127690

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                                      20/01217/C                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/01217/C Applicant : Salvation Army Proposal : Change of use from office to Salvation Army headquarters Site Address : Former British Red Cross Building Isle Of Man Business Park Braddan Isle Of Man IM2 2QZ

Head of Development Management: Mr S Butler Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.12.2020 __

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 use hereby approved shall only be in accordance with the Floor Plans date stamped as having been received 14.10.20.

Reason: The development hereby approved is only acceptable in this location because of the special circumstances of the proposal.

C 3. The development hereby approved shall not be used unless provision is in place for bicycle parking for at least 8 bicycles in accordance with details which have first been approved in writing by the Department.

Reason: to ensure adequate provision is made for bicycle parking.

C 4. The proposed uses as Lunch Club, CAMEO, Parent and Toddler Group and Messy Church shall only take place once a week as set out in paragraph 3.1 of the Supporting Statement date stamped received 14 October 2020.

Reason: The uses are not considered to strictly accord with the land use designation and are only considered acceptable on the terms proposed in the application and as part of the overall Salvation Army HQ as an exceptional use.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

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It is noted that there is a mix of interlinked uses on the site and the unique operational requirements of the applicant may mean that finding an alternative site may be difficult. The office element of the scheme could, in isolation, potentially be viewed as an HQ and therefore comply with the use. Furthermore, the planning history of the site is noted and that as this was not previously used for industrial purposes, there is arguably no net loss of available industrial land. Finally, the lack of objection from consultees is noted. It is therefore considered that on balance and when considered in totality and the proposed operator, the proposal is acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans/information date stamped as having been received 14/10/20:

• Planning Statement (including parking assessment);
• Floor Plans (Drawing No. 2017-001 Rev A); and
• Site and Location Plans (Drawing No. 2017-002 Rev A). __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AS IT IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL

1.0 SITE 1.1 The application site comprises a detached two storey building with associated parking and landscaping within the Isle of Man Business Park, Braddan. The site has an approximate size of 2505 sq metres. The site has 23 existing parking spaces, 3 for wheelchair users. There is a secure compound (previousy used for parking/washing ambulances). There is a bus stop outside the site.

2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 Approval is sought for a base from which to deliver the Salvation Army work in the Isle of Man. Activites will include:

• Administration and pastoral work (3 staff - Monday - Friday)
• Debt Advice Services (2 Staff - est. 2 clients per day)
• Various Meeetings (Prayer, Lunch Cub, Social Club for Elderly, Choir and Band Practice, Parent and 7toddler Group, Bible Study and Messy Church) - (4-5 days per week, 10 - 30 people at each session)
• Christmas toy collection/distribution service.

2.2 It is noted that:

• The use is Sui Generis, incorporating an element of office and also an element of community facility;
• Information is given in relation to difficulties with the Citadel Building in Lord Street, and other potential sites within Douglas; and
• An annex may be planned in the future, but this is not the subject of the current application.

3.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 The site is allocated as Industrial within the Area Plan for the East (2020), Employment Proposal 1 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 Strategic Plan contains a number of relevant policies:

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- Strategic Policy 10 indicates development should seek to minimise journeys, especially by private car and make best use of public transport.

Business Policy 7 directs office floor space towards town centres other than Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers on Business Parks

Community Policy 2 directs community facilities to sites which are accessible to non-car users

• Transport Policy 7 sets out parking standards

5.0 PLANNING HISTORY 5.1 The site was approved under 05/02094/B for, "Erection of HQ building for British Red Cross (IOM Branch) with associated parking and landscaping". The proposed use on the application form was "headquarters building".

5.2 PA 19/01422/C for, "Change of use of existing storage area, drivers mess and managers office to additional offices, lounge and general purpose room" was approved on 20.02.2020, subject to a condition that, "The use hereby approved shall only be in accordance with the details set out in the Supporting Sheet and Floor Plans date stamped as having been recieved 20.12.19. Reason: The development hereby approved is only acceptable in this location because of the special circumstances of the proposal".

6.0 CONSULTATIONS 6.1 Braddan Commissioners (13.11.20) - No Objection

6.2 DOI Highway Services (11.11.20) - "The HQ proposal alters use of some rooms to include those for additional community facilities attracting day to day and regular callers through activities, such as the lunch club and toddlers group, potentially increasing car based travel and contrary to policy and planning conditions applicable to the Isle of Man Business Park. In this circumstance and on balance, Highway Services anticipate that car based travel is unlikely to be a significant issue. Some users are likely to travel together or by non-car means, including those who may walk from homes or businesses nearby and groups are managed in terms of numbers and attendance. The submitted car parking survey suggests that there will be adequate capacity for those choosing to travel by car within the 23 available on-site car parking spaces, including three for disabled use with other space available for larger vehicles. There are nearby bus routes and stops with Route 21B passing by the site plus a shared bicycle and pedestrian route being extended from central Douglas which will pass along Cooil Road to serve the Business Park and the wider community. Users of the premises should be directed and encouraged to use the non-car facilities available. Bicycle parking should be provided in a secure and covered storage area and consideration given to electric vehicle charging points to aid sustainable travel and low emission objectives. Waste storage and collection are retained. As the proposal raises no significant highway safety issues, Highway Services raise no opposition subject to a condition for the provision of bicycle parking.

6.3 DOI Highway Services further clarified (04.12.20) that the requirement should be for, "four stands, allowing for up to eight bikes. This should be ample based on the likely regular numbers of staff, assuming 1 per 5 employees and at least one stand for visitors using the Active Travel Wales guidance for leisure and assembly rather than floor area for employment. It would be possible to add more, if proved necessary".

7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 The overall proposed use is not significantly different from the existing use. However, there are elements of the proposal which will result in members of the public visiting the site.

7.2 The Business Park was based on the premise that the operations would not attract day-to day-callers and any community facility/offices offering advice would be the opposite of that. There is a concern that the location would result in more journeys being made by car and make it harder for those without (or not wishing to use) a car to access the site. Given the location and nature of the proposed use it is considered appropriate to secure cycle parking for proposed users. It is also noted that this would be a Departure from an only recently approved plan, and that areas have

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been allocated for mixed use development whereas the proposal site has been clearly allocated as industrial.

7.3 However, it is noted that there is a mix of interlinked uses on the site and the unique operational requirements of the applicant may mean that finding an alternative site may be difficult. The office element of the scheme could, in isolation, potentially be viewed as an HQ and therefore comply with the use. Furthermore, the planning history of the site is noted and that as this was not previously used for industrial purposes, there is arguably no net loss of available industrial land. Finally, the lack of objection from consultees is noted. It is therefore considered that on balance and when considered in totality, the proposal is acceptable.

8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 It is recommended that the application is approved but with a personal condition to the applicant as it has been recommended for approval against policy taking into account the unique circumstances of the applicant, and a condition in relation to bicycle parking as recommended by DOI.

9.0 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 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 : S BUTLER 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

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.