DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00578/B Applicant: Mrs Diane Willson Proposal: Installation of a new window Site Address: White House Poortown Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3NQ Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 23.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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.

The proposal is considered to be in accordance with Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15 and General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 in that no unacceptable visual or other impacts were identified.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the following plans and drawings, received 28.05.21: 427-01 - Location Plan, Proposed Elevations _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

- 1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of White House, a two storey traditional Manx dwelling located on the northern side of Poortown Road, St Johns. - 1.2 The dwelling has had two dormer windows installed on the front roof slope that does alter the traditional appearance of the dwelling but not to a scale that would result in the dwelling not appearing as broadly traditional.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the creation of a new window opening to the rear elevation of the dwelling at ground floor level. The new upvc window would be single paned, with a height of 1.06 metres and width of 0.9 metres.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site falls within an area not zoned for any particular purpose and considered open space within the 1982 Development Plan. - 3.2 Environment Policy 1 seeks to protect the countryside for its own sake, development therein should not have an adverse impact. - 3.3 Housing Policy 15 is specifically relevant to the extension of existing dwellings in the countryside, which are considered traditional. Such extensions must respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. Only exceptionally will permission be granted for extensions which measure more than 50% of the existing building in terms of floor space (measured externally). As the dwelling is considered traditional, HP15 applies. - 3.4 Whilst the site is not in an area designated for development, General Policy 2 is still considered relevant in that it relates to matters around design and amenity.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The application site has been the subject of three previous planning application which have been listed below:

PA 15/01114/B: Demolition of existing and erection of a replacement detached garage with extension to existing hard standing. Permitted.

PA 14/00902/B: Erection of an extension to replace existing conservatory to side elevation. This previous planning application was permitted.

PA 14/00666/B: Erection of a two storey extension to replace existing conservatory. This previous planning application was refused on the grounds that due to the size, design and massing of the extension the proposal would not respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property and would be contrary to Housing Policy 15 of The Isle of Man Strategic Plan

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DOI Highways have confirmed that they have no highways interest this application (21.06.21).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key considerations in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - The principle of the development; and
• - the visual impact on the character and appearance of the site and wider surroundings.

6.2 Principle of Development

• 6.2.1 The application site is outside of any development boundary and is considered to be within the open countryside. There is therefore a general presumption against development.

• Housing Policy 15 allows for the extension of traditionally styled properties in the countryside where these are sympathetic to the original dwelling.
• 6.2.2 The dwelling has been altered - with the inclusion of dormer windows and other later additions. However, it still reads as a rural cottage-style dwelling in the countryside and is considered to be an example of vernacular architecture. As noted above, Housing Policy 15 applies. The proposal would see the installation of a new window opening with no increase in floorspace.
• 6.2.3 The acceptability of the development is therefore determined via an assessment of the proposed design and of any impacts on the character of the site and wider area.

6.3 Design and Appearance

• 6.3.1 As noted above, Housing Policy 15 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 requires that development proposals to extend or alter traditional dwellings must respect the proportion, form and appearance of the existing property. General Policy 2 also seeks to ensure that development respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them and does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape.
• 6.3.2 The proposed rear window would be sited at ground floor level and in a position which would not be readily visible from public view. Furthermore, the modest scale and design of the window would be appropriate for the existing traditional dwelling and would not result in an excessive or uncharacteristic expanse of glazing. The window would closely resemble existing fenestration to the rear.
• 6.3.3 Overall, the window would have no impact on the character or appearance of the site dwelling or the wider landscape. It is not considered that there would be any loss of or harm to rural heritage given the existing context. In this regard, the proposal is considered to be in accordance with Strategic Plan policies EP1, GP2 and HP15.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 In summary, the proposal is considered to accord with Environment Policy 1, Housing Policy 15 and General Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan. No unacceptable adverse impact has been identified as likely with respect of the character and appearance of the surrounding landscape.

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: 23.07.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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