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16/01004/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 16/01004/B Applicant : Manx Petroleums Limited Proposal : Construction of new steel framed building. Site Address : Battery Pier. Battery Pier Douglas Isle Of Man
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 parcel of land at Battery Pier Depot at South Quay, Douglas. The site is currently occupied by Manx Petroleum for gas storage tank farm. Adjacent to the site is the tank farm and the main office. Further along South Quay are a collection of harbour related buildings.
1.2 The application site is enclosed by a wall apx 2m high.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application is for the erection of new building for workshop and store for repair and maintenance of Manx Petroleum vehicles.
2.2 The building is 7m (to pitch) x 26m x 20m with a single storey element to the rear 9.8m x 4.2m x 4.4m. The proposed materials are grey insulated roof sheeting, the top part of the building is to be grey cladding and the lower part a light coloured rendered wall.
2.3 The site is to be accessed utilising the existing access, with no proposed changes to the wall fronting onto South Quay.
2.4 A small car park is to be provided with 4 spaces.
2.5 The existing tank is to be removed.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are some historic planning permissions in connection with the gas farm, none of which are relevant to this application. The applicants have also applied for advertisment consent under 16/0101.
3.2 Opposite the site there is an application pending for alterations to the Lifeboat station and some seaward side development to accommodate the new life boat.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Light Industrial under the Douglas Local Plan of 1998. Policies D/I/P5 and D/HR/P2 are considered to be the most relevant. The former policy seeks to ensure that only those uses suited to harbour or quayside activities should remain in the
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16/01004/B
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town centre. While the latter specifically refers to South Quay which encourages the relocation of industrial activities excepting those which are harbour or water related.
4.2 Under the Strategic Plan 2016, there are several policies that are considered relevant to this application;
4.3 Environment Policy 42: New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality. Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a particular area will not be permitted. Those open or green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans.
4.4. General Policy 2: 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; (j) can be provided with all necessary services;
4.5 Transport Policies 13 and 14 deal with development in or around harbours to ensure that the development would not compromise the ability of the harbour to accommodate other commercial or recreational users or be detrimental to the character or ecology of the area.
4.6 Business Policy 5 states: "On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either:
a) The items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or b) The items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business;
And, in respect of a) or b), where it can be demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area."
4.5 Appendix Seven of the Strategic Plan sets out the parking standards to be applied to new development which states that light industrial, storage and distribution should have one space per 30 square metres nett floor space.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the application. 22.09.16
5.2 DOI Highways -The proposal is for a new workshop and associated offices within an existing industrial facility. Car parking is to be provided on site. Highway Services does not oppose this application. 26.09.16
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issue in determining the application are the visual impact of the proposals on the character and appearance of the existing area.
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6.2 As the application is for a new workshop and associated facilities within an existing industrial facility associated with the existing user the principle is considered to be acceptable.
6.3 The proposed use and building would be compatible with the surrounding buildings and would result in the removal of one of the gas tanks. The development will have little in the way of visual impact in terms of change to the character and appearance of the area as it is in an industrial area with buildings of a similar character and as such would comply with the relevant parts of General Policy 2.
6.4 In terms of local amenity, there are some residential properties in the surrounding area, whose living conditions need to be taken into consideration. In this instance the main issues are considered to be the visual impact of the proposals on views and any increase in activity. As the use is in relation to an existing use and site operator (Manx Petroleum) and the proposal is essentially to give indoor facilities for repair and maintenance of their vehicles it is not considered that it would result in an increase in movements which would detrimentally affect the local residents. Highways have confirmed that they are satisfied with the parking provided.
6.5 As a result, it is concluded that the planning application does not conflict with General Policy 2 (b), (c), (g), (h) or (i) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION 7.1 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.
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: 09.12.2016
Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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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. No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including roofs, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
C 3. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
This approval relates to PA/01, PA/02, PA/03 and PA05 all date stamped received 24 August 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: 12.12.2016
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
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