DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/01437/B Applicant: Mr Stephen Porter Proposal: Erection of a dwelling with associated parking and vehicular access Site Address: Fernlea Bride Isle Of Man IM7 4AT Planning Officer: Miss Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.01.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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.

• C 2. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the vehicle and pedestrian accesses, parking and turning areas and driveway surface finish have been provided in full accordance with the approved plan drawing no. 010. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than for access, parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.

Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.

N 1. The applicant/agent is to be reminded to contact Department of Infrastructure regarding the need for a separate S109 agreement.

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

It is concluded that the planning application accords with the provisions set out in Strategic Policies 2, 5 and 10, Spatial Policy 4 and General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing numbers 001 Rev A and 100 Rev A both date stamped and received 16/11/2020, and drawing number 010 received 14/01/2020.

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises a triangular parcel of land located within Bride Village. The site sits on the western side of the main road heading into the village part way between the junction with West Kimmeragh Road and Bride Church. Until recently the site contained an uninhabited dwelling, but that has since been cleared.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This planning application seeks approval for the erection of a new dwelling on the vacant plot. The proposed dwelling is to be of a traditional two storey Manx cottage design with a three bay frontage approx. 10m wide and chimney stacks integrated into each 6m gable. At the rear is a catslide extension covering half of the rear elevation, a small porch is proposed on the front elevation. The dwelling is to be 5m to eaves and 8m to central ridge. - 2.2 Following some highway concerns the agent sought to provide additional drawings demonstrating how two car parking spaces and turning could be achieved within the site.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, two of which are considered specifically material; 08/01339/A and 12/01349/B were both approved for the erection of a new dwelling on the site (2008 app being an approval in principle only). The current proposal mimics that which was approved in 2012. - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The application site is within an area recognised as being within 'predominantly residential' use under 1982 Development Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 recognises Bride as being a village, but one that relies on the services provided in other Service Villages such as Andreas. Spatial Policy 4 specifically addresses small settlement villages such Bride. The following policies of the IOM Strategic Plan are considered to be relevant in the case of this application:

4.2 Strategic Policy 2: "New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(2) of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in the exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3." - 4.3 Strategic Policy 5: "New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to be supported by a Design Statement which will be required to take account of the Strategic Aim and Policies." - 4.4 Strategic Policy 10: "New development should be located and designed such as to promote a more integrated transport network with the aim to:

• (a) minimise journeys, especially by private car;
• (b) make best use of public transport;
• (c) not adversely affect highway safety for all users, and
• (d) encourage pedestrian movement"

4.5 Spatial Policy 4: "In the remaining villages development should maintain the existing settlement character and should be of an appropriate scale to meet local needs for housing and limited employment opportunities. These villages are:

• o Bride
• o Glen Maye
• o Sulby
• o Dalby
• o Ballaugh
• o Ballafesson
• o Glen Mona
• o Colby
• o Baldrine
• o Ballabeg
• o Crosby
• o Newtown
• o Glen Vine
• o Strang Area Plans will define the development boundaries of such settlements so as to maintain their existing character."

4.6 General Policy 2: "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:

• a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;
• d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including watercourses;
• e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Bride Commissioners - In support (16/02/2020).

5.2 DOI Highways Division - Following an initial objection (05/02/2020) and the request for more information on 26/11/2020, DOI confirmed in comments dating 15/01/2020 that the Do

• Not Oppose Subject to Condition for the access, pedestrian and vehicles areas including car parking are provided in accordance with the revised drawings and a note be added for S109a. Their most recent comments confirmed that the revised layout shown on the Proposed Site and Vehicle Access Plan; Drawing No: 010 are acceptable and the proposal does not raise significant highway safety or network efficiency issues. Car parking meets with the Strategic Plan, sufficient turning facility allows entry and exit in forward gear, shared pedestrian and vehicle use, adequate visibility splays in each direction, boundary height does not exceed the 1.05m and the driveway is to be finished in a suitable material to cater for surface water drainage. Bicycle parking is to be provided in a separate covered and secure storage facility to aid sustainable travel and an electric vehicle charging point can be accommodated to meet low emission objectives. There is space to store waste bins for roadside collection. The access will require a s109(A) Highway Agreement on planning consent being granted.
• 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 Similar to that application and application in principle which came before it, the current application proposes a dwelling on a site that formerly contained a dwelling and on a site which is located within a predominantly residential area. The proposal will make best use of an existing site situated in a village identified in Spatial Policy 4 and utilising existing infrastructure and transport networks meeting with the strategic aims running through the Strategic Plan. As such the basic principle for a dwelling here is not in any doubt, however what must be considered as part of this application is whether or not the design detail of the dwelling is acceptable in respect of the of the site specific context (visual impact, neighbouring amenity and highway safety).

Visual Impact 6.2 The design of the proposed dwelling is traditional and not dissimilar to that of the previous dwelling (as seen on google streetview) or other dwellings typically found in rural areas and villages. The design fits with those principles set out in Planning Circular 3/91 and it is considered to complement the rural character of Bride village and is to be in keeping with the street scene.

Neighbouring Impact

6.3 In respect of private amenity the proposed development is orientated and sufficiently distanced from surrounding property so as not affect any privacy or living conditions, the closest neighbour sits around 19m away beyond existing boundary treatment and at a level slightly higher than the application dwelling. Highway Safety - 6.4 Following the submission of amended drawings it has not been demonstrated that the proposal provides two off road car parking spaces and sufficient turning to allow entry and exit in a forward gear complying with the requirements set out with the Isle of Man Strategic Plan

1. DOI have indicated that the 2m x 36m visibility splays as sufficient for the 20mph zone of the village, while DOI have asked for additional information the majority of these matters fall outside of the planning remit and can be covered by separate legislation (Highways and Manx Utilities) with exception to the finished surface detail for the proposed driveway detail of which shall be requested by a suitably worded condition. In accordance with the Manual for Manx Roads the first 5m needs to be finished in a bound and consolidated material.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall it is concluded that the planning application accords with the provisions set out in Strategic Policies 2, 5 and 10, Spatial Policy 4 and General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval subject to a condition requiring the surface details of the driveway being submitted prior to commencement. - 8.0 INTERESTED 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 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: 20.01.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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