DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01343/B Applicant: Mr Mike & Mrs Kathryn Clough Proposal: Erection of a first floor extension above existing garage and widening of existing driveway and vehicular access Site Address: 13 Farmhill Gardens Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2EG Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken: 21.01.2020 Site Visit: 21.01.2020 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.01.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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 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, photos and drawing no. 01, 02, 03 date stamped as having been received on 16th 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 13 Farmhill Gardens, Douglas, a twostorey detached dwelling located on the west at end of Farmhill Gardens.

1.2 The house has a pitched roof with multiple gable ends. There is a pitched roof garage on the south elevation of the main building.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposed work is the erection of a first-floor extension on top of the existing garage. - 2.2 The proposed extension will have the floor area as the existing extension. The proposed extension will have a pitched roof and it will be lower than the roof of the main dwelling. There will also be a fringe of roof on the side south side of the roof. On the front elevation, there is a garage door on the ground floor and two rooflights on the roof. On the rear elevation, there is French door the first floor will a fake balcony.

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 Use in the Douglas Local Plan 1998. - 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 "8.12.1 Extensions to Dwellings in built-up areas or sites designated for residential use: As a general policy, in built-up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to an existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general." - 4.5 Transport Policy 7 states: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards." The currents stands are set out in Appendix 7. - 4.6 Appendix 7.6 states typical residential development should have "2 spaces per unit, at least one of which is retained within the curtilage and behind the front of the building." - 4.7 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. - 4.8 RDG 3.2 Potential Visual Impact of an Extension upon the Existing House sets out key consideration regarding the general impact of extension. It states that extension should generally appear subordinate to the existing house and the height of the roof ridge of the extension should be lower than the roof of the main building. - 4.9 RDG 4.4 Extension to Side Elevations sets out key considerations for side elevation extension. These include the potential visual appearance of the extension within the street

• scene and of the individual dwelling as well as the impact on the amenities of those in neighbouring properties. These impacts can be regulated by designing with the right location, size, and architecture style. The section also specifically mentioned that detached/semidetached dwellings should avoid a terraced appearance due to two extensions being placed too close to each other.
• 4.10 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.
• 4.11 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 objection on this application (11/12/2020). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services does not oppose this application (11/12/2020). The comment states the service find no significant negative impact upon highway safety or network efficiency.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main concerns for this application are four folds: its impact on the appearance of the property itself, on its parking provision, on the character and landscape of the area and on the amenities of the neighbours. - 6.2 The proposed extension designed in a similar style as the main dwelling. The extension has a similar roof style and finishing as the main dwelling. The roof of the extension is lower than the main roof which makes it complies with the RDG. The fringe of the roof is unorthodox but it does not negatively impact the street scene of the area. The design is considered acceptable. - 6.3 The proposed extension retained the existing garage space and therefore has no impact on parking provisions. - 6.4 The extension is two storey and the site is at a similar level with the neighbouring properties. The elevation that will face No. 12 has an entrance door and two windows on the ground floor. There is no door or window on the north elevation of No. 12 so the windows and door will not create overlooking. First floor of the rear has a door and is approx. 38m to the nearest property, which is also on a much higher level than the site. Therefore, it is not considered that this is an unacceptable level of 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 3, 4, 5 and 7. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

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: 21.01.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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