9 January 2017 · Planning Committee
Bill'S, 17, Malew Street, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 1ab
The site is within Callow's Yard, a mixed-use development in Castletown town centre and Conservation Area, linking Malew and Arbory Streets. The proposal involved changing two unoccupied retail units (each ~70 sq m, 7m frontage) to residential/tourist units with front doors from a pedestrian passageway and large low-ci…
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The officer concluded that converting these prominent ground-floor retail units to residential use would reduce commercial floorspace in Castletown town centre, diluting the range and interest of comm…
Mixed Use Proposal 1 of the Area Plan for the South
Requires presumption in favour of retaining existing ground-floor retail units in mixed-use areas like Castletown to maintain vitality. Officer assessed the proposal as contrary, as loss of these two units would dilute commercial range despite vacancy, noting recent town investments show viability.
Community Policy 4
Permits loss of local shops only if commercially unviable with marketing evidence. Officer found no sufficient proof of unviability despite applicant's efforts, citing broader town centre demand.
Environment Policy 35
Permits only development preserving or enhancing Conservation Area character. No physical changes raised no issue, but residential use deemed harmful to commercial streetscape vitality.
Strategic Policy 1
Encourages re-use of under-used buildings. Sympathy for vacancy acknowledged, but outweighed by retail policy protections.
Housing Policy 17
Permits conversions to flats if adequate amenity, outlook, and parking provided. Failed due to poor privacy/outlook from public-facing windows and no on-site parking.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards, relaxable in town centres. No refusal grounds as prior studies showed sufficiency with management.
Previous approvals have altered many retail units to combined residential/tourist use and assessment demonstrates no adverse traffic impact from this change
Castletown Commissioners objected to the conversion of ground floor retail units to residential/tourist use, citing the need to retain retail in the town centre; Highways Division had no highways interest.
Key concern: conversion of ground floor retail to residential/tourist use contrary to town centre vitality policies
Castletown Commissioners
Objectionmembers unanimously instructed me convey their objection to the above mentioned planning application; "In order to ensure that the vitality of the town and village centres is retained in terms of visitor attraction and activity after working hours, it is considered that retail should be the preferred use for ground floors of buildings within those areas designated for Mixed Use with residential use encouraged for the upper floors."
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionNo Highways Interest; NHI on 19/12/16; assessment has demonstrated that there will be no adverse traffic impact from this change
