15 May 2017 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer Sarah Corlett (following Planning Committee endorsement on 03.04.2017)
Saddle Mews Nursing Home, Saddle Mews, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 1hy
The proposal involves converting a redundant 3-storey nursing home built in the late 1980s/early 1990s, with red brick construction and mansard roof, into 33 one-bed studio apartments (30-34 sqm, max 1 person occupancy) and 1 two-bed apartment (46 sqm, max 2 persons), to be operated as managed/serviced accommodation.
Click a button above to find applications similar to this one.
See how this application compares to similar ones — policies, conditions, and outcomes side by side.
The officer concluded the proposal accords with the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, particularly Housing Policy 17 (conversion of buildings into flats), General Policy 2 (development respecting site/…
Strategic Policy 1
Requires optimising use of previously developed/redundant buildings, efficient site use, utilising infrastructure. Officer found proposal makes effective use of vacant nursing home in sustainable location near services/transport.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
New development primarily in towns/villages. Site in Douglas, zoned residential, near amenities/bus stops, acceptable for housing.
General Policy 2
Requires respect for site/surroundings (siting/scale/design), no adverse amenity/character/highways impact. Alterations improve dated building, no undue neighbour impacts, highways satisfied.
Housing Policy 4
New housing primarily in towns/villages per Area Plans. Complies with Douglas residential zoning and sustainable location.
Housing Policy 17
Permits flat conversions in residential areas if adequate amenity/refuse/parking space, pleasant outlook, on-site parking if possible. Apartments meet size/outlook standards, refuse/laundry provided, parking relaxed per location.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards (1/bedroom apt), relaxable for town centre/PDS/sustainable sites/restricted occupancy. 24 spaces vs 36 required accepted due to bus proximity, bike/motorbike provision, small studios.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Soft landscaping
All soft landscape works shall be carried out in accordance with the Planting Specification details and associated plans 1612-P0005 and SK0001A all date stamped received 13 January 2017 and to a reasonable standard in accordance with the relevant recommendations of appropriate British Standards 5837: 2012. The works shall be carried out not later than the end of the first available planting season after completion of the development. Any trees or plants that, within a period of five years after planting, are removed, die or become, in the opinion of the Department, seriously damaged or defective, shall be replaced as soon as is reasonably practicable with others of species, size and number as originally approved, unless the Department gives its written consent to any variation.
Cellular confinement system
The proposed cellular confinement system under P01, as shown on drawing P0101 dated 2 March 2017, shall be implemented in conjunction with the Planting Specification details and associated plans 1612-P0005 and SK0001A all date stamped received 13 January 2017. The cellular confinement system shall be permanently retained in accordance with the approved details.
Parking and turning
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.
Bicycle and motorcycle parking
The development shall not be occupied or operated until the secure bicycle store and motorcycling parking bays have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. The secure bicycle store and motorcycling parking bays shall be retained at all times thereafter.
Hard landscaping details
Details of all hard landscaping shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department showing details of existing and proposed walls, fences, ground levels, other boundary treatment and hard surface treatment of the open parts of the site, and a programme of implementation. The measures shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of the development and shall thereafter be retained.
Initially raised concerns on parking layout, junctions, vehicle tracking, manoeuvrability; satisfied with amended layout and parking reduction justification
Initially recommended refusal for fire regs; satisfied with lobbies, sprinklers via Building Regs
Tree removal acceptable due to disease; approved replacement planting with cellular confinement
Agreed commuted sum of £74,715 in lieu of on-site affordable housing
Supports reuse for housing; acknowledges parking shortfall justification due to location/occupancy; refuse store size concerns resolved by waste strategy
Multiple consultees provided comments on the application, with support from Douglas Borough Council for housing provision but concerns over parking and refuse; Housing Division requested affordable housing contributions; Highways, Fire & Rescue, Environmental Health, and Trees raised issues requiring further information.
Key concern: non-compliance with Fire Precautions (Flats) Regulations 1996
Douglas Borough Council Environmental Services Committee
Conditional No ObjectionThe provision of new housing is important to both the economy of Douglas and to the Island. Therefore the reuse of a redundant building to provide living accommodation of a type currently unavailable in Douglas is supported; Approval of the application is conditional subject to the applicant providing a waste strategy to include the provision of recycling.
Conditions requested: approval conditional subject to applicant providing a waste strategy to include provision of recycling; Planning Directorate to consult with Council upon receipt of waste strategy
Department of Infrastructure Housing Division
Conditional No Objectionthe Department further requests... consideration be given... to include a requirement... for the applicant to enter into a Section 13 Agreement with the Department to provide Commuted Sums in lieu of Affordable Housing.
Conditions requested: applicant to enter into a Section 13 Agreement with the Department to provide Commuted Sums in lieu of Affordable Housing
Douglas Borough Council
No CommentThe Council would advise that it reserves judgement on the merits of the application until such times as the issues regarding refuse storage and collection are satisfactorily addressed.
Department of Infrastructure Highways Division
No CommentPlease defer making a decision on this application until the above matters have been resolved.
Conditions requested: vehicle tracking required to demonstrate refuse wagon and service vehicles can enter and leave in forward gear; spaces 15&16 should be widened accordingly
Department of Infrastructure Housing Division
Conditional No ObjectionThe Department would therefore request that consideration be given by the Planning Committee to include a requirement... for the applicant to enter into a Section 13 Agreement with the Department to provide affordable housing
Conditions requested: applicant to enter into a Section 13 Agreement... based upon the usual calculation of 8 units (34 x 25% rounded to 8 units)
Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service
Objectionthis department would at this time recommend refusal of the application.
DEFA Arboricultural Officer
No CommentIf the applicant fails to provide this information I would have to object on the grounds that there is insufficient information for the impact on trees to be properly assessed.
Conditions requested: tree survey (with survey plan) in accordance with BS5837:2012 section 4; tree constraints plan in accordance with BS5837:2012 section 5; tree protection plan in accordance with BS5837:2012 sections 5&6
