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THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSED DWELLING REPRESENTS MORE THAN A 50 PER CENT INCREASE IN FLOOR AREA OVER THE EXISTING
The site is the residential curtilage of an existing dwelling - Lingague Farm Cottage, which sits to the north of the B44 Ballakilpheric Road just to the east of its junction with the A36 Sloc Road. The farm sits to the south west of Lingague Farm. The site is 0.06ha (0.16 acres) in size and slopes downward by a metre over a distance of 32m.
The application property, Lingague Cottage has some semblance of what may have been at one time, a traditional Manx cottage. However, despite two substantial chimney stacks and a pitched slated roof, the proportions of the cottage are not ones generally found on vernacular properties: the floor area is 5.3 by 8.8m compared with 5.5m by 11m which is recommended in Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside. The internal floor heights are a little over 2m which is lower than modern houses tend to be built. The roof is not symmetrically pitched - the front pitch being 20 degrees and the rear 35 degrees. The windows are more square than vertically proportioned as would be the case with traditional properties. There is a small lean-to porch on the front elevation and a lean-to garage on the western gable.
The dwelling is old but has been altered such that it no longer retains much, if any of its original charm and the modern additions and changes do not alter this.
The property is seen within a landscape where there are other traditional properties of the types of proportion described above with more steeply sloped slated roofing, taller ceiling heights and taller, vertically proportioned windows.
The site lies within an area designated on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 as High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. On the draft Southern Area Plan the site is not designated for development and lies within an area which is described as Incised Slopes on the Landscape Character Assessment where the following advice is provided:
"The overall strategy is to maintain and enhance the character, quality and distinctiveness of the local built vernacular and integrity of the nucleated settlement of Port Erin, Port St. Mary and Ballagawne, the scattered traditional farm dwellings and to maintain the field pattern and semi-upland character of the upper slopes." Key views include "Extensive panoramic views from higher ground on hill slopes along coast to the Calf of Man, inland over Scarlett Peninsula and up the Southern Uplands and Meayll Hill".
Proposed now is the replacement of the dwelling with a new house, situated on the footprint of the existing but larger. The existing dwelling has a floor area of 94.1 sq m - 107.7 sq m including the attached garage. The cottage is 4m to the eaves and 5.4m to the ridge.
The proposed dwelling is to have a frontage of 12.5m and a depth of 7.6m with a small front porch which projects 1.3m from the frontage and a rear utility annex which has a floor area of 2m by 3.75m. The overall floor area is thus 208 sq m - an increase from the existing dwelling of 121% or 94% including the attached garage. A new detached garage is proposed - a modest structure 6.9m by 3.8m and 4.05m high to the ridge. The new house is 5.1m to the eaves and 8.1m to the ridge.
The dwelling is traditionally designed with a roof pitched at 35 degrees and finished in natural slate, vertically proportioned windows consistent within the elevations and substantial stacks.
The appropriate Strategic Plan policy in this case is Housing Policy 14 which states:
"Where a replacement dwelling is permitted, it must not be substantially different to the existing in terms of siting and size, unless changes of siting or size would result in an overall environmental improvement; the new building should therefore generally be sited on the "footprint" of the existing, and should have a floor area which is not more than 50% greater than that of the original building (floor areas should be measured externally and should not include attic space or outbuildings). Generally the design of the new building should be in accordance with Policies 2-7 of the present Planning Circular 3/91 (which will be revised and issued as a Planning Policy Statement). Exceptionally, permission may be granted for buildings of innovative, modern design where this is of high quality and would not result in adverse visual impact; designs should incorporate the re-use of such stone and slate as are still in place on the site, and in generally, new fabric should be finished to match the materials of the original building.
Consideration may be given to proposals which result in a larger dwelling where which involves the replacement of an existing dwelling of poor form with one of more traditional character, or where, by its design and or siting, there would be less visual impact."
Rushen Parish Commissioners note that the proposed dwelling will be larger than the existing but that the existing property has been very much altered over time. They reserve concerns about the height of the new building.
The existing dwelling is of poor form: any traditional character has been lost through alteration and extension over time and what remains is quite a sad reflection of vernacular architecture and not something which is attractive or appropriate for its rural location.
What is proposed is traditional in form, massing and detailing and more attractive and more traditional than what exists. The existing dwelling is not as large as the vernacular cottage described in Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside which would result in a cottage of 124 sq. m, over and above which the present proposal would be 67% larger.
HP 14 clearly makes provision for replacement dwellings which are larger where there is a replacement of a building of poor form, which the current property is, by one of more traditional character, which this is. The overall height and area of the proposed dwelling are not excessive and not far from the dimensions advocated in the Planning Circular 3/91. The new dwelling is not immediately alongside another property and so the change in proportions and height will not be appreciable. What will appear is a dwelling of more appropriate and traditional proportions - not dissimilar to Fo Cronk, a dwelling built in the late 1990s in St. Mark's - see photographs whose footprint is 11.5m by 8m and which sits quite comfortably within a Conservation Area beside much older vernacular properties. The new dwelling will result in an overall environmental improvement as required by the policy.
As such, it is considered that the proposal complies with HP 14 and is recommended for approval.
The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 06.05.2011
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2.
This permission relates to the replacement of the existing dwelling as shown in drawings 1.7193-001-00, 1.7193-101-04D, 1.7193-102-03C, 1.7193-103-01A, 1.7193-104-01A, 1.7193-105-001, 1.7193-106-00, 1.7193-201-02B, 1.7193-500, 1.7193-1250 and 10TS027-01 all received on 4th April, 2011.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Authority in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005
Decision Made : ☐ Authority Meeting Date : 19-5-11
Signed : Sohran H Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Authority an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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