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Application No.: 15/00827/B Applicant: Mike & Ann Atkinson Proposal: Alterations and extensions to dwelling and erection of detached garage with store above Site Address: Sea View Oak Hill Port Soderick Isle Of Man IM4 1AT Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken: 13.08.2015 Site Visit: 13.08.2015 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO PLANNING COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
1.0 INTRODUCTION - 1.1 Previously, this planning application proposed alterations and extensions to dwelling and erection of detached garage block with living accommodation that provided parking for two vehicles, an entrance hall, store and shower/WC at ground floor and a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, lounge and dining room at first floor. - 1.2 The application was presented at Planning Committee on 7th September 2015 with a recommendation for refusal on the grounds that the proposed garage was tantamount to a new dwelling in the countryside with the proposal failing to protect the character and quality of the landscape and was not considered sympathetic to its surroundings. - 1.3 Planning Committee expressed that whilst they were content with the extension they did not feel that the garage was acceptable. The Planning Committee members felt it would be unreasonable to refuse the planning application as a whole as a result of the garage and therefore deferred their decision so that the applicant could be approached to discuss an alternative proposal. The amended scheme has been outlined under paragraph 3 of this report.
2.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 2.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Sea View, a large two storey detached dwelling located on the northern side of the A25 Old Castletown Road, Oak Hill, Port Soderick. - 2.2 It is evident that Sea View would have once been a modest two storey traditional Manx dwelling. However, over time the property has been extended which has resulted in an interruption in the traditional appearance and therefore the application dwelling is no longer considered a strict traditional dwelling.
3.3 The application dwelling is set back just less than 6 metres from the highway and is bounded by hedging and banking at the front.
3.1 The planning application seeks approval for the erection of a two storey extension to the rear elevation and erection of a detached garage with living accommodation above.
3.2 The rear extension would extend 8 metres from the existing dining room, 3.8 metres from the existing lounge which would become a snug. The extension would have a width of 5.2 metres and height of 6.3 metres. The extension would provide a lounge at ground floor and en-suite bedroom at first floor. The extension would be finished in all materials to match the existing dwelling. - 3.3 The garage would be located 6.4 metres north from the main house. The garage would measure 13 x 6.7 x 6 metres. The garage would be finished in a smooth painted render and would have a natural slate roof. There would be three conservation style roof lights in each roof slope that would provide light to a store room. There would also be a window on the eastern gable end and patio doors with a Juliet balcony on the western gable end.
4.1 The application site has been the subject of a number of planning applications between 1989 and 2002. In 2002 under PA 02/01123/B planning approval was granted for the erection of garage with store over. This previous planning application was granted planning approval subject to the garage being used only for the storage of private motor vehicles and domestic items all in association with the use and occupation of the main house, Sea View. A further application was submitted under PA 02/01975/B for the re-positioning of the approved garage, to the position of the garage proposed under this scheme, and amendment to driveway. This was granted approval. - 5.0 PLANNING POLICY
5.1 The application site lies within an area of white space under the Braddan Local Plan 1991.
5.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
Environment Policy 1 states: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in
land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative."
Housing Policy 16 states: "The extension of non-traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public."
6.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (21/08/2015). - 6.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application (10/08/2015).
7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 As there are two elements of development proposed within this planning application it is felt appropriate to consider each element separately starting with the extension.
7.2 With regards to the extension, it is necessary to consider the impact upon the character and quality of the landscape and whether the extension would increase the impact of the dwelling as viewed by the public to a degree that would cause harm.
7.3 With regards to the impact of the proposed extension on the countryside and public amenity, Planning Circular 3/91: GUIDE TO THE DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE states that country houses typically take the form of a double cube volume topped by a steep pitch roof with gable ends. In the majority of cases, there would be chimney stacks on either gable end. Whilst the shell of a traditional dwelling is evident, the current form of the application dwelling does not take the form of a traditional dwelling as shown under Planning Circular 3/91 and as a result Housing Policy 16 is most relevant. - 7.4 Housing Policy 16 states that the extension of non-traditional dwellings or those of poor or inappropriate form will not generally be permitted where this would increase the impact of the building as viewed by the public. It should be noted that the application site dwelling is not considered to be of inappropriate or poor form. - 7.5 As previously mentioned the house is set back from the highway, and also slightly above the highway with the front elevation visible in its entirety and the eastern elevation, partially visible. Glimpses of the existing rear extension are only partially visible as one travels in a west direction along the Old Castletown Road but would not be viewed in its entirety as a result of existing screening along the north eastern/eastern boundary of the site. Furthermore, the majority of passers-by would be in motor vehicles travelling at 40mph, it is highly unlikely that garage would be visible at all. - 7.6 The extension proposed would extend 1.7 metres beyond the existing eastern elevation and would therefore be visible from the Old Castletown Road. However, the level and scale of development that would be visible is not considered to cause any undue harm of public amenity or deter from the character and quality of the landscape. The extension would be wholly visible from the access road serving Ballig House and The Lodge, Ballig House is located over 60 metres from the application site and The Lodge located over 100 metres. This road is not an adopted public highway. - 7.7 It is unfortunate that the dwelling has been extended towards the western end of the dwelling. This has resulted in an unbalanced appearance and untidy form as opposed to perhaps extending the existing lobby and study area to finish flush with the building line of the existing
8.1 For the reasons set out above, the planning application is recommended for approval. 9.0 PARTY STATUS
9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.10.2015 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Reason: To ensure proper control of the development and to avoid any future undesirable fragmentation of the curtilage.
This approval relates to DRG No. 140/002 and 140/003 date stamped as received 23rd July 2015 and 140/001a and 140/004a date stamped as received 16th September 2015.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : APPROVED Committee Meeting Date:…19.10.2015
Signed : A Morgan
Presenting Officer
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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