this should be addressed now. This may require you to resubmit your planning application to accommodate the alternative permitted heating system proposed.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed works are considered to have an acceptable visual impact and not to result in any unacceptable overlooking or privacy impacts nor harm the general living conditions of the neighbours including Brentwood or No. 18, 19 and 20 Ellan Park. Therefore the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 (b, c, g) and to meet with the general principles of Environment Policy 42, Community Policies 7 and 10, and Infrastructure Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and to meet with the principles of Section 4 and 5 of the Residential Design Guidance 2021.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following:

• - dwg JTM 2322-P-02 Rev B date received 11/03/2024
• - proposed visual date received 11/03/2024
• - dwg JTM 2322-P-01 date received 15/12/2023. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site relates to The Drowry, Richmond Road, Ramsey.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is:

• o Rear extension to existing garage and installation of window and door on side elevation
• o First floor extension above garage
• o installation of dormer to front elevation
• o Installation of two peaked dormers to rear elevation; one of these having a large feature window.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The property has been subject to two previous planning applications both considered material, one in 2018 for retrospective roof replacement which was approved, and one approved in 2019 19/00335/B for alterations to the house including the removal of one chimney stack and modifications to the existing read flat roof dormer into peaked dormer.

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The site is within an area designated as Residential on the Ramsey Local Plan. The site is not recognised as being at any flood risk and is not within a conservation area. - 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies considered materially relevant to the assessment:

• o Strategic Policies 3 and 5 - promote good design and use of local materials and character
• o General Policy 2 (b) (c) (g) (n) - general standards towards acceptable development visual and neighbouring amenity, and energy reduction.
• o Paragraph 8.12.1 - supports principle of residential development in zoned areas
• o Environment Policy 42 - promotes development taking account of locality in design.
• o Community Policy 7, 10 - prevent criminal activity and reduce spread of fire
• o Infrastructure Policy 5 - conserve the Island's water

4.3 The Residential Design Guide (July 2021) contains the following guidance also considered materially relevant:

• o Section 4 Extensions including dormers
• o Section 5 Architectural Details
• o Section 7 Impact on Neighbouring Properties

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Ramsey Town Commissioners - no objection (19/01/2024) 5.2 DOI Highway Services - No highways interest (22/12/2023) 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties. - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The key considerations of this application are:

• i. visual impact - on the character and appearance of the house in its own right and on the character and appearance of the streetscene and surrounding area
• ii. amenity impact - on the living conditions of the neighbours either side and those dwelling to the rear (Brentwood, White Cottage and No's 18,19 and 20 Ellan Park)
• iii. Any other matters - criminal activity, fire spread, water conservation

6.2 i) VISUAL - on the character and appearance of the house in its own right and on the character and appearance of the streetscene and surrounding area

• 6.2.1 The site sits within a wider residential area where houses vary in style, age and appearance. Along this end of Richmond Road houses are mostly single or one and half storey with accommodation in the roof and some dwellings with two storey gable elements others with dormers and side extensions.
• 6.2.2 Whilst normally guidance seeks extensions to be subordinate this upwards extension of the garage would match the existing width and height of the main house and so would not be subordinate, however given the already fairly unbalanced arrangement of the front elevation and not being symmetrical and the narrow width of the proposed extension that the proposal to run flush with the main roof slope in this case is considered to be acceptable. The extension and front dormer and roof being finished in materials to match also helps to provide a uniform and cohesive appearance across the frontage. The proposed rear and upwards garage extension and front dormer are not considered to visually harm to the overall appearance of the main dwelling nor to adversely impact the overall appearance of the streetscene which is already varied and considered acceptable.
• 6.2.3 The existing house already has dormers across the front and rear and those proposed would not be so out of keeping as to detriment the overall visual impact of the dwelling in its own right. While the proposed large dormer window would introduce a new feature to the rear elevation this type of apex windows has become quite common and typical feature seen across

many dwellings around the Island, and given the existing dwelling is not of any specific historic merit warranting its protection the proposal would not be unobjectionable in terms of its overall visual impact on the house itself or on the surrounding area and streetscene (from the public footpath).

6.3 Ii) AMENITY IMPACT - on the living conditions of the neighbours either side and those dwelling to the rear (Brentwood, White Cottage and No's 18,19 and 20 Ellan Park)

• 6.3.1 There are two key issues to consider in this respect; the amenity impact of the garage extensions on neighbouring property 'Brentwood', and the overlooking and privacy impact of the rear dormers on No's 18, 19 and 20 Ellan Park. Impact on Brentwood
• 6.3.2 The application dwelling sits alongside Brentwood although a public footpath and boundary treatments run between them. The size, scale, relationship and distances between the two properties and minded that the extension does not project beyond the general rear building lines here and both have open gardens to the rear that the proposal would not result in any overbearing impact and the new side window and door would not result in any significant increased adverse privacy impact minded of the already extension public footpath and boundary treatments limiting views. Impact on No's 18, 19, 20 Ellan Park
• 6.3.3 Turning to the rear dormers, there is already one rear dormer serving a bathroom and the proposal will result in two slightly larger dormers both serving bedrooms, and one of these dormers (above the garage extension) including a large feature window. Although close to the eaves level the overall width and heights of the proposed dormers remains secondary to the overall rear roof slope and would not appear overly dominant with dark coloured tile hang helping to minimise visual prominence too.
• 6.3.4 The new dormers would look towards the rear elevations of No's 18, 19 and 20 including their rear gardens. There is already some degree of overlooking between dwellings here given their positions within the estate, distances between them and the change between single and two storey design. Between the dormers and the rear boundary is approx. 18m and from the dormers to the rear elevation of No.s 18, 19 and 20 is approx. 28m. It is accepted that the installation of any new dormer bedroom windows at roof level would result in an increased level of overlooking beyond the existing single dormer arrangement and that the larger feature window will be the most notable change and most prominent, it is not considered that the anticipated level of overlooking will be to such an adverse or unacceptable degree on the privacy of the neighbours given the distances between the properties and minded of the existing levels of inter-visibility between the sites including from the upper levels of No's 18, 19 and 20 back towards the application site as to warrant a refusal in this case.
• 6.3.5 By reason of the size, scale and siting of the dormers and the measured distances and relationship with the rear neighbours the proposals are not considered to result in any significant adverse impacts in terms of loss of privacy as to harmfully impact the amenity of the neighbours. The proposed dormers are considered to be acceptable in this case.

6.4 iii) ANY OTHER MATTERS - criminal activity, fire spread, water conservation

• 6.4.1 Being works to an existing dwelling the proposal is not expected to result in any changes beyond the existing occupation of the single dwelling to affect or increase fire spread, criminal activity or water conservation and no concerns are raised in this respect. A note will be added to remind the applicant of the fossil fuel boiler ban.
• 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed works are considered to have an acceptable visual impact and not to result in any unacceptable overlooking or privacy impacts nor harm the general living

conditions of the neighbours including Brentwood or No. 18, 19 and 20 Ellan Park. Therefore the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 (b, c, g) and to meet with the general principles of Environment Policy 42, Community Policies 7 and 10, and Infrastructure Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and to meet with the principles of Section 4 and

• 5 of the Residential Design Guidance 2021.

- 8.0 INTEREST 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 which 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: 24.05.2024 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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