Officer Report

Application No.: 25/90955/B Applicant: Mr Roger Brown Proposal: Erection of single storey extensions to both side elevations and alteration of doors and windows to rear elevation Site Address: 5 Maple Avenue Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 3HG Principal Planner: Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.11.2025 _________________________________________________________________

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.

It is concluded that the planning application would have no significant impacts upon public or private amenities and therefore accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Residential Design Guide 2021.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 22.10.2025.

_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services - No Objection Local Authority - No Objection

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The site is the residential curtilage of 5 Maple Avenue, Onchan a single-storey bungalow located on the north of Maple Avenue, close to its junction with Poplar Close. The bungalow has a side integral garage. The bungalow and the garage have gable roof. Fronting the garage is a driveway which can accommodate a parked vehicle.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the erection of single storey extensions to both side elevations and alteration of doors and windows to rear elevation. The works include the increase in the driveway width and access.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There are no previous applications which are considered material in the assessment of this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as "Predominantly Residential" identified on the Area Plan for the East 2020. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains two policies that is considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 4.3 General Policy 2 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:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (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;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.4 The Residential Design Guide (2021) is capable of being a material consideration. It states at 1.2.2 that, "This document provides general advice but cannot cover every eventuality. Wherever possible, it sets out generally acceptable approaches. If a proposal does not meet these, the planning application should explain why. All planning applications will be judged on their merits, taking account of the likely effect on neighbouring properties and the character of the building or street".

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Full representations can be viewed via the planning website. The following are summarised comments. - 5.1 Onchan Commissioner's recommend the application be approved (05.11.2025). - 5.2 Highway Services (DOI) have no objection commenting (27.10.2025); "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the driveway is proposed to be extended in replace of the removed garage."

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key issues to considerer in the assessment of this planning application are; the potential impacts upon the visual amenities of the street scene; the potential impacts upon neighbouring amenities; highway safety/parking provision. POTENTIAL IMPACTS UPON THE VISUAL AMENITIES OF THE STREET SCENE - 6.2 In terms of the two side extensions, the first is a modest single storey flat roofed extension to the western gable of the property which projects forward of the existing garage. While this introduces a flat roofed element, give its modest scale and position set behind the main front elevation, it is considered acceptable in this case. The side extension to the eastern gable elevation has a pitched and is set back from the front elevation. The design, scale, finishes and proportion are appropriate with the existing property and raises no concerns. The works to the front driveway retain more than 50% of the front garden and therefore from a visual perspective the proposal is considered acceptable. The relevant policy to consider is General Policy 2 and the Residential Design Guide. POTENTIAL IMPACTS UPON NEIGHBOURING AMNEITIES - 6.3 The works, will not have any significant impact upon neighbouring amenities, namely Nr

3 to the west and 7 Maple Avenue to the east. It is noted that the ground level slopes in a western direction and therefore Nr 3 ground level is set above that of the application site and Nr 7 ground level is set lower than the application site. While the proposed works will increase additional built form nearer to these neighbouring properties it is considered given the overall scale of the works and given the gable elevation of the two neighbouring properties have no windows within, it is considered there would be no significant loss of light, overlooking or overbearing impacts upon their outlooks to warrant a refusal.

HIGHWAY SAFETY/PARKING PROVISION

6.4 The proposal would create an additional off road parking space on the extended driveway. There would be no net loss of on street parking as it is proposed to retain the existing dropped kerb as it exists. The proposal would be acceptable from these respects.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Overall it is concluded that the planning application would have no significant impacts upon public or private amenities and therefore accords with the provisions set out in General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Residential Design Guide 2021 and as such the planning application is recommended for approval.

8.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE - 8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases);

• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

8.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal. 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 and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 19.11.2025 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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