29 November 2023 · Planning Committee (decision presented by Miss Lucy Kinrade)
Auto Trade Centre Ltd, 48a, Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 2qs
Motaworld Ltd, an established motor parts business, applied to expand into all five units (48A-E) on Spring Valley Industrial Estate, increasing the total floor area from 1075m² to 1943m², with retail space rising from 430m² (40%) to 641m² (33%) but now qualifying as 'major retail' over 500m².
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The officer recognised potential concerns over out-of-town retailing on industrial land but weighed this against the established Motaworld operation already on the estate since 2016, noting the busine…
General Policy 2
Requires acceptable development considering visual/amenity impact and highway safety. Assessed physical changes (windows, canopy) as unobjectionable, retaining industrial appearance with no adverse visual or highway effects.
Business Policy 1
Supports growth of employment opportunities. Expansion of established Motaworld business across five units, increasing storage/office space, seen as supporting employment without policy conflict.
Business Policy 5
On industrial land, permits retailing only if goods couldn't reasonably be sold in town centres due to size/nature or produced on-site, and no detriment to town centre vitality. Motor parts/equipment qualify under (a); Retail Impact Assessment confirmed no harm.
new retail provision at a scale appropriate. Major retail development proposals to be supported by Retail Impact Assessment
Requires Retail Impact Assessment for major retail (>500m²). Proposal triggered this (641m²); submitted RIA on 13/11/2023 demonstrated no adverse effect on adjacent retail areas.
Business Policy 10
Retail permitted only in town centres except per BP5. Exception applied here due to goods type and no vitality harm.
Time limit
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.
Sales area and goods restriction
The only sales that may take place from the premises shall be within the areas annotated as 'Sales Area' or 'Retail Area' on Drawing 1078/05 and those sales shall be restricted to the sale of motor parts, motor accessories, motor maintenance equipment, motor health and safety equipment and motor diagnostic equipment. Reason: In the interest of controlling the use of the building given its position on an industrial estate.
Office/staff sole use
The office and staff facilities hereby approved shall be for the sole use of the primary occupier of the building and shall not be sub-let to any separate business operation. Reason: The application has been assessed on this basis only and to avoid any subdivision of the units to any other user.
Primary use restriction
The use of all the units within the building (Units 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d and 48e) shall not be used other than for Use Class 2.4 Storage or distribution and for no other purpose or use listed in Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification) at any time. Reason: The application has been assessed on this specific primary use only and the retail element being ancillary to that primary use and any alternative uses will require further consideration.
Use per approved plans
The use of the units within the building (Units 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d and 48e) shall be used in accordance with the annotation and details shown on Drawings 1078/04 and 1078/05 (both date received 31/07/2023) only. Reason: The retail space, staff office and staff facilities have been considered on an ancillary basis and that all the units in the building are occupied by the same user in accordance with the plans submitted, and any sub-division altering this basis and requiring a separate planning application.
No new mezzanines
For the avoidance of doubt there shall be no mezzanine floors installed within any of the units unless in accordance with the plans hereby approved or which have been expressly approved in a subsequent planning application. Reason: Condition 7 of the original approval of the 5 units 05/00642/B specifically revoked any mezzanine floors, and the current application has been assessed on the submitted floor plans only.
no objections
Do not oppose, no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking
Do not oppose subject to condition that office space is for sole use of the occupier and not rented out to other businesses
Highway Services HDC, Braddan Commissioners, and Douglas Borough Council all raised no objections to application 23/00868/B, with Douglas Borough Council requesting a specific condition on office use.
Highway Services HDC
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking.
Braddan Commissioners
No ObjectionThe Commissioners considered the following planning applications at their meeting yesterday and I can confirm that they did not have any objections to either of them:- PA23/00868/B
Douglas Borough Council
Conditional No ObjectionAlthough the Council is not raising an objection we would ask that any approval granted should be conditional that the office space is for the sole use of the occupier of the building and that these offices should not be rented out to other businesses that could easily locate within the town centre.
Conditions requested: any approval granted should be conditional that the office space is for the sole use of the occupier of the building and that these offices should not be rented out to other businesses that could easily locate within the town centre
