Planning Officer Report

Application No.:	11/01587/B
Applicant:	Drayton Pensions Ltd
Proposal:	Erection of a four storey building to provide ground shop unit and bar / restaurant and nine apartments
Site Address:	5 East Street & 42 Parliament Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1DN

Officer's Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSAL RESULTS IN MORE THAN 8 RESIDENTIAL UNITS

The Site

1. The site is a parcel of land which includes number 1, East Street and 42, Parliament Street in the centre of Ramsey. The buildings have recently been demolished but were previously three terraced structures - one section four storeys and the other two three storeys with the lower section having a heavy parapet wall and one part of this having mouldings above the first and second floor windows: the other having no such detailing but a first floor bay window with dentilled cornicing. The tallest section has no detailing or moulding and has small windows, a projecting first floor bay and a balcony at third floor level. The ground floor accommodation of all of the buildings is put to commercial use and the buildings have large windows alongside the street, similar to those in adjacent buildings.

1. The buildings are now gone and to the north of the site is the gable of 7/9, East Street. This is a three storey building, very well preserved with an interesting three section sliding sash window at ground floor level and scribed render with heavy mouldings around the windows at first floor level and dentilled cornice, below the eaves.

1. Opposite the site is a newly created grassed open public area with a pathway from Parliament Street to West Quay. This takes the place of former buildings which were demolished a year or so ago. This site has planning permission for a 32 bed hotel and bar/restaurant (PA 07/1679). This takes the form of a four storey mansard style roof and heavy parapet. The building was very much one unit with the same ground floor frontage treatment and uniform fenestration throughout. There are some vertical elements within the building to visually subdivide it into smaller units but with the consistent parapet and string courses, the building remains very much one unit.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the development of a four storey building which will accommodate a bar and restaurant at ground floor level and residential accommodation above in the form of nine apartments each with two bedrooms. No parking is provided on site. The building has a similar feel to that approved on the opposite side of East Street with the mansard style roof and tall, vertically proportioned windows although there is more variation in the fenestration and dormers. The roof will be finished in natural slate and the dormer cheeks in lead. The building is only slightly (300mm) taller than the adjacent 7/9, East Street with the same eaves level and detailed dentilled cornice. The building is 2.5m lower than the building on the corner of East Street and West Quay.

Case Officer :	Miss S E Corlett
Photo Taken :	29.11.2011
Site Visit :	29.11.2011
Expected Decision Level :	Planning Committee

1. There is a small lane between the building and 44, Parliament Street which leads to a space behind the building and outwith the defined site.

Planning Status And Policy

1. The site lies within an area designated on the Ramsey Local Plan of 1990 as Town Centre Mixed Use. The Plan includes the following policies which are considered relevant in this case: R/TC/P1 and R/TC/P3 which provide for the retention of retail uses at ground floor level and on upper floors the use as offices, retail and apartments shall be encouraged.

1. The proposed use is compatible with this designation and as such the provisions of General Policy 2 are applicable as follows:

"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 space around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; 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 adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; j) can be provided with all necessary services; m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

1. Also, as the site is within a Conservation Area, Environment Policy 35 is applicable which states:

"Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."

Planning History

1. Planning permission was most recently granted for redevelopment of the site to create a four storey building with bar and restaurant and six apartments above - PA 08/0173. This was a marginally shorter building which replaced only number 5, East Street. The design of this was a symmetrical structure with single door width balconies on the first and second floors, wider balconies on the top floor in the roofspace and the ground floor frontage was characterised by ten identical glazed panels, the outer two being access doors.

1. A previous application, PA 04/1742 proposed the principle of a block of two ground floor retail units with nine apartments over three floors on the sites of 2/3 East Street and 38/40, Parliament Street. This was refused by the Planning Committee for reasons relating to inadequate car parking. However, the Inspector reporting on the application overturned that decision and recommended that the application be permitted, considering that "on this occasion...there should be no on-site parking required and that the likely level of additional parking in the town centre would not cause significant harm in terms of highway safety or the over-use of existing parking facilities" (his paragraph 19). He takes into account the fact that the size of the site was limited, access would be difficult and that this may compromise the provision of retail floor space and that the provision of a vehicular access off East Street could well present dangers to pedestrian safety due to inadequate visibility for drivers of emerging vehicles.

Representations

1. The Manx Electricity Authority seeks consultation regarding the provision of an electricity supply which is not a material planning consideration.

1. Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection to the application and recommend that the provisions of the Sewerage Act 1999 are complied with. This is not a material planning consideration and is a matter for the Building Regulations and should therefore not be referred to in the planning decision notice.

1. The Department of Social Care state that there have been a number of applications for new two bedroomed apartments in Ramsey and there is a need for more affordable housing as well. As such they request that Housing Policy 5 which requires that 25% of schemes for eight or more units are affordable units is applied.

Assessment

1. As the property is within a Conservation Area planning permission is required for the demolition of the buildings as well as the construction of the new ones. The demolition which has taken place is within the provisions of the existing approval PA 08/0173 and there is clearly an acceptance that the formerly existing buildings were not of sufficient value or interest to retain. It is also relevant that the immediate environment of the site is undergoing change and the only original buildings which do not have approval for alteration or replacement are 7/9 East Street which is the most attractive and interesting building in the streetscene, and The Stanley public house on the corner of East Street and West Quay.

1. The proposed building has been designed in a similar fashion to the scheme which has approval on the opposite side of the street but with a more vertical emphasis through pitched roofed dormers on the mansard roof and vertical detailing within the frontage. The building is slightly taller than the adjacent building, but not perceivably so. It is considered that the new building is a well designed scheme which will sit comfortably in the streetscene and revitalize an area of Ramsey which is in need of refurbishment and/or redevelopment. The scheme also has regard architecturally to the approved scheme on the other side of East Street.

1. The matter of affordable housing is dealt with in Housing Policy 5 which states "In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the Department will normally require that 25% of provision should be made up of affordable housing. This policy will apply to developments of 8 dwellings or more". In this case, the site is not within a Residential area on the Ramsey Town Plan nor is it within a residential area in terms of predominant land use. The site is also within the Ramsey Regeneration Area where there is a desire to improve the built fabric and the amenities of the town. The applicant, when informed of a possible requirement for affordable housing, indicated that the scheme would not go ahead if affordable housing were required as this would render the scheme no longer financially viable.

1. The land use designation does not preclude residential use of the site at upper floor levels but is neither residential nor designated as residential.

1. The scheme does not propose any on-site parking spaces: neither did the previously approved scheme for the restaurant and six apartments nor that for the principle of nine apartments on the site. All were ultimately considered acceptable. The provision of car parking would compromise the architectural integrity of the scheme and bring increased hazards to pedestrians using the footpaths on East Street and Parliament Street.

1. The scheme will bring significant regeneration benefit to the town, in an area where buildings have been demolished and where new investment and new built fabric is much needed. The scheme is well designed with reference to existing and approved adjacent schemes and as such, it is considered that the application should be permitted.

Party Status

1. The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.

1. The Department of Social Care is a statutory authority which raises material planning considerations and as such should be afforded party status in this instance.

1. The Manx Electricity Authority does not raise material planning considerations and as such should not be afforded party status in this case.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 13.02.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This permission relates to the erection of a building accommodating a retail unit and restaurant/cafe on the ground floor and nine apartments above, all as shown in drawings 010 and 11 both received on 14th November, 2012.

I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005

Decision Made: A Committee Meeting Date: 20-2-12

Signed: S. G. N. C. U. L. T. Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate

☐ YES ☑ NO

13 February 2012 11/01587/B Page 5 of 5