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Department of Infrastructure
Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF
Planning Application Response
Date of Response: 05/03/18
Date of Application: 23/02/18
Application Reference: 18/00147/C
Location: 22 Slieau Curn Park, Kirk Michael, IM6 1EP
Description: Change of use of garage/office to a hair salon
Highway Comments: The proposal is for the change of use of an existing detached garage/office at a residential
dwelling to become a hair salon. The salon would operate Monday to Friday 9:30am - 3:30pm, Saturday 9:30am
- 4pm and one or two nights during the week between 6pm - 8:30pm.
The parking standards in ‘The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016’ require 2 spaces for the dwelling. There is no
parking standard for the proposed hair salon and therefore the parking demand for it needs to be determined
by Highway Services. At least 2 off-street spaces would need to be retained for the dwelling.
There is no driveway on the site frontage but there is an existing driveway to the rear which is accessed via
Baltic Road and would not be changed as part of the development. The driveway is a minimum of 4m wide and
25m in length and can accommodate several parked cars one behind the other. However, this arrangement is
considered to be inappropriate for both residents and customers to use as they would block each other in and
therefore prevent clients from using it. In addition, it is considered highly likely that the clients would choose to
park on-street which is unacceptable as the proposed business should have adequate off-street parking.
The on-street parking area indicated by the applicant on the A3 Main Road is on the TT course and the main
route through the village. It is already used by properties in the vicinity that do not have any off-street parking.
There is no evidence in the application to demonstrate that it has spare capacity to accommodate all the parking
demand from the proposed salon at all times that it would be in use. Parking surveys undertaken at different
times and days, particularly at peak times of demand for both existing properties/businesses in the area and the
proposed salon, would be required to show that sufficient capacity exists. It is recommended that any parking
surveys undertaken are done by an independent highway consultant. If the applicant intends to provide this
information, she should also consider how customers would park during the TT and other events when the A3
Main Road is closed.
Alternatively, the applicant may wish to convert part of the front garden to provide a single site parking space
for clients if this is acceptable to the Planning Department. A new vehicular crossing onto Slieau Curn Park
would be needed at the full expense of the applicant. The site parking would need to be adjacent to the
property boundary so it is as far away as possible from the A3 Main Road/Slieau Curn Park junction on highway
safety grounds to minimise the potential for vehicle conflicts.
The applicant has stated that she would be the only member of staff. A planning condition would be needed to
prevent more than one staff member being employed at the site to avoid an increased demand for parking. A
Email: [email protected]
Officer: MB
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Department of Infrastructure
Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF
condition would also be required for no more than one client to be present on the site at any given time to
restrict the site parking demand to accord with the proposed parking provision of one space on the site
frontage.
In addition, the applicant would need to accept a planning condition for there to be an appointment only system
for clients, and for there to be a gap between appointments of at least 15 minutes and preferably 30 minutes.
This would avoid 2 customers being on site at the same time and both requiring parking as one client would be
in the salon with the next client waiting for the following consecutive appointment.
Highway Services requests that this application is deferred to allow the applicant to consider the above.
Recommendation: DEFER
