14 September 2018 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Sarah Corlett)
Marathon Court Nursing Home, Victoria Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4rq
The application proposed converting an existing utility/plant room (approximately 2.8m x 5.15m internally, total floor area 16.4m² including a 2.9m² shower extension) into a self-contained residential unit comprising bedroom/living space and shower/WC, plus yard alterations including a decked/ramped access and parking …
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The officer determined the proposal would provide a sub-standard level of accommodation due to its constrained size of approximately 16.4m² total floor area, which is below the Housing Standards Regul…
General Policy 2
GP2 permits development in accordance with zoning where it respects site/surroundings (b), does not harm character (c), provides satisfactory amenity standards including access/parking (h), and avoids adverse highway effects (i). The officer assessed the proposal against (h), finding it failed due to sub-standard accommodation size (16.4m² below regulations) and no pleasant outlook over car park, overriding acceptable aspects like highways and character.
Strategic Policy 1
Requires optimising previously developed land with efficient use including amenity standards. The conversion of under-used utility room was in principle acceptable as efficient use within town infrastructure.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
New development primarily in existing towns/villages. Site in Douglas satisfied this locational test.
Housing Policy 17
Sets criteria for conversions to flats including adequate space for amenity/clothes-drying/parking (a) and pleasant clear outlook from principal rooms (b). Though not strictly applicable, used as insight into GP2(h); proposal failed both due to tiny size and car park outlook.
Transport Policy 7
Requires adequate parking per standards. Proposal complied with bay sizes and aisle width per DOI Highways.
the parking area would have 7no. spaces each of size 2.5 x 5m which complies with the minimum bay size in the MfMR. A car park aisle width of 6m would be provided which is sufficient to allow cars to turn into and out of the spaces
do not object to the loss of these trees
Highway Services responded with concerns over unclear parking provision, bay sizes not meeting standards, and need for clarification on bedroom numbers impacting parking requirements, recommending deferral for a site visit.
Key concern: inadequate existing parking bay sizes and unclear layout requiring site visit and plan clarification
Highway Services Division
No CommentThe existing car park layout on the existing site plan is unclear as the unmarked spaces would be 3.5m to 4.5m long adjacent to a 5.5m wide aisle. This is inadequate to accommodate parked cars as the minimum bay size specified in the 'Manual for Manx Roads' (MfMR) design guide is 2.5m wide and 5m in length.; Highway Services request that the application is deferred to allow the applicant to consider the above and enable Highway Services to undertake a site visit.; Recommendation: DEFER
