Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00673/C Applicant: Mr Dennis Rogers Proposal: Change of use of ground floor unit from office to hair salon (retrospective) Site Address: 29 Victoria Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2LG Planning Officer: Mr Owen Gore Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 25.10.2018 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification), the ground floor unit shall not be used for no other purpose except from those within Class 1 of Schedule 4 of the Order at any time.

Reason: The Department has assessed the impact of the proposal on the basis of the specific use class and any alternative uses will require further consideration.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This Planning permission relates to the following plans and documents: Location Plan Ground Floor Plan Photograph Date-stamped as having been received 28 June 2018 Email from Kelly Vanselow, dated 28 June 2018 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The application site is part of a terraced row of buildings in a town centre location; the immediate buildings are ornate Victorian styled, with retail/business premises on the ground floor and flats above. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks retrospective planning permission for the change of use of the ground floor unit from office to hair salon; the application does not include any physical changes to the external elevations or the shop front. PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site is shown on the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998 map No.2 as being within the local plan area and the property is designated within an Area of Predominantly Shopping Use. The site is also within the Athol Street and Victoria Street Conservation Area.

3.2 Spatial Policy 1: The Douglas urban area will remain the main employment and services centre for the Island. - 3.3 General Policy 2 applies to proposals that are in accordance with the land-use zoning and states that development will normally be permitted where it: -

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;

• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;

3.4 Environment Policy 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The following previous planning applications are considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application: -

• o 97/01469/C - Change of use from retail unit to office accommodation including public counter for financial, insurance and advertising services, 29 Victoria Street, Douglas. - Permitted
• o 91/00956/C - Change of use from first floor office accommodation to photographic studio, 29 Victoria Street, Douglas. - Permitted

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they have reviewed the proposal do not oppose, in the letter dated 27 July 2018.

5.2 Douglas Borough Council have commented on this application and stated that they do not object, in the letter dated 31 July 2018. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 From the site history it appears that the lawful use of the ground floor unit is a Class 2 Financial and Professional Services; the proposed use is a hairdressers/salon which falls within Class 1 Shop. The proposed use is therefore in accordance with the land use designation and is acceptable in principle.

6.2 This proposal does not include any works to the external elevations of the building and a separate permission is being sort for the erection of any signage, which would require consent in its own right. In this respect, the proposal complies with GP2 and EP35.

6.3 The proposed development would not result in a significant adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring residents, subject to controls. In this respect, the proposal complies with GP2. - 6.4 Although there is no on-site parking provision allocated for this use and therefore will fall below the standards set out in the Appendix 7 - Parking Standards, the highway conditions in the area are such that there will be no adverse impact on highway safety as a result of approving this proposal. The proposal therefore complies with GP2.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristics of the existing building, the character of its surroundings or special character of the Athol Street and Victoria Street Conservation Are. The proposed development would not result in a significant adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring residents. The proposal therefore complies with General Policy 2 and Environmental Policy 35. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 25.10.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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