Officer Report

Application No.: 16/01246/B Applicant: Comis Holdings Ltd Proposal: Alterations, partial demolition works, relocation of fire escapes, erection of walling and creation of new windows, entrance, canopy and foyer to hotel Site Address: Comis At Mount Murray Mount Murray Road Mount Murray Santon Isle Of Man IM4 2HT Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 21.11.2016 Site Visit: 21.11.2016 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DUE TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE

THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club which sits on the eastern side of the Mount Murray Back/Ballacutchel Road which links the A5 Castletown Road with the A24 Cooil to Foxdale highway. The site accommodates the existing hotel and currently the remains of the hotel accommodation and beauty facilities which were badly damaged by a fire in late 2013 and which have recently been partly demolished. In addition, the site accommodates areas to the north which are currently used for car parking and on which further development has been approved (see Planning History) as well as the main hotel car park which lies between the hotel and the Ballacutchel Road. - 1.2 The hotel is a distinctive and sizable building with a predominance of white painted rendered walling, vertically proportioned windows and slate like roofing, similar to the remainder of the estate which lies to the east and over which the hotel complex looks from its rear elevation. Outwith the site is the Mount Murray Golf Course whose buildings lie across the Ballacutchel Road. - 1.3 The hotel complex is visible only intermittently through the various vehicular accesses and landscaping along its western boundary and from further afield on a public footpath to the east. - 1.4 Planning approval was recently granted for the rebuilding of the hotel accommodation wing with alterations to access and landscaping around the site (PA 16/00684/B). THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Planning approval is now sought for further alterations to the remaining building, demolishing the section between the sports facilities and the hotel accommodation and rebuilding to have a level entrance to the car park (presently there is a set of steps up to it), roofing and finishes to match the recently approved accommodation block to the south (cladded roofing and rendered finish) and a modern, flat roofed design with projecting flat roofed port cochere type feature where vehicles may drive and leave or pick up their passengers under cover before entering or leaving the building. Also proposed is the removal of external stair cases on the front, the removal of a building on the eastern elevation looking towards the lakes leaving the blank wall of the sports facilities remaining

• and the landscaping and re-profiling of the ground where the previous arches were, which gave access underneath the former corridor link between the main building and the accommodation wing, providing access at main ground floor level only with a building up of the levels to 3-4m higher to have a landscaped area with pathways and accesses into the side of the building and the side of the new front lobby.
• 2.2 In the new building there will be no timber detailing to imitate the existing and the housing to the east and the building will take on a more modern feel, continuing the character approved in the earlier application for the rebuilding of the accommodation wing. PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the 1982 Development Plan as Tourist Accommodation in Parkland. As the existing and proposed uses comply with this designation, 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;

• 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 and m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications: the first applications for the development of the resort were submitted in 1989 and the site was then subject to a significant number of proposals for development, with the hotel part remaining relatively constant whilst the associated development, which ended up being residential, was subject to significant change in use and form.

4.2 More recently, the site has been the subject of applications for the creation of a casino and aparthotel (PA 09/00441/B) as well as the creation of additional car parking on the former bowling green and tennis courts. - 4.3 Most recently, and following the change of ownership of the site, it has been the subject of an application to rebuild the fire-damaged accommodation wing and first floor link, infilling the arches and providing additional hotel bedroom accommodation (PA 16/00684/B).

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose (30.11.16). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issues here are whether the proposed changes have any adverse impact on the character or appearance of the area, given that it has authorised permission for a hotel complex.

6.2 As noted in the earlier application, the hotel complex has a slightly tired appearance, partly through a lack of maintenance and also through a piecemeal series of changes which have added functional elements to the building at its front, and the inclusion of accessible entrances which have resulted in an unfortunately functional appearance to the building, with ramps and railings and large areas of hard surfacing. It is the applicant's intention to introduce much more landscaping to the

• entrance to the hotel with the emphasis on the main entrance rather than the myriad ways in which one may gain access to the building over a number of floors.
• 6.3 The introduction of new materials and a new palette of colours is considered appropriate and will change the character of the building to a more current building with a more easily readable use

• it will be clear where the public are to enter and park and the front of the building will look more like just that, with an attractive, landscaped area as part of the frontage and where people can pose for photographs which is currently lacking with the existing layout.

6.4 The impact is considered acceptable and will make the building complex easier to access - both from the perspective of those with accessibility issues and in terms of knowing where the main entrance is for those coming to the site. The section to be demolished is not attractive and will hopefully include the removal or relocation of the external flues and the overall impact will be an uplifting and simplification of the appearance which is to be welcomed. The application is recommended for approval.

PARTY STATUS

7.1 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.

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: 05.12.2016 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.

This approval relates to the site/location plan, the site boundaries plan and drawings H16035-051 P5, H16035-052 P5, H16035-053 P4, H16035-054 P3, H16035-055 P3, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06 and 07 all received on 4th November, 2016.

I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.

Decision Made : …Permitted.. Committee Meeting Date:…12.12.2016

Signed :………S CORLETT……….. 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

Customer note

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