APL Support Statement

CJ Design Limited

10 Ballaterson Road, Peel, Isle of Man IM5 1BJ Tel: 426277 email: [email protected]

SUPPORTING INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR AMENDMENTS TO PREVIOUS APPROVED ALTERATION & EXTENSION AT BALLACALLIN BEG COTTAGE, FOXDALE ROAD, GARTH, CROSBY REF: 18/00718/B

Job Reference 2021/11/02

Existing Site Extract from the Planning Officer’s report published as part of planning application 18/00718/B.

• 1.1 The site is described in the application form as "residential" but includes not only the existing dwelling but two agricultural/equestrian outbuildings attached to it, a courtyard of single storey outbuildings which lie to the west and three paddocks/fields which lie to the north, south east and south of the house. There are two modern timber stable buildings which sit adjacent to the stone outbuilding to the rear of the cottage.
• 1.2 The house is one of three residential properties within the area, the others being a modern bungalow which lies to the south and a converted barn which sits to the west. The modern bungalow does not belong to the applicant. The house which is the subject of the application is a traditional, two storey Manx cottage which faces south east. It has a slated roof, two substantial chimneys, one on each end of the house, vertically proportioned windows and a pitched roofed, single storey porch, positioned roughly central on the front elevation.
• 1.3 The windows in the property are fitted with single lights rather than sliding sashes which would have been the original style of opening.
• 1.4 To the south of the cottage is attached a two storey barn which has no windows in the south facing elevation but windows and doors in both levels on the north facing elevation which looks into the courtyard formed by the cottage and its other annex and the converted barn. To the rear of the cottage is a single storey outbuilding which abuts the rear of the cottage which, at this point, is single storey, being at the bottom end of a catslide roof.
• 1.5 The cottage and its extensions, can be seen from the A24 Braaid - Foxdale Road but are in no way prominent in the wider landscape and from where, the individual buildings are difficult to distinguish from each other, the most prominent being the cottage which is finished in white painted render amongst a group of otherwise stone finished or timber buildings. The two timber modern stables are also more prominent that the stone buildings due primarily, to their light coloured, sheeted roofs.

Following receipt of Planning Approval for the 2018 application, works commenced on Dwelling One in late 2019 and involved the demolition of the stone outbuilding attached to the original Cottage. The existing stone from the demolished outbuilding was reclaimed and set aside for use as a facing material to the new build.

Currently construction works are up to roof level of Dwelling One with approximately 50% of the Manx stone cladding applied to the external walls. Mr Tuck is hoping to get the roof covering complete in the next few weeks so internal works

Construction works are also ongoing to Dwelling Two identified in the original Planning Approval.

Planning History Following a search carried out on the Planning Department website it would appear the application site has been subject to several previous planning applications. The most current and relevant planning application in relation to these proposals is: -

18/00718/B – Alterations & Extension to create two dwellings from existing house & barn - Approved

These proposals relate to the residential property identified as Dwelling One on the Planning Approved scheme.

Enforcement Action Ref: 21/00013/PLANS Mr Ian Tuck (applicant) was contacted by the Planning Enforcement Officer (Mr R. Kneen) in February this year in relation to a possible breach of planning. A site meeting was arranged and a walk around took place following which Mr Tuck was advised a new Planning Application would be required to Regularise the works as constructed.

Following the site visit by the Enforcement Officer, Mr Tuck noticed discrepancies between the Planning Approved drawings brought to site by Mr Kneen and the Building Regulation Approved drawings used by the contractor to commence the construction.

Mr Tuck contacted CJ Design Ltd on 16th February 2021 and instructed drawings be produced which reflect the current site build and also any other alterations to the previously approved scheme as advised by Mr Tuck.

Discussions have been held with Mr Richard Kneen during the development of this amended planning application in the form of emails and telephone conversations.

Current Proposals This application seeks full planning approval for the amendments carried out during the construction process to the residential property (identified as Dwelling One) on the previously approved application ref 2108/00718/B at Ballacallin Beg Cottage, Foxdale Road, The Braaid, Crosby, Garth IM4 2HN.

CJ Design Ltd understands Mr Tuck received advice during the initial build that certain alterations could be carried out to the approved planning scheme without requiring planning consent. Mr Tuck took this advice at face value and did not seek clarification from the Planning Department which has led to the current situation arising. These alterations involve the Garden Room extension on the North East Elevation being built two storey in height (roof lines through with the original house) and the roof over the Utility section being raised to match the original house. Several

minor amendments have also been incorporated into the construction, including but not limited to additional dormer windows overlooking the courtyard, increased roof overhang to the N.E. Elevation, enlarged porch structure and new window positions to first floor of farmhouse. Reference should be made to original approved Plans & Elevations and Amended Plans & Elevations as included in this application.

The two storey Garden Room extension to the North East of the original house was incorporated into the construction as Mr Tuck was advised the original house had been finished with a concrete render, causing water damage to the original structure and making the sealing of the new structure difficult from a weathering point of view. By continuing the main roof of the house over the top of the Garden Room & First Floor extension, the original gable wall of the house is entirely covered and therefore not in direct contact with moisture.

Mr Tuck was advised by a legal representative that it is not possible for the ground floor Utility (identified as part of Dwelling 1) to be under a different ownership to the room above. A decision was made to incorporate both the ground & first floor section into Dwelling 1 however due to the lower head height this first floor space wasn’t usable as a habitable space. Following discussions between Mr Tuck & the contractor it was decided to raise the roof height over this section of building to incorporate an En-suite and Dresser (with covered balcony) at first floor level with a Utility at ground floor level. The resultant roof height now matches the roof height over the original section of house.

Following opening up works of the existing walls within the proposed Utility space they were found to be single skin masonry with timber stud and plastic cladding to the internal face. In order to improve the wall construction and ensure compliance with current Building Regulations these walls were demolished (both front & rear of Utility) and re-built using insulated cavity blockwork construction, clad externally with natural stone reclaimed from the original structure demolished.

Mr Tuck is proposing to clad the new and existing building forming Dwelling One in reclaimed natural Manx stone from the demolished outbuilding. Manx stone is a traditional material used in the countryside and will help retain the visual appearance of the agricultural holding when viewed from the public highway.

Landscaping A landscaping scheme will be undertaken to run along both sides of the new access track to the stables comprising of 150 Griselinia hedging plants (0.3m high when planted), 20 Blackthorn hedging (0.4m high when planted), 10 Montry Pine trees (1.5m high when planted), 10 Silver Birch whip trees (0.75m high when planted), 2 Oak tree whips (0.75m high when planted), 3 Beech tree whips (0.3m high when planted) and 10 Ash tree whips (0.75m high when planted). Some of this landscaping has already been planted and the remainder will be planted during this coming planting season.

This landscaping will provide additional screening of the property when viewed from Foxdale Road. It is anticipated the hedging will grow to a sufficient height to provide screening within 3-4 years.