Alterations and erection of a rear extension and erection of a detached 2 storey garage with upper floor living accommodation

Capella, Main Road, Santon, Isle Of Man, IM4 1jb

Received4 May 2021

Validated18 May 2021

Decided14 Jul 2021

2 months

Received4 May 2021

Validated18 May 2021

Decided14 Jul 2021

2 months

Why Was This Refused?

✓Unacceptable overlooking into neighbouring property 'Mussoorie' due to the garage's proximity and height
✓Intrusive siting, scale, and layout harmful to the site and wider street scene
✓Two-storey gable facing Main Road out of keeping with the area's predominantly single-storey character
✓Inappropriate backland development resulting in overdevelopment of the site
✓Insufficient amenity space for future occupiers
✓Risk that the building could be severed from the main dwelling and used independently
✓overlooking
✓character
✓scale
✓overdevelopment

This application sought permission to alter and extend the rear of 'Capella' on Main Road, Santon, and to erect a detached two-storey garage with upper-floor living accommodation in the grounds. The application was refused by a delegated officer decision. The proposed garage was found to cause unacceptable levels of overlooking into the neighbouring property 'Mussoorie' because of its height and closeness to the boundary. The building's overall siting, scale, and arrangement were also considered to create an intrusive feature harmful to both the application site and the surrounding street scene. Further concerns centred on the building's design in context: although the style was traditional, the two-storey element with a gable end facing Main Road was judged out of keeping with an area characterised by side-on, single-storey dwellings with roof accommodation. The layout was also considered to represent inappropriate backland overdevelopment, with inadequate amenity space, and the independent access and separation from the main house raised concerns that the building could in future be used as a separate dwelling.

The application was refused on 14 July 2021. The two-storey garage with living accommodation above was found to cause unacceptable overlooking into the neighbouring property 'Mussoorie', harming its residential amenity. The building's siting, scale, and layout were also judged to be an intrusive and visually harmful addition to the site and street scene. Additionally, the two-storey gable facing Main Road was considered out of keeping with the local character of single-storey dwellings, and the overall layout represented inappropriate backland overdevelopment with insufficient amenity space.

Refusal Reasons

✕The proposed garage with ancillary accommodation over would, by virtue of its proximity and height, result in unacceptable levels of actual and perceived overlooking from the proposal site into 'Mussoorie', to the detriment of the residential amenity. In this respect, the proposed building is considered unacceptable when assessed against General Policy 2 (g).
✕The siting, layout, scale, form, and arrangement of the new building on the site, would have a deleterious impact both on the application site and the wider street scene, by resulting in a particularly intrusive feature within the site when viewed from the surrounding area. This aspect of the proposal would be at odds with General Policy 2 (b&c).
✕Although the design is traditional (to ensure it ties in with the existing building), the two storey element and orientation with gable facing Main Road would be out of keeping with the dominant character of the area which is dominated by side-on single storey dwellings with accommodation in the roof. Also, the layout of the site together with the lack of suitable amenity space for occupiers indicate that the proposal is an inappropriate backland development and would result in over-development of the site. As such it is considered contrary to policy GP2 (b, c & h) and Environment Policy 42.
✕The size of the new building, the fact that the new building has an independent access, the broad layout of the building, and the separating distance between the new building and the main dwelling, would make it difficult to ensure that the new building remains ancillary to 'Capella'; facilitating future severance from this dwelling, which would be at variance with the character of the area and contrary to General Policy 2 (k) of the Strategic Plan and Landscape Proposal 7 of the Area Plan for the East.

Policies Assessed (6)

General Policy 2

General Policy 2

General Policy 2

Environment Policy 42

inappropriate backland development

pment. 8.13.2 The extent of formal open space with in settlement boundaries in the South is identified on the Proposals Map (Map 3) and Inset Maps (Maps 4-7). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 42) seeks to protect these open spaces and indicates that: 8.13.3 "Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a partic ular area will not be permitted.''

GP2(K)

General Policy 2

LANDSCAPEPROPOSAL7

Landscape Proposal 7 (Santon)

Planning History (3)

99/01786/BApproved2000

extension to main dwelling, also extension and alterations to detached garage to form living accommodation

permitted on Review on 7 April 2000

03/01076/BApproved2003

Creation on new driveway and access and change of use of associated lodge to a separate dwelling, Capella Cottage and Clannagh Lodge

04/00248/ARefused

approval in principle for the erection of a dwelling on land forming part of Capella

Documents (12)

Officer Report Decision Notice Location Plan Application Form

Source & Provenance

Official reference: 21/00498/B
Source authority: Isle of Man Government Planning & Building Control
Official record URL: No stable public per-application URL provided