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20/01114/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/01114/B Applicant : Miss Ciara Tinkler Proposal : Conversion of a car showroom to a veterinary practice Site Address : St Helena, Millmount Garage Millmount Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1HE
Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : 02.12.2020 Site Visit : 02.12.2020 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.12.2020 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. The development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until provision for bicycle and motorcycle parking has been provided in accordance with details which have first been approved in writing by the Department, and retained as such thereafter.
Reason: to ensure sufficient parking is provided.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with Strategic Policy 1, Spatial Policy 1, Business Policy 1, Strategic Policy 10, General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7. No unacceptable impacts in terms of highway safety or loss of employment land have been identified.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, planning statement and drawing no 1278_P_001, 1278_P_002, 1278_P_020, 1278_P_021, 1278_P_005.0, 1278_P_005.1, 1278_P_006.0, 1278_P_006.1 date-stamped as having been received on 23rd September 2020. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
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20/01114/B Page 2 of 4
Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of St Helena, Millmount Garage, Millmount, Douglas, a two-storey car-showroom building with car park located on the south of New Castletown Road, on the west of River Dhoo. There is an existing access via a service lane which leads onto New Castletown Road. The site is within a small existing industrial estate on the edge of Douglas.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposed work is the change of use from the existing car dealership (use class sui generis genre) to a veterinary hospital (use class sui generis).
2.2 The veterinary hospital is proposed to open from 8.00 to 20.00 with the provision of out-of-hours services. The services include the provision of animal wards and exercising area. It also includes the provision of an X-ray machine and a CT scanner, which will a first for the island.
2.3 The proposal would potentially have a few full-time vets, nurses, client care coordinators/receptionists and a few administrative positions. There is also a future plan to include veterinary training opportunities.
2.4 Reference is made to an external dog walking area, however not details of any surfacing or fencing has been provided. Minor alterations are proposed to the existing doorway.
2.5 The proposal includes the provision of 13 parking spaces on the front of the property. This includes one space for disabled parking.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 In terms of local policy, the site lies within an area designated as Industrial in the Area Plan for the East. Employment Proposal 1 of the Area Plan for the East states:
" The development of existing industrial land, including the following sites, will be supported for the following uses only: manufacturing; warehousing and distribution; office accommodation (subject to compliance with Strategic Plan Business Policy 7); or retail outlets (subject to compliance with Strategic Plan Business Policy 5)."
4.2 The side is just outside the boundary of the River Dhoo flood risk zone (Douglas Map 2). It is not within a Conservation Area.
4.3 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
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20/01114/B Page 3 of 4
4.4 General Policy 2 states (in part):
"Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: (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; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;".
4.5 Transport Policy 7 sets out parking standards. Although there is no standard for this type of development, the standard for Medical/Health Services, is 3 spaces per consulting room plus staff parking (appendix 7.6).
5.0 REPRESENTATION 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection on this application (16/10/2020).
5.2 DoI Highway Services do not oppose this application (29/10/2020). The Services states that the provision of one disabled parking space and two electric vehicle charging points are welcomed. The amount of parking is likely to be sufficient based on its assessment. The Services also requires details regarding bicycle and motorcycle parking.
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main concerns for this application are the principle of the development, the loss of employment land and whether there is sufficient parking provision.
6.2 Principle 6.2.1 The site is designated as industrial in the Area Plan for the East. Veterinary can be suitable for a town centre location depending on the size and the type of services provided. However, this proposal is for the provision of an all-around animal care facility which includes the provision for animal ward, exercising area, X-ray machine and CT scanner. It is too large to be accommodated within a town centre area. There is no land specifically allocated for this type of development, however given its nature it is considered that it is appropriate on industrial land. Given the scale of the facility it is appropriate that it is centrally located within an easily accessible location within Douglas.
6.3 Loss of Employment Land 6.3.1 A key issue raised in the employment land review (2017) was the demand for employment land within the East. Although the site is allocated as industrial the existing use is not industrial and so there is no net loss of industrial land. The proposed use would being in a mix of employment opportunities.
6.4 Parking Provision 6.4.1 The property sits alongside an arterial road. As the veterinary functions in a similar model, the parking standard for a healthcare facility is used to assess the parking provision for this proposal. The site is well located for existing bus routes. Based on the calculation from Highway Services, the impact on traffic and parking provision considered acceptable, subject to details of bicycle and motorcycle parking.
7.0 CONCLUSION
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20/01114/B Page 4 of 4
7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with Strategic Policy 1, Spatial Policy 1, Business Policy 1, Strategic Policy 10, General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7. No unacceptable impacts in terms of highway safety or loss of employment land have been identified. Therefore, it is recommended for approval.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land which the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.
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 above who should be given Interested Person Status. __
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : Permitted
Committee Meeting Date: 14.12.2020
Signed : P SHEN Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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