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Application No.: 22/00001/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs George & Heather Reddick Proposal: Alterations to existing garage into utility room, including replacing windows and doors to the front, rear and side elevations. Removal of rear chimney stack and associated works. Site Address: 23 Whitebridge Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 4HQ Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.02.2022 _________________________________________________________________
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 Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the documents and drawing no. 21/32/01, 21/32/02 as having been received on 3rd January 2022. _______________________________________________________________
Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 23 Whitebridge Road, Onchan, a two-storey semidetached dwelling located on the northwest of Whitebridge Road, between its junctions with Sandringham Drive and Ballachrink Drive. - 1.2 The house consists of a two-storey hipped-roof main dwelling, a single-storey hippedroof conservatory and a single-storey flat-roof garage on the side.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposed is the external alteration to the garage to facilitate its conversion into a utility room. This includes replacing of garage door with a window, replacing and relocating windows and doors on the side elevation of the garage, installation of a window on the rear elevation of the garage and re-roofing with fibreglass. - 2.2 The proposal also includes the demolition of the rear chimney and replacing a rear window with a bi-fold door.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY Site Specific - 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Predominantly Residential in the Area Plan for the East. - 4.2 No planning constraint overlaps with the site. Strategic Policy - 4.3 In terms of strategic policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: Principles of Developments - 4.4 General Policy 1 states: "The determination of matters under Part 2 (Development Control) and Part 3 (Special Controls) of the 1999 Town and Country Planning Act shall have regard to the provisions of the Development Plan and all other material considerations." - 4.5 General Policy 2, which provides an overall requirement for all development, states: "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:
Visual Design
4.6 Strategic Policy 3 and Environment Policy 42 all focus on the visual design of developments, they state that the design should take account of the local materials, character and identity of its immediate locality, in terms of buildings and landscape features. Focused on landscaping. Parking
4.7 Transport Policy 7 states: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards." - 4.8 Appendix 7.6 states that for typical residential development, there should be 2 spaces per unit, at least one of which is retained within the curtilage and behind the front of the dwelling. Safety and Security - 4.9 Community Policy 7, 10 and 11 states that the design of new development must, as far as is reasonable and practicable, pay due regards to existing best practise such as to prevent criminal and anti-social behaviour and outbreak and spread of fire...." PPS and NPD - 4.10 There is no relevant Planning Policy Statement or National Policy Directive applicable to this application.
5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Strategy and Guidance - 5.1 The Residential Design Guide (July 2021) provides guidance on the design of new houses and extensions to an existing property, as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. Therefore, it is considered that the Guide is materially relevant to this application. - 5.2 RDG Chapter 5 sets out key considerations regarding architectural details. These include window details and external finishing. The general idea is that development should fit in with the street scene and the building itself. - 5.3 RDG 5.1.1 state: "Chimneystacks make an important contribution to the character and appearance of dwellings, the street scene and the skyline. They are also often particularly important features of many dwelling designs which as well as being functional provide interesting and distinctive patterns in the roofline often making a positive contribution to the particular quality and general appearance of an area. Extensions and roof alterations should avoid the loss of a chimneystack that positively contributes to the dwelling's character and appearance. The Department encourages, wherever practical, the retention of prominent chimney stacks to traditional/period properties, which add to the character and quality of the street scene, especially where the individual property is within a Conservation Area." - 5.4 RDG Chapter 7 sets out key considerations regarding the impact on neighbouring properties. These include the potential loss of light/overshadowing, overbearing impact upon outlook and overlooking resulting in a loss of privacy.
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 6.1 Onchan District Commissioners has no objection to this application (25.01.2022). - 6.2 Highway Services states does not oppose this application (20.01.2022). The comment states that there is no "significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking."
7.0 ASSESSMENT - 7.1 The key considerations of this application are its impact on the house itself, on the character and streetscene of the area, on parking and the amenities of the neighbours. - 7.2 It is noted that the conversion of a garage for use as part of the main dwelling mainly involves internal alterations, both are commonly not considered development and are not
regulated by planning. However, the replacement of a garage door and frame with another garage door or a window is considered development and can be performed under Class 26 of the Permitted Development Order 2012. However, in this application, the proportions of the window do not replicate the proportions of the windows on the ground floor of the same elevation of the door to be replaced, hence the need for this application.
Design of the House Itself
7.3 The alteration to the garage does not change the character of the house. - 7.4 The rear chimney has no architectural details or make a positive contribution to the appearance of the house. Therefore, its demolition is considered to have a negligible effect on the character of the house. Character and Streetscene - 7.5 The rear chimney is not readily visible from the road and it does not positively contribute to the character of the area. Therefore, its demolition is considered to have a neutral impact on the character of the area. Parking - 7.6 There are still two parking spaces available at the front of the house after the conversion. Since there is also no objectio from the highway services, it is considered that there is no impact on parking provision. Neighbouring Amenities - 7.7 There is no change in the mass of the dwelling. Therefore, it is considered that there is no concern for overshadowing or overbearing. - 7.8 The room will be used for utility and the window on the front elevation is for a toilet. It is considered that the new window on the front elevation will not create additional overlooking as it is looking onto the street, which is a typical outlook with no privacy concern, and the user of the room would also not want to be observed by outsiders. - 7.9 The alteration on the side elevation arguably reduced the existing overlooking situation as the windows are smaller and positioned where are less frequented by the occupants. - 7.10 The new window on the rear elevation and the bi-fold door shares a similar outlook. However, these outlooks are also shared by the existing windows on the first floor. Therefore, it is considered that there is no additional overlooking created by the rear window.
8.0 CONCLUSION - 8.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.
9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS - 9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
9.2 The decision-maker must determine:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management 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 : 09.02.2022 Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
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