18 November 2020 · Planning Committee
18, Vicarage Park, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 2qb
The proposal involves building a new 3.5m x 7.0m x 2.6m high timber shed with flat roof, kitchenette, toilet, and storage in the rear garden of a two-storey detached house, replacing an existing shed, for use as a small consultancy office serving overseas clients with no public visitors.
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The proposal was approved despite being contrary to the 'Predominantly Residential Use' designation in the Douglas Local Plan 1998, as the office use is small-scale (16m²), ancillary to the dwelling, …
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; not adversely affect amenity, character, highway safety, or parking. Officer assessed the small-scale shed as in keeping with wooden fence surroundings, not publicly visible, with sufficient parking, and no significant amenity or safety impacts due to limited use.
Business Policy 7
Prefers new office space in town/village centres or limited exceptions; exceptionally permitted here as no customer visits, small-scale operation with no traffic/goods impact, and no detriment to town centre vitality.
Business Policy 8
Requires new offices to respect scale/character of nearby buildings and meet parking standards. Single-storey shed matches residential scale; parking complies.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards (1 space/15m² out-of-centre office). 16m² office needs one space; site has at least six, sufficient for dwelling plus office.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Hours of operation
The use hereby approved shall only be undertaken between 09:00 and 16:00 on weekdays. The use shall not be undertaken at any time on Saturdays and Sundays and Public Holidays.
Limit on off-site employees
There must be no more than one off-site employee within the site at any one time.
No customers/clients
There must be no customer/client on the site at any time.
Limit office area
The area of the building to be used for the office shall be limited to that shown on the site plan forming part of the application and the use hereby permitted shall not extend into any other part of the premises.
Personal permission
The use hereby approved shall only be for the benefit of the applicant while they are resident at 18 Vicarage Park, Douglas.
Keep driveway unobstructed
The driveway and access shall be kept available and unobstructed for parking at all times.
no objection
no highway interest
Douglas Borough Council and DOI Highways Division both raised no objections to the application. Multiple local residents objected citing restrictive covenants prohibiting business use and concerns over increased traffic.
Douglas Borough Council
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objections.; It should be noted that the comments are made in relation to the Town and Country Planning Acts and does not imply approval or consent under any other relevant enactment, byelaw, order or regulation.
Douglas Borough Council
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objections.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionNo Highways Interest; NHI
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionNo Highways Interest; NHI
