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Application No.: 16/01339/C Applicant: Steven Elkins Proposal: Change of use of registered building (RB 122) from offices to tourism and residential use. Site Address: Welch House Church Road Onchan Isle of Man IM3 1BF Case Officer : Miss Abigail Morgan Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises the curtilage of a detached, Registered Building (RB 122) located on Church Road within the Onchan Conservation Area. - 1.2 Welch House was added on to the Protected Buildings Register on 11th September 1989 by reason of its architectural and historic interest. - 1.3 The building was originally constructed between 1833 and 1842 as an Infant School and has since been in use as a band practice room and an office until fairly recently. - 1.4 The building is two storeys high and constructed in the local stone with a blue/black pitched roof. - 1.5 The symmetrical front elevation fronting onto Church Road is modelled in the Victorian style with a central projecting porch flanked by a pair of lancet windows. Above the porch, a small dormer houses a central window lighting the upper floor. - 1.6 The rear is plain, save for a rear access door and a pair of dormers at eaves level with a central window lighting the upper floor. - 1.7 The eastern gable end houses a pair of lancet windows lighting what would have been the ground floor hall. - 1.8 All window and door openings have painted render bands. - 1.9 The interior of the building is the result of renovation works carried out in 1970 (understood to have been carried out in conjunction with the Isle of Man Victorian Society) included raising the gable end walls to allow the installation of the First Floor accessed via a staircase which 'came from a house which was being demolished at the time and the oak front door came from St Mary's Church in Douglas - it was the door to the Confessional'. The works also included the toilet and Kitchen installed beneath the stairs.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks planning permission for change of use of office to mixed residential and tourist use.
2.2 There is an accompanying Registered Building (16/01128/CON) application pending, recommended for approval, for the internal works.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has previously been granted Planning approval and Registered Building consent PA 07/01137/GB - Conversion of existing building into a dwelling (in association with 07/01138/CON) Welch House Church Road Onchan and more recently earlier this year based on the 2007 applications - 16/00785/GB and 786/CON. - 3.2 16/01128/CON - Pending determination, recommended for approval.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the 2000 Onchan Area Plan (Map No.1) as "Mixed Use, Residential / Office / Retail'. The application site also lies within the Onchan Conservation Area designated in 1990. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of policies that are considered specifically relevant to the assessment of the proposed use - 4.3 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:
4.4 Business Policy 13: Permission will generally be given for the use of private residential properties as tourist accommodation providing that it can be demonstrated that such use would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring residents.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Onchan District Commissioners recommend that the application be approved for planning purposes subject to standard tourist accommodation conditions. 13.12.16. - 5.2 DOI Highways commented as follows on 20.12.16: The proposal is to change the use of an office to residential and tourism use. There is an extant approval for conversion to residential use and the additional use for tourism will not alter the implications of this approval.
The proposed conversion will not have a detrimental impact on Church Road. The submitted plans indicate that the existing parking area provided to the rear of the property and accessed via Church View will be retained. The application form states that 2 spaces are provided which satisfies the parking standards set out in the Strategic Plan.
Highway Services does not oppose this application.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 In terms of change of use the mixed residential/tourist use of the building is in accordance with the mixed land use designation.
6.2 Previously planning permission was given for the change of use to a dwelling and the Strategic Plan makes it clear that the use of private residential properties for tourist accommodation will generally be acceptable provided that it would not compromise the amenities of neighbouring properties. - 6.3 The application site lies within a mixed use area and there are a variety of commercial use as well as residential nearby. - 6.4 There are currently a number of tourist premises across the Island, ranging from selfcatering, bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation. Historically, much of the tourist accommodation was located in large seafront hotels. The demand for this type of accommodation is now in decline. There has been across the Island an increase in a number of approvals for the additional use of residential units as tourist accommodation. In 2014/15 there were at least twelve issued planning approvals for the additional use of existing residential dwellings for tourist accommodation and at least eleven for the additional use of apartments for tourist accommodation. - 6.5 The use of the property for tourist accommodation is likely to have some similarities in use as permanent accommodation but there also may be differences in terms of the comings and goings of those using the property. Tourists are likely to be out all day similar to permanent residents, but tourists are also likely to be out in the evening and could return late at night. With tourist uses there is generally a change in occupancy on a more frequent basis than permanent residents. This application seeks approval for the use of both to capitalise on tourist uses during the summer season and also to be able to have longer term/permanent residential use so maximising the use of the building. - 6.6 It is considered that the use of the property as a dwelling and a dwelling for tourist accommodation would have a similar impact, whether it is used for tourist or permanent residential use. Given its mixed use location it is considered that there would not have a significant impact upon the amenities of the neighbouring properties. - 6.7 The site is within close proximity to Onchan centre for shops and public transport to Douglas for the beach and other establishments. The proposed due use of Welch House is deemed acceptable with regards to accessibility. - 6.8 In terms of the impact of the proposal on parking, there is available parking within the curtilage on the driveway for at least 2 cars and as such there would be no significant impact upon highway safety or on street parking within the area. - 6.9 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Business Policy 13 of the Strategic Plan 2016. - 6.10 The Commissioners have recommended that standard tourist accommodation conditions be applied, as the application is for dual tourist/permanent residential use the application of such conditions is not considered to be appropriate. The management and occupation of the premises will be down to the managers. This approach to occupation and management is commonplace where similar applications across the Island have been approved.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is therefore recommended that the Registered Building consent be granted.
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:
Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Fisheries are part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status under the Order.
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: 01.02.2017 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.
This approval relates to drawings 1701-1, 07 0172/1 and 1708-1 all date stamped received 2 December 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: 03.02.2017 Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer
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