4 April 2017 · Planning Committee
The Stores, Main Road, Ballabeg, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 4ha
The site is an empty two-storey building on the corner of the A7 highway in Ballabeg, with retail space below and a two-bedroom apartment above, plus attic space and an integral garage. The proposal seeks full planning approval to convert it into two tourist units: the ground floor into a one-bedroom apartment with lou…
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The officer noted the building's long-term vacancy and lack of retail interest, concluding the shop use is not commercially viable, thus complying with Community Policy 4 despite limited marketing evi…
General Policy 2
General Policy 2 applies given the site's residential zoning and surrounding parkland/community uses. The officer assessed the proposal's impacts on amenity and character, concluding acceptable impacts due to no objections and lower traffic generation than existing retail/residential.
Business Policy 11
Business Policy 11 presumes in favour of tourism uses but requires assessment of sustainability. The site's residential zoning and bus route location were deemed supportive despite limited local facilities, with reuse of redundant fabric a positive factor.
Business Policy 12
Relevant to tourism development; officer noted compliance via location near tourist facilities and no significant policy conflicts raised.
Business Policy 13
Requires no compromise to neighbouring amenities; key test was level of concern, with no objections (unlike refused precedents) indicating no demonstrable harm from tourist turnover.
Business Policy 14
Applies to business uses; assessed alongside others with no specific issues identified.
Transport Policy 7
Highway Services confirmed no opposition due to on-site parking and lower traffic than existing shop/apartment use.
Community Policy 4 of Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007
Protects loss of local shops unless commercially unviable; officer accepted non-viability from vacancy since 2010, lack of tenants despite enquiries/marketing, and local knowledge of sales efforts.
Time limit
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.
The existing use as a shop and apartment is likely to have a higher traffic generation than the proposed tourist use. Highway Services does not oppose this application.
no comments to make
Highway Services Division does not oppose the application due to lower expected traffic generation from tourist use compared to existing shop and apartment. Arbory Parish Commissioners have no comments to make.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionHighway Services does not oppose this application.; The existing use as a shop and apartment is likely to have a higher traffic generation than the proposed tourist use.; There is car parking provided on site for 2 vehicles and a garage is provided for motorcycles or pushbikes.
Arbory Parish Commissioners
No Commentmy Commissioners have considered the above application and have no comments to make.
