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13th November 2023 FAO Miss Lucy Kinrade Planning Office Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas IM1 2SF Re: Proposed Alterations & Change of Use at Units 48a, 48b,48c, 48d & 48e, Spring Valley Trading Estate, Cooil Road, Braddan, IM2 2QS
We write to include the following information, essentially a Retail Impact Assessment, as supporting information for the above application. This document should be considered as been in addition to the submitted planning application statement, dated 19th July 2023.
This document seeks to demonstrate that the increased retail area within the proposal adheres to the aims and objectives of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and in particular Business Policies 1, 5 & 9, which state:
Business Policy 1: The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan
Business Policy 5: On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either: (a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or (b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business;
Business Policy 9: The Department will support new retail provision in existing retail areas at a scale appropriate to the existing area and which will not have an adverse effect on adjacent retail areas. Major retail development proposals will require to be supported by a Retail Impact Assessment(1) .
9.4.4 For the purposes of Business Policy 9 major retail development will be classed as any new or increase in existing retail development of more than 500 sq. metres of floor space measured externally. For the purposes of Business Policy 10 new neighbourhood shops within new residential developments will not normally comprise more than 100sq metres of floor space measured externally.
The Applicant: The applicant is Motaworld a long establish locally owned business suppling and distributing motor parts to the motor trade.
Approximately 90% of their business is serviced via the distribution of automotive and industrial parts throughout the Island on a daily basis. They have 10 delivery vehicles on the road each day and employ 30 staff. The remaining 10% of the business consists of walk in trade and public customers to their existing motor parts & accessories facility in Unit 48b.
The retail element of the business is currently ancillary and complementary to the business as a whole.
Part of this application seeks to increase previously approved retail space on the site in proportion to the overall increased floor area by the business.
The existing part use as retail was established in 2016 with the approval of PA16/00290/B. That approval was granted for the use of 420 sq.m as retail equivalent to 40% of the building area of 3 Industrial Units, 48 a,b & c to be used for retail.
This current application is for an expanded business extending over 5 Industrial Units 48a, 48b,48c,48d & 48e and seeks to increase the sales / retail area by 210 sq.m & occupying 33% of the total available floor area for the enlarged business.
The total retail area will be 630 sq.m which represents a proportional reduction of 7% in retail area within the enlarged floor area.
The applicants core business currently offers a distribution service to motor garages of workshop equipment and motor parts.
The retail element of the business remains ancillary and complementary to the business as a whole.
The existing retail area provides an over the counter and off the shelf motor part facility for the same range of equipment, parts & accessories. This retail area is used by both trade and private customers.
The range of products includes large garage workshop equipment for Jacking & lifting, Welding & cutting, Compressors, tool storage, power tools, air tools, compressors, generators, engine cranes and workstations.
Motor parts and accessories such as spark plugs, filters, cylinder heads, drive belts, clutches, brakes and batteries, number plates, wheel trims, car mats, bulbs, exhausts, shelving, paint, sealants, adhesives, car accessories, hand tools, motor oils and valeting products are also retailed.
Approval of PA16/00290/B ratified this retail element within the site.
The additional retail area proposed in this current application will primarily be used to display, demonstrate and retail health and safety equipment and garage workshop diagnostic equipment to enable their customers to keep up to speed with the all new electric vehicle technology of the future and expand the existing range.
The applicant, Motaworld, is unique on the Ise of Man with the diversity of motor related products it supplies.
The applicant has a number of competitors in the motor part distribution sector, none of which offer a retail facility.
Other businesses such Auto Electric Centre at White Hoe in Douglas and Autosparks in Union Mills do retail a selection of car accessories from their own out of town premises but do not offer the range of garage workshop equipment currently and car parts as provided by the applicant.
To gain an understanding of the nature of the business it is best compared with a non-motor trade business such as a builders merchant. A builders merchant will primarily deliver building materials to the trade, but most have the added facility of a walk in service for trade and for private customers.
Planning Policy: Business Policy 1: The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan. Response:
Motaworld has grown and expanded over the past decade. The business moved for Units 22 & 24 in Spring Valley to their current larger premises Units 43a,b & c in 2016 and was followed by expansion into Unit 48d and is now ready to further expand into Unit 48e providing full time employment to local people with expansion of that workforce envisaged.
Approval of this application, allowing for the expansion of a previously approved use, would be in the spirit of Business Policy 1.
Business Policy 5: On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either: (a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or (b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business;
Response:
The existing part use as retail was established in 2016 with the approval of PA16/00290/B. The approval of that application accepted that the goods retailed at this premises could not be reasonably sold from the town centre.
The nature, scale and range of goods to be retailed from the increased will be as previously approved. The items to be sold are also bulk stored on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business. By virtue of the previous approval and unaltered nature of goods to be retailed, the current application conforms with Business Policy 5.
Business Policy 9: The Department will support new retail provision in existing retail areas at a scale appropriate to the existing area and which will not have an adverse effect on
adjacent retail areas. Major retail development proposals will require to be supported by a Retail Impact Assessment(1) .
9.4.4 For the purposes of Business Policy 9 major retail development will be classed as any new or increase in existing retail development of more than 500 sq. metres of floor space measured externally. For the purposes of Business Policy 10 new neighbourhood shops within new residential developments will not normally comprise more than 100sq metres of floor space measured externally.
Response: The existing part use as retail was established in 2016 with the approval of PA16/00290/B. That approval was granted for the use of 420 sq.m This current application and seeks to increase the sales / retail area by 210 sq.m making a total area of 630 sq.m of retail space. Whilst the overall combined, new and existing retail is in excess of 500 sq.m. Paragraph 9.4.4 of the policy states “or increase in existing retail development of more than 500 sq. metres”.
Whilst we have produced this Retail Impact Assessment the need to do so could be debated as it is not intended to increase the area by 500 sq.m.
Conclusion: This retail impact assessment demonstrates that:
We trust the additional information supplied above will be sufficient to assist the Department in assessing the application. If any further information is required, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Barry Murphy MCIAT Charter Architectural Technologist For & On Behalf of Construction Design Ltd
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