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16/00282/C
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 16/00282/C Applicant : Pringle Law Limited Proposal : Change of use from retail to a law firm office Site Address : Bourne House Peel Street / College Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1JW
Case Officer : Miss Abigail Morgan Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is a unit in Bourne House, on the ground floor on the corner of Peel Road/College Street/Bourne Place within a larger building known as Bourne Concourse. Bourne House is a three storey building that comprises retail and office units.
2.0 PLANNING POLICIES
2.1 The application site is designated as being within the Town Centre 'Mixed Use' under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) (No. 2) Order 1998, hereafter referred to as the Ramsey Local Plan. The application site lies within the Ramsey Conservation Area.
2.2 Due to the zoning of the site and the proposed works the following policies are relevant in the determination of the application:-
2.3 General Policy 2 states: "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: (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;
2.4 Environmental Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development".
2.5 Policy R/TC/P1 Retail Uses - Ramsey Local Plan states: "There will be a general presumption in favour of retention of retail uses at ground floor level in the main shopping streets (Peel Street, Bourne Place, Market Hill, Market Place (West), Parliament Street (excluding Auckland Terrace), East Street, Parliament Square (East side). Office uses (including finance related establishments) at ground floor level will not be permitted to occupy more than 30% of the street frontage in any one block between public and vehicular highways in these streets."
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16/00282/C
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3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The following previous planning applications are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application: 14/01386/C - Change of use of retail unit to a martial arts/fitness centre - Unit 1 - APPROVED 03/00430/C Change of use to a drop in centre for young people and office base for the charity, including associated uses for evening training sessions and workshops and sale of hot food and snacks - Unit 2, Bourne Concourse - APPROVED 02/01981/B - Conversion of retail units to office accommodation - Ground Floor, Bourne Concourse
4.0 PROPOSAL
4.1 The application seeks approval for the change of use of retail unit to offices.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 DOI Highway Services have no objection as there are: "Public car park is situated close by for use by staff and customers". 18.03.2016.
5.2 Ramsey Commissioners have no objection to the proposal. 22.04.2016.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The key issues with the application are whether the proposed use would be an appropriate use at the site, and second relates to parking provision/highway safety issues.
6.2 In relation to the principle of the use of the site for office it is first acknowledged that being within a town centre, close to public transport links, within walking distance of residential areas is beneficial to the proposal. Policy R/TC/P1 of the Ramsey Local Plan indicates that there will be a general presumption in favour of retention of retail uses at ground floor level in such areas, with a 30% restriction per block on office frontage. The last use of the site was as a Motorsport/parts shops, this uses ceased a number of months ago and the unit has been empty since. The site is in a prominent location on Bourne Place.
6.3 Visiting the area and the street listed within Policy R/TC/P1, it is noted that there are no empty units in the immediate vicinity, but as you move further round Bourne Place and along Parliament Street there are some current empty retail units, albeit it very few. Within Bourne House there are at least 2 empty units that were noticeable from the outside at the site visit.
6.4 It is noted the policy is not totally restrictive; there is a 'general' presumption in favour of retention of retail uses at ground floor level in such area, with a 30% restriction on office frontage in any block. The block that the application site sits consists of Bourne House, which at ground level is old Citizens Advise Bureau (empty), the application site, shop, access to Bourne Concourse, shop and then Britannia Pub. It is considered that in that block at ground floor the introduction of office space here would accord with the requirements of R/TC/P1.
6.5 The application site is in a prominent location and while retail would be preferable, utilising the unit would contribute to the overall vitality of the area rather than leaving such a prominent unit
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16/00282/C
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empty. The use of this building would also contribute to the maintenance of the fabric of the building and therefore contribute to the preservation of the Conservation Area.
6.4 Regarding parking DOI Highways note that public car parks are situated close by for use by staff and customers, St Pauls, Market Hill, Albert Road as well as on street parking along Parliament Street , Bourne Place and Water Street.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with the relevant policies of the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 and the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan 2016 therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.
8.0 PARTY STATUS
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material , in this case, Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Fisheries are part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status under the Order.
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.05.2016
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2.
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16/00282/C
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This approval relates to the use of the application site for office use under Class 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012.
Reason: for clarification of the terms of the approval.
This approval relates to Location Plan and drawing no WL/13/1293/1A both date stamped received 8 March 2016 and Block Plan date stamped recieved 20 May 2016.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 24.05.2016
Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett
Senior Planning Officer
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