Planning Application Response

Email: [email protected] Officer: MB

Date of Response: 06/12/18

Date of Application: 02/11/18

Application Reference: 18/01110/B

Location: Land To The East Of Block D Balthane Park, Off Balthane Road, Balthane Industrial Estate, Balthane, Ballasalla

Description: Erection of 15 industrial units in two separate blocks

Highway Comments: The application is for industrial and storage/distribution uses. The parking standards in 'The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016' require 1 car parking space per 100sqm for storage and distribution, and 1 space per 50sqm for general industrial uses. The site parking demand has therefore been assessed as general industry use as the worst case scenario.

The 15 units would have a total floor space of 1,510sqm which equates to a parking demand of 31 spaces (1,510/50=31). The proposed site car park would have 35 spaces which complies with the parking standards.

There would be 2 spaces outside each unit in Block E and 3 spaces adjacent to each unit in Block F. It is unknown if the spaces would be dedicated to specific units or shared use. All spaces would be 2.4m x 4.8m which is below the minimum standard of 2.5m x 5m in the 'Manual for Manx Roads' (MfMR) design guide available on the Isle of Man Government website. The applicant is therefore requested to amend the parking space sizes to accord with MfMR standards and be able to accommodate large cars. There would be adequate aisle widths of at least 6m to enable cars to manoeuvre in and out of all the parking spaces.

Each unit would have a roller shutter door for servicing purposes and a separate pedestrian entrance. Vehicle swept path analysis on a scale site plan is required to demonstrate that a full size heavy goods vehicle of 16.5m in length could turn in and out of the proposed site access junction, reverse to each roller shutter door and be able to turn around within the site. The site access junction would be 7.3m wide with 6m junction radii. The radii may need to be increased to accommodate large HGVs.

The proposed site plan does not show the highway visibility available at the new site access junction which is needed to demonstrate that it would be safe. Highway visibility splays of 2.4m x 43m in both directions to the nearside kerbline must be shown on a revised scale site plan, with nothing above 1m in height within the visibility splay areas.

There would be a 1.8m wide footway along the site frontage. New footways should be 2m wide and it is requested that the adjacent landscaped area be slightly reduced to accommodate a 2m wide footway. Dropped kerbs and tactile paving at least 1.2m wide should be provided at the site access junction to facilitate pedestrian crossing movements.

Highway Services oppose the application on highway safety grounds as it has not been demonstrated that the proposed site access junction would have sufficient highway visibility and that large HGVs could access, egress and turn around within the site.

In order to achieve highway support for the development, the issues raised above should be dealt with by the applicant to the satisfaction of Highway Services.

Recommendation: O