DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01533/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs John Halligan Proposal: Alterations and erection of dormer extension Site Address: 41 Ballabrooie Grove Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4EX Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken: 03.02.2021 Site Visit: 03.02.2021 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.02.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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 and drawings no. NB/Halligan, SM20/531/1 Rev A date-stamped as having been received on 17th December 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 41 Ballabrooie Grove, Douglas, a two-storey semidetached dwelling located on the west of Ballabrooie Grove. The house has a hipped roof.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposed work is the erection of a dormer on the west (rear) elevation of the house. It will have a pitched roof and a double casement window. The proposal also includes the installation of a rooflight on the north (side) elevation.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Installation of dormer windows to rear and gable elevations was REFUSED under PA 19/00850/B. The application was refused due to the visual impact of the flat roof rear dormer on the landscape of the area and the side dormer on the street scene.

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 "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 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. - 4.6 RDG 4.6 Dormer Extensions sets out some key considerations. These include a general concern for the potential impact on the character and appearance of both the individual property and the wider street scene. There is also a concern for overlooking if not created for a nonhabitable room with obscured glazing. There is a general assumption against dormers if they are publicly visible. It should generally have a pitched roof. Finishing in a tile or tiled like material can reduce the visual impact. The position and size should be secondary to the roof which it will be positioned on. - 4.7 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. - 4.8 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 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has not commented at the time of the report (12/02/2021). - 5.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (19/01/2021).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main concerns for this application are its impact on the character and landscape of the area and its impact on the amenities of the neighbours.

6.2 The extension is at the rear of the property. It is visible by the public. The dormer is designed in a similar style as the main dwelling. It should not stand out around the neighbours. Compare to the previous application, the now proposed pitched roof design does fit in with its surroundings. Therefore, there is no adverse impact on the character or landscape of the area. - 6.3 The dormer window is approx. 23m away from the closest window of the neighbouring property so it is considered there is no issue regarding overlooking. - 6.4 The proposed roof light is considered acceptable as there is no adverse visual impact on the street scene of the area. It is also considered there is no issue regarding overlooking as a vantage point already exist on the first floor and the angle of the view from the window is unlikely to intrude over No. 43.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide. 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: 17.02.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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