Planning Statement

331/002 3rd November 2025

Planning and Building Control Directorate Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2SF

Dear Sirs

Re: Proposed extension & remodelling of existing house at Cloughwilly Cottage, Tosaby Road, St Marks, Ballasalla, Isle of Man IM9 3AN

Please find attached the electronic Planning Application for the above, comprising the completed Application for Planning Approval form, Wilson Consulting Limited’s drawing numbers 331/001, 002, 010, 011, 020, 021, 022, and 023, and CGI photomontages illustrating the proposals from North-East and South-East viewpoints from within the existing garden; we will pay the Planning Application Fee of £385 by debit card upon request.

Whilst the submitted drawings fully describe the proposals, we would clarify the following, by way of further explaining the reasoning behind the proposals and ultimate design.

The existing house has three bedrooms, one of which is very small, and all of which share a single family bathroom; there is a second bathroom but that is remote from the bedrooms and therefore of no practical use nor benefit, but it is indicative of the ill-thought-out layout of the existing house.

Currently, it is necessary to access most rooms within the house via other rooms, not communal areas, an arrangement that seriously compromises the amenity of the occupants and their enjoyment of the house; additionally, many of the rooms are small or poorly-proportioned, and the house is generally very dark.

The Applicant’s Brief required the following:-

• 1) Greater levels of natural light throughout the house
• 2) A better flow through the house so rooms can be accessed off communal areas
• 3) A greater sense of connection to the surrounding mature garden
• 4) Larger rooms, more suitable for 21st Century living, including a large Lounge/Kitchen/Dining area for family living
• 5) Three bedroom suites to include an ensuite bathroom in each
• 6) More generous guest suite to accommodate their family’s extended stays from abroad
• 7) Further ancillary accommodation associated with greater use of the garden by the Applicant and their dog

It was clear from an initial design assessment that the physical Brief requirements could not be accommodated within the footprint of the existing house, so the house would need to be extended

vertically or horizontally, or possibly both. However, it was also noted that a number of spaces within the existing house are in a poor state of repair and were clearly not well-constructed from the outset – the garage, entrance, conservatory, utility, and a store. This presented the opportunity to provide the Brief accommodation in a way that removed the poorly-built elements, and add back spaces that are built to current standards, whilst allowing the rationalisation of the plans to achieve a better flow, and create greater levels of natural light throughout.

In designing and setting out the additions to the house, there was also a strong desire to improve the external appearance of the house; the demolition of the existing elements that are in a poor state of repair, along with the addition of well-considered extensions, would help the house look like a coherent whole, and sit much better in context than the existing house.

The overarching design concept is to reinforce the ‘cottage’ form facing the garden, and differentiate between that and more modern extensions; the setting out of the garden elevation of the ‘cottage’ element has been rationalised and the oak-framed extension at its southern end is intentionally different in both material and roof line to differentiate between that and the cottage, whilst the two are visually tied together using the timber pergola along the garden elevation of the house.

The proposed house is substantially single storey, as the existing house, with the First Floor element being added to reduce the footprint of the proposed house on the site, and it is in a position remote from the garden and orientated so as not to cast a shadow over the rest of the house (which would reduce the sunlight and amenity of the occupants); this also allows the house to appear as a single storey dwelling from the primary amenity space, the garden, as can be seen in the submitted View from the South-East, and thus reinforce the ‘cottage’ element of the dwelling.

It is considered that the proposals will allow an existing dwelling to be re-used and improved, removing built elements that are at or past the end of their useful life, enhancing the fabric of what remains, and substantially improving the amenity of the occupants, whilst improving the appearance of the house in its existing context. Whilst the internal accommodation is much more spacious and well laid out, the net increase in Gross External Area is only 37%.

We have also included Appendices A and B, providing information in relation to the method statements for spoil removal and working near a watercourse, as both are relevant to these proposals.

We hope that the above and attached are all in order to have the Application validated, but please do not hesitate to contact this office if there are any queries arising at any stage.

Yours faithfully

John Wilson BSc, DipArch, RIBA For and on behalf of Wilson Consulting Limited

• Appendix A | method statement for spoil removal

• 1) The proposed development will require the reduction of the site levels as indicated on the submitted drawings, approximate 36m3 of spoil arising in total
• 2) The material removed will be a combination of topsoil, sub soil and possibly some rock at lower levels
• 3) As the Application Site is a brownfield development site and is an existing residential property, it is not anticipated that any contaminants will be present
• 4) Topsoil, where possible, will be retained on site and used for finishing new soft landscaping garden areas of the proposed development
• 5) If there is any surplus topsoil, this will be sent to local recycle centre such as JCK
• 6) Some of the sub soil, where possible, will be retained on site for re-profiling the ground, but the majority will be removed and sent to local recycle centre such as JCK
• 7) Rock will be broken out and removed from site and sent to local recycle centre such as JCK
• 8) Alternatively, if suitable, the material may be crushed and used in the construction and formation of patios, terraces, paths etc.

• Appendix B | method statement for works adjacent to a watercourse

• 1) For the avoidance of doubt, the proposals do not include for any proposed alteration to the existing watercourse
• 2) For the avoidance of doubt, there is no intention that the watercourse will be disturbed either by personnel or machinery entering the same
• 3) Adjacent to the proposed area of the works, the watercourse will be protected by being designated as a Construction Exclusion Zone, protected by heras fencing
• 4) The main contractor, when appointed, will be instructed to wash down equipment into impervious containers for removal from site for safe disposal or treatment/recycling, within acceptable operations
• 5) When the main contractor has been appointed, there will be a pre-Contract Site Meeting, at which the subject of protecting the watercourse will be discussed as an individual item, minuted, and agreed