DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01329/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Stuart Foster Proposal: Creation of patio door opening and removal of existing door & window to South West Elevation Site Address: 39 Ballanard Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5HB Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken: 01.02.2020 Site Visit: 01.02.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.02.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, drawing no 01, 02, 03 as having been received on 24th November 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 39 Ballanard Road, Douglas, a twostorey detached dwelling located on the west of Ballanard Road, close to its junction with Barrule Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposed work is the demolition of two existing entrance doors and one casement window on the north end of the rear elevation of the ground floor and the installation of a French door with glazing on three sides. The rear elevation will be rendered to match the existing.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local policy, the site lies within an area designated as Predominantly Residential in the Area Plan for the East. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 4.3 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:

• (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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality".

4.4 Residential Design Guidance (July 2019) provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to an existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. - 4.5 RDG 5 sets out key considerations regarding architectural details. These include window details and external finishing. The general idea is that the extension should have a similar style with the main dwelling for a coherent appearance unless the clash between modern and traditional design can be handled with elegance. - 4.6 RDG 7 sets out key considerations regarding the impact on neighbouring properties. These include the potential loss of light/overshadowing, overbearing impact upon outlook and overlooking resulting in a loss of privacy.

5.0 REPRESENTATION - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection on this application (17/12/2020). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (18/12/2020).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main concerns for this application are its impact on the character and street scene of the area and the amenities of the neighbours. - 6.2 The French door is on the rear of the property. Although of a contemporary design compare to the dwelling, it does not distract the design of the building. The door is at the rear of the property and there is no public view to the door. Therefore, the design is considered acceptable. - 6.3 There is no additional vantage point created. Therefore, it is no concern for overlooking.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and Residential Design Guide Section 5 and 7. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

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 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: 02.02.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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