Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 25/90990/B Applicant: Mr Steven Wilkinson Proposal: Re-roofing (retrospective), re-rending of exterior walls, installation roof lights and new windows and doors, alteration to kitchen window, demolition of outbuilding to create of off-road parking (in association with 25/00991/CON) Site Address: Woodbank 23 Albany Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3NF Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.02.2026 _________________________________________________________________

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 deemed acceptable in terms of their form, mass and design which preserves the overall Conservation Area, and as such complies with Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Act (1999) and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 7th November 2025;

• o Covering Letter
• o Drawing No. 01
• o Drawing No. 02
• o Drawing No. 03

Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services - No objection Douglas City Council - No objection

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is to the rear of the residential curtilage of "Woodbank," No. 23 Albany Road, Douglas which is a two storey end of terrace property situated to the South West of Albany Road. To the North of the site is an access to the rear lane. - 1.2 The rear of the property is a rear land which splits and has two routes, one which goes along the rear of the terrace of properties and meets Selborne Drive, this rear lane is called Colden Lane, this lane then splits off and goes along the rear of the properties to the South West of the property along Selborne Drive and meets Tennis Road. Directly to the rear of the property are several garages. - 1.3 During the officers site visit, it was noted that the property had scaffolding surrounding it. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the following but not limited to items;

• replacement roof, with the reclaimed roof slates being used on the front elevation and natural slate to the rear elevation (retrospective)

• - installation of four rooflights, two to the front elevation and two to the rear elevation,
• - installation of new uPVC double glazed windows with leaded top lights to ground floor level

to North West elevation,

• - replacement uPVC windows to North East elevation with leaded lights to ground floor level,
• - removal of the existing sliding sash windows and replacement with uPVC windows to South

East elevation,

• - make good existing render
• - blocking up of window to the South East elevation,
• - installation of new uPVC door to match existing to South East elevation,
• - installation of new composite door with glazed sidelights and fanlight above
• - alteration to ground floor window on South East elevation,
• - removal of existing outbuilding to the rear and the removal of 2.5m of walling to the rear

boundary wall which will facilitate the creation of a parking area. With the parking area is the installation of a 1.8m high timber fence and gate.

PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are no previous applications which are relevant to the assessment of this application but there is one concurrent application which is relevant, PA25/00991/CON, which is for, "Demolition of outbuilding to create off road parking (in association with 25/90990/B)," which is currently pending. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Predominantly Residential on the Area Plan for the East, Map 4 - Douglas. The site is situated within a Conservation Area but not a Flood Risk Zone.

4.2 Given the nature of the of the land designation and the property being within a Conservation Area, Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) is the most relevant in the assessment of this application. Followed by paragraph 7.29.2, Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, which set out development in Conservation Areas will only be permitted where they preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area and Planning Policy Statement 1/98 - The Alteration and Replacement of Windows.

4.3 Also relevant tis the Residential Design Guide (2021) which offers advice on the design and in relation to visual impact and the impact on neighbours.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The following representations can be seen online in full below is a short summary;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the application and state, "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 off-street parking dimensions are acceptable and the off-street parking is accessed off a relatively low speed road. The minor visibility achieved for the parking is outweighed by the benefits of removing parking demand on the street and low risk of safety due to the low speed nature of the service road." (18.11.25) - 5.3 Douglas City Council have considered the proposal and state, "no objection." (25.11.25)

ASSESSMENT

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

• - Section 18(4) test / Character and Appearance
• - neighbouring amenity
• - highway safety

- 6.2 SECTION 18(4) TEST / CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 Due to the proposed works being in a Conservation Area it is necessary to test the application under section 18(4) of the Town and Country Act (1999), see section 4.2 of this report, on whether the works preserve or enhance the Conservation Area.
• 6.2.2 The proposed works can be seen as two separate parts, firstly the works to the front and side elevation and secondly the works proposed to the rear elevation. The reasoning to this is that the front and side elevation are seen within the context of the streetscene but the rear is not.
• 6.2.3 Generally the works to the front and side elevation are almost on a like for like basis, with the change of windows, roof and masonry not impacting the conservation area. Whilst there is the removal of a window to the South East elevation and the change of the doorway to the North East elevation, both of these items would not impact the Conservation Area as a whole and as such deemed acceptable.
• 6.2.4 Turning towards the works at the rear of the property, which due to the boundary wall are unlikely to be seen from a general public vantage point, whilst that is the case, the works will be seen from anyone travelling the rear access road or anyone going to the garages at the rear of the property.
• 6.2.5 Whilst the above is the case, alterations such as this, which create parking area and becoming more frequent in properties such as this, where parking is limited to the front. The proposed works are modest in sizing and ultimately are unlikely to have an impact on the Conservation Area, mainly due to the works being a suitable alteration within a residential environment, with the works being viewed as such from the general public. It is also noted that the Character Appraisal for Selborne Drive does not reference the rear of these properties, which means that the front elevation is the most likely to impact the Conservation Area not the rear elevation.
• 6.2.6 As such with the above in mind the works will pass the Section 18(4) test by preserving the Conservation Area and in turn Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

- 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.3.1 Turning towards neighbouring amenity, there are no additional windows nor extensions being proposed within the proposal which could impact the neighbouring amenity of the surrounding properties.
• 6.3.2 It's noted that the proposal includes the alteration to the rear walling which is directly adjacent to the neighbouring property to create a parking area, whilst the location plan provided by the agent gives the assumption that the neighbouring property has it's own

• opening in the rear, this was not seen during the officers site visit. It's also noted that there is not a dividing wall between the properties and there is a boundary fence instead.
• 6.3.3 With the above in mind, the creation of a parking area is unlikely to impact the neighbouring property above and beyond what is currently in place, as such the proposal is deemed to be acceptable from this point of view with there not being any concerns which would warrant refusal.
• 6.4 HIGHWAY SAFETY

• 6.4.1 Turning towards whether the proposal would have an impact on Highway Safety, it's noted that Highway Services have considered the application and state that they have no impact with the "minor visibility achieved for the parking is outweighed by the benefits of removing parking demand on the street and low risk of safety due to the low speed nature of the service road."
• 6.4.2 With the above in mind, when taking on the comments raised by Highway Services, who are the professional with regards to Highway Safety, the proposal is deemed acceptable from this point of view.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is deemed acceptable in terms of their form, mass and design which preserves the overall Conservation Area, and as such complies with Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Act (1999) and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. 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.

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: 25.02.2026 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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