DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 22/01302/B Applicant: JSK Property Ltd Proposal: Alteration of vehicular access and driveway Site Address: Langdale House Lower Dukes Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4BQ Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 28.11.2022

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 considered the proposed would have no significant adverse impacts upon private or public amenities and therefore would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide 2021.This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 21.10.2022.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 21.10.2022. ____________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

- 1.0 THE SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of Langdale House, Lower Dukes Road, Douglas, situated on the northern side of Lower Dukes Road. The property is a two storey detached dwelling situation within its own grounds. The front roadside boundary (southern) is made up of a Manx stone wall with mature hedging/bushes behind. Vehicular access is to the southern corner of the site access directly onto Lower Dukes Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the alteration of vehicular access and driveway. The front boundary wall and pillars are to be retained, albeit the pillar to the right of the access is to be lowered. There is a second pillar behind this pillar which is to be removed. Internally, the existing driveway is to be increased which includes the demolition of existing low level walls either side of the driveway. New low level walls are proposed to be erected to either side of the widened driveway.

3.0 PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY - 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is predominately residential under the Area Plan for the East. The application site is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 The Strategic Plan contains the following policies which are relevant in the determination of this application: - 3.3 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."

3.4 Residential Design Guide 2021

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 There are no previous planning applications associated with the site which are considered relevant in the determination of this application.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services (DOI) comment there is no highway interest (11.11.2022); "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking. Indeed highway safety

would be improved from the alteration within the site to the geometry and lines of sight on exit."

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issue to be considered in the assessment of this application is the impact of the proposed development upon visual amenities of the street scene and potential impacts upon highway safety. Potential impacts upon visual amenities of the street scene - 6.2 The proposed works, namely the reduction in height of the front most pillar in height to 1050m and the removal of the pillar set behind this one to increase the width of the access will have little visual impact within the wider street scene, and will have little to no visual impact. The trimming back of the hedges will likely to have a greater visual impact, albeit this does not need planning approval. - 6.3 Overall, it is considered the proposed works would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide 2021. Potential impacts upon highway safety - 6.4 The proposal would represent an improvement to the existing visibility to the access while also improving the accessibility by widening the access/driveway. Highway Services raise no objection.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 It is considered the proposed would have no significant adverse impacts upon private or public amenities and therefore would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Residential Design Guide 2021. The application is recommended for an approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

(a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
(b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
(c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
(d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
(e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
(f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
(g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 02.12.2022

Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton

Principal Planner

Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/ customers and archive records.

DEC Officer Report

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