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Application No.: 15/01039/B Applicant: Leslie Lucas Alfred Hanson Proposal: Installation of dormer window to rear elevation Site Address: 18 Stanley Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1NX Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 17.09.2015 Site Visit: 17.09.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of a mid-terraced dwelling situated to the north of Stanley Road in Peel. The application site is within the Peel Conservation Area. Gib Lane runs to the north of the site, although views of the rear of the site are far more limited from here than from Marine Parade further to the north as there are high rear boundary walls that prevent views from nearby. Marine Parade is also within the Conservation Area. - 1.2 A plaque on the house identifies it as a dentist surgery but no planning history can be found on this, and nor was it possible to gain entry to the site to clarify this point. - 1.3 The roofline is fairly uninterrupted at the rear, although a dormer with a roof sloping down from the ridgeline in a northerly direction can be found on the neighbouring no.16 Stanley Road.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for what is essentially a replica of the neighbouring dormer window. It would be finished in render to match the existing dwelling (and adjacent dormer) on both its face and cheeks, while the roof would be formed of blue / grey slate. - 2.2 The drawings submitted are of quite a poor quality but there is sufficient information to make a proper assessment of the application.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 None of the previous applications on this site are considered to be of material relevance to the determination of the application. The adjacent dormer window was approved in 1988, just prior to the adoption of the Peel Conservation Area in 1990.
4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES - 4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as "Mixed Use" identified on the Peel Local Plan
4.2 General Policy 2 states in part: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
4.3 Environment Policy 35 reads in full: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Peel Town Commissioners offered no objection to the proposal in correspondence received 25th September 2015.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Established Conservation Area policy requires that any proposed development should either preserve or enhance the special character or appearance of the Area in which it would sit. In this regard, there is no Character Appraisal accompanying the Peel Conservation Area and so any assessment of that special character or appearance can present more complexity than in those circumstances where a Character Appraisal does exist. In this, it is helpful if applicants or their agents submit a Statement indicating how they feel their proposal helps to either preserve or enhance the area in which it would sit. No such opportunity has been taken on this occasion, which is unfortunate. - 6.2 The roofscape to the rear is already, as noted, broken by an existing and neighbouring dormer. Views of this cannot be obtained from Stanley Road, or even from Gib Lane, but are achievable from Marine Parade further distant. However, from this distance, the dormer feature sits fairly well against the rear elevations of the dwellings and is not an overly apparent or distinguishing feature of the roofscape. That it does not break the ridgeline of the terrace in which it sits contributes significantly to this impression, with the impact further reduced by the presence of sporadic but mature vegetation and other buildings between Marine Parade and Stanley Road. - 6.3 The rear roofscape of Stanley Road is not, therefore, a prominent feature. It is only visible from distance and even those views are interrupted. While this should not direct the assessment of the current application - after all, just because a proposal cannot be seen does not automatically make it acceptable - it is a helpful characterisation and guide.
6.3 The proposed dormer would sit neatly alongside the existing and have a similar impact to it. While the existing dormer is probably not considered to be a special feature of the Conservation Area, it is also not a harmful one for the reasons described above. Another addition of a similarly low-key and modest nature would therefore not enhance the Conservation Area, but would probably best be characterised as either preserving it or having a neutral effect. - 6.4 Consideration has been given to the effect this proposal could have on the nature of future, similar applications on Stanley Road, but it remains a fundamental principle that each application should be treated having regard to its particular circumstances. It is also generally inappropriate to recommend an application be refused because it could give rise to an unacceptable precedent: any such applications in future will necessarily be assessed on their own merits and having regard to the Development Plan at the time.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 In view of the above, it is considered that the proposal does not conflict with Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan so significantly as to warrant the application's refusal, and is in compliance with the relevant parts of General Policy 2. It is therefore considered, on balance, that the application should be approved.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 12.10.2015 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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
The development hereby approved relates to the plan, date-stamped as having been received 15th September 2015: Ref LH/1/15.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 14.10.2015 Determining officer
Signed :…………J CHANCE…….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management
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