DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00716/B Applicant: Ms Rosalind Whalley Proposal: Alterations and erection of a replacement extension to side elevation Site Address: 41 Howe Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 2AZ Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken: 30.07.2021 Site Visit: 30.07.2021 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.09.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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 comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 23rd June 2021: o Drawing No. 01

This decision also relates to amended proposed plans, drawing No. 02 Rev A received 23rd August 2021 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of 41 Howe Road, Onchan which is a bungalow situated to the North East of Howe Road. - 1.2 Due to the topography of the site the bungalow is situated above the road level and the rear garden slopes upward to the North, because of this raised height of the bungalow compared to the neighbouring properties, the existing utility room can be seen from the main road. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the demolition of the existing side extension and erection of a wraparound extension. The proposed extension will have a pitched roof to the side where the existing pitched roof is and a flat roof to fit within the existing flat roofed conservatory. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the East, Map 6, Onchan. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 In terms of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, paragraph 8.12.1 states, "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 existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general." With this in mind the key policy for this application is General Policy 2, which states in part, "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;

• n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.3 The Residential Design Guidance 2016 is also relevant in this application of which the most relevant parts is Section 4.8 which states, "4.8 Side Extensions (Extensions to Side Elevations)

• 4.8.1 This type of extension is a common extension throughout the Island, as many properties are built with an attached garage, which can physically accommodate being built above.
• 4.8.2 Generally, the main issues relate to the potential visual appearance of the extension within the streetscene and of the individual dwelling as well as the impact on the amenities of those in neighbouring property (see Chapter 7.0).
• 4.8.3 It is key that any side extension respects the proportion, design and form of the existing dwelling and that it appears as a subordinate to the main dwelling.
• 4.8.4 A side extension should generally not project in front of the existing building or have flat roofs.
• 4.8.5 A pitched roof will normally be essential to any side extension. The roof of the proposed extension should match the original in terms of pitch and shape. The ridge line should either follow or, often preferably, be lower than the original dwelling."

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state in part the following, "After reviewing this application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and/or parking." (16.04.21).

5.2 Onchan Commissioners have considered the application and recommend approval for planning purposes only (14.07.21 - 5.3 DOI Flood Risk Management Division have considered the application and state, "No Flood Risk Management Interest." (28.04.21)

ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - impact on neighing amenity (GP2, g) 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 The proposal in terms of its form, mass and design provides a suitable extension to an existing residential property for which there is a general principle in favour of as indicated in paragraph 8.12.1 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016. The extension is considered to be modest in size and does not generate an overbearing impact on the adjacent neighbours to warrant a concern or refusal.
• 6.2.2 It is considered that the overall level of the development contained within this proposal is in keeping with the character of the property in question and the overall streetscene.
• 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.3.1 Another factor when looking at extensions such as this is whether they would create an impact on the neighbouring property, especially No. 39 Howe Road, which is situated to the West of the site. Whilst the proposal is increasing the number of windows within the East elevation, there are already several windows within the existing utility room. Adding to this the mature hedging and trees which are situated to the boundary line. Both of these factors will assist in the extension not adding any actual or perceived overlooking onto No. 39 Howe Road CONCLUSION
• 7.1 On balance and for the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable. 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

• 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: 08.09.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.