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16/00695/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 16/00695/B Applicant : Heron And Brearly Proposal : Installation of 3 roller shutters and internal partition Site Address : Heron And Brearley Old Castletown Road Kewaigue Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1QG
Case Officer : Miss Abigail Morgan Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report 1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Heron & Brearley Offices and Distribution Centre, located on the northern side Old Castletown Road, Kewaigue. Various warehouse and office buildings exist on the site, which is largely screened from Old Castletown Road by some high metal fencing and brick walls. Directly behind the wall and fencing lies quite a significant level of screening in the form of mature vegetation.
1.2 Access into the site is to the southeast, and opposite Ellenbrook Drive, a residential street. Surrounding uses include other industrial units, the steam railway line and private woodland.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the installation of 3 roller shutter doors in the north eastern gable elevation and erection of internal partition to create a 3 bay vehicle maintenance workshop for Hearon and Brearley vehicles.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 Most recently, planning approval was granted in 2015 under 15/01123 for alterations, mezzanine floor and additional parking and in 2013 under PA 13/91120/B and 13/91119/B for the creation of an additional ten parking spaces and alterations including the creation of roller shutter openings and the regrading of the existing hard standing to create a level access.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 In terms of Local Plan policy, the application site is within an area zoned as Light Industrial under the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, no policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 relate specifically to alterations to existing industrial premises unless within close proximity to rail routes. As such, General Policy 2, Business Policy 1 and Transport Policy 3 of the Strategic Plan are considered the most relevant.
General Policy 2 states:
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16/00695/B
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"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; (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;
Business Policy 1 states: "The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this plan."
Transport Policy 3 states: "New development on or around existing and former rail routes should not compromise their attraction as a tourism and leisure facility or their potential as public transport routes, or cycle/leisure footpath routes."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection. 22.07.16.
5.2 DOI Highways - Do not oppose. 28/07/16. But offer the following general comments: The Design Statement submitted in support of this application states that Heron and Brearley currently have 57 fleet vehicles that require regular inspections /servicing which is currently undertaken on and off-site. However, the current on-site facilities are not considered to be adequate for purpose. The development proposals therefore comprise a new workshop that will improve the existing on-site facilities and significantly reduce the need to undertake maintenance work off-site. The DoI is therefore satisfied that the development proposals will not result in an intensification of use of the existing access junction on Kewaigue Hill. The submitted plans indicate that the workshop will be created within the footprint of the existing building without any impact on the existing car parking provision within the site.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The proposed alterations and the installation of the roller shutters are considered to be a fairly minimal form of development and are not considered to have a harmful impact upon the visual appearance of the building as viewed within the street scene.
6.2 A design statement has been prepared in support of the planning application that sets out the reasons for the need in the inside workshop, which will improve the visual amenities of the area by bringing the vehicle maintenance inside the building and improving the situation for employees. Within the submitted information it is stated that the creation of the vehicle maintenance workshop for Heron and Brearley vehicle fleet will be of a huge benefit to the business.
6.3 On this basis, in principle, the proposal would allow in the consolidation of the activities currently stated as taking place on site which would doubtedly would assist with the growth and viability of the company as a whole and in this instance is considered acceptable as being ancillarly to the main use. As the application has been considered in the context of being for the current occupier a condition is proposed preventing it becoming a workshop in its own right as this may have further implications in terms of amenity and also Highways, as they were satisfied that as it is for current usuage it will not result in an intensification of use of the existing access junction on Kewaigue Hill.
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6.4 Therefore it is considered that the proposals complies with parts (b), (c), (g), (h) and 9( i) of General Policy 2.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 For the reasons set out above, it is recommended that the planning application be permitted.
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 considered material, in this case, Department of Infrastructure Highway Services; (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
DEFA Forestry is part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status.
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: 24.08.2016
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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The resultant workshop shall only be ancillary to the main use of the warehouse known as 'The Brewery' and shall at no time form a separate unit.
Reason: The application was considered in accordance with the application and not as a separate unit.
This approval relates to Design Statement, Drawing Numbers 02 and 03 all date stamped as received 20 June 2016 and Drawing Number 01 date stamped received 13 July 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: 05.09.2016
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
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