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                                                 17/00169/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 17/00169/B Applicant : Thyme Limited Proposal : Variation of condition 1 of PA 15/00232/B for use of the site as a car park, to extend the period of approval from 2 to 3 years Site Address : Car-Park 20 St Georges Street Douglas Isle Of Man

Case Officer : Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application is an almost-triangular parcel of land situated at the southeastern corner of St. Georges and Hope Streets. Also within the control of the applicant are two parcels of land on Circular Road to the northwest, on which planning approval exists for the construction of a large office block connected by an over-highway walkway, currently under constrution.

1.2 The site is relatively level and flat and is laid out as a car park with the access and exit from the west onto St. Georges Street. The site remains un-finished and is bordered by timber post-and- rail fencing on the northwestern and southeastern sides. On the other boundaries are a stone wall and the remaining buildings on St Georges Street.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the variation of a planning condition to extend the former permission granted in 2015 for one more year.

2.2 The applicant has commented to say; "Their client is presently implementing the multi-storey car park approved and construction is planned in July 2017. As this date is beyond the extant approval date of 7th April 2017 of PA 15/00232/B (condition 1) and request an extension of time for one year until construction commences".

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The application site has more recently received planning approval for the creation of a car park under 15/00232, which was approved but conditioned for 2 years from 7th April 2015.

3.2 Following this temporary approval, a further application was received and approved (16/0835) for the creation of a multi-storey car park in association with the two offices on Circular Road.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 The site lies within an area designated as Predominantly Offices on the Douglas Local Plan. Although the use proposed does not directly comply with that, it is considered that the most appropriate policy to apply in this case is General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan - car parking and office use are often complimentary. General Policy 2 states (in part): "Development which is in

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                                                 17/00169/B
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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 space 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 adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection (14/03/17)

5.2 Highways Services have commented and confirm there is no Highways Involvement in the proposal (17/03/17)

ASSESMENT 6.1 The application is to vary a condition that seeks to restrict the time limit for a temporary application conditioned for 2 years. This would have the effect of adding an additional year to Condition 1 of PA 15/00232.

6.2 The principal issue in the assessment of this application is whether there have been any material planning matters (e.g. policy changes / land used designations / Local Plan adoption / new or altered legislation, and so forth) that have changed since the approval of the last application.

6.3 Since the initial approval the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 was revoked and The Isle of Man Strategic Plan came into effect on 1st April 2016. The policies contained therein have not changed substantially enough since the 2007 and the subject of appeal decisions or decisions related to planning applications that indicate a different approach to those previous policies should be taken. No new legislation has been brought into force. Furthermore, no objections have been received.

6.4 Overall, the case officer for PA 15/00232 considered that the proposed creation of a temporary car park was acceptable and twinned with the pending construction of the approved (16/00835) multi storey car park due to commence in July 2017, the proposed application is deemed acceptable as there would be no undue impact on the streetscene or surrounding properties.

RECOMMENDATION 7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application is in accordance with aforementioned General Policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: (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 (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

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                                                 17/00169/B
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Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.03.2017

Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The land the subject of this application shall be used solely for the parking of motor vehicles of those employees working on or within the land parcels edged in blue on the submitted plan SC1328- 00-10, date-stamped as having been received 14th February 2017.

Reason: Without this condition, it is possible that a planning approval on the land edged in blue could not be lawfully implemented, and is in any case intended to be used in connection with that land. Such a condition is therefore in the interest of highway safety generally and in the interest of providing sufficient car parking space more specifically.

C 2. The use hereby approved shall be for a limited period of 1 year from the date of this approval, and on (or before) the expiry of this approval the use shall be discontinued and the land restored to its former condition in accordance with details to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department.

Reason: The development has only been found to be acceptable on a short term basis because it meets a specific need.

This approval relates to plan SC1328-00-10, date-stamped as having been received 14th February 2017.

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: 28.03.2017

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

Customer note

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