Planning Officer Report

Planning Officer Report And Recommendations {{table:15714}} {{table:15713}}

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the curtilage of an industrial unit on Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla. The property on the site is a two storey building with pitched tiled roof. The building is predominantly finished in cream coloured brick and a number of green coloured, framed windows on both floors of the building. The property is characterised by a distinctive large glass frontage spanning the height of both floors on the corner where the front elevation and south-east facing side elevation converge. The building has two door accesses on the front elevation and an access door on the south-eastern side elevation.

1. The front elevation of the property is set back from the road within the industrial estate by approximately 6 metres, where as the south-east facing side elevation is set back from the road by approximately 8 metres. The rear elevation borders a cleared, vacant site, where as the north-west facing side elevation is located approximately 3 metres away from the adjacent industrial unit, which is different is design to the property on the application site.

1. The property in the site is more modern and larger than most industrial units surrounding it. The surrounding buildings are basic in design and are mainly warehouses, with some smaller industrial units. The surrounding area and buildings are generally poorly maintained.

The Proposal

1. The proposal is for the installation of a garage door to replace existing window and the installation of first floor access doors with external ramp.

1. The garage door is to be located on the ground floor of the property on its front elevation, where windows currently exist, adjacent to a doorway. The garage door is to be located on the far right-hand side of the front elevation. In order to install the garage door, the existing windows and supporting brick work will have to be removed. The garage door is to be 3 metres wide and 2.4 metres high from the ground floor and is to be made from white UPVC.

1. The first floor access is to be located on the north-west facing side elevation, 1.7 metres along from the front elevation. Existing brickwork will need to be removed at first floor level in order

to create the first floor access, which will be 1.6 metres wide, with braced and battened doors to be installed within it. A ramp, with a flat plateau raised up to the level of the proposed first floor door, will extend down to the ground floor along the north-west side elevation and beyond the rear elevation wall to space at rear of property.

Planning History

1. The application site was the subject of PA 11/0970 which proposed the change of use of the existing office/workshop to allow the repair and sale of motorcycles and accessories.

Planning Policy

1. The application site is within an area designated for industrial use in the Isle of Man Planning (Development Order) Scheme 1982. The Modified Draft Area Plan for the South of the island, published in January 2011, provides more a more recent recognition of the site's use for industrial purposes for the next 5 years.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. 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:

• (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;

1. Paragraph 8.12.1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 states "As a general policy, in built up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general".

Representations

1. Malew Parish Commissioners do not object to the proposal.
2. The Highways Division recommends approval as the proposal is not considered to have any traffic management, parking, or road safety implications.

Assessment

1. The creation of the garage access on the ground floor and exit on the first floor are considered acceptable in design, scale, and siting terms as they are not considered to adversely affect the character of building.
2. The proposed ramp is considered acceptable as it is sited along the north-west side elevation, which is not fully visible from the public highway due to the fact the adjacent warehouse is located approximately 3 metres away.
3. The building is located on an established industrial estate, which contains many buildings in poor repair, and which hold little architectural value. As such, it is considered that proposal will not have an adverse visual impact on the surrounding area or have an adverse impact on private and public amenity.

1. Overall, the proposal is considered acceptable as it is considered to improve the functionality of the building, whilst meeting the material planning criteria stated in points' b, c, and g of General Policy 2 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

RECOMMENDATION

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

PARTY STATUS

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

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

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.02.2012 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

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

• : 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 approval relates to the installation of a garage door to replace window, first floor access doors, and an external ramp from first floor to ground, as shown in drawing no. SM11/267/1, received on 22 December 2011.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 6-2-12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : [Handwritten signature] Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : [Handwritten signature] Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : [Handwritten signature] Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : [Handwritten signature] Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager