19 September 2017 · Planning Committee
Unity Dance School, Switzerland Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4ng
The proposal involves changing the use of The Switzerland Gospel Hall, a former place of worship with surrounding hardstanding parking for 20-25 cars, to a small dance studio for children with classes on three weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. No physical alterations are proposed.
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The proposal was assessed for acceptability in a residential area despite being contrary to the Predominantly Residential zoning, focusing on noise from dance lessons and impacts on highway safety/par…
General Policy 2
Sets general principles for testing development acceptability. Site zoned for residential but within development land; proposal tested against GP2 despite zoning conflict, found acceptable due to limited impacts.
Community Policy 3
Permits loss of local community facility if no longer practical/desirable for existing or beneficial community use. Current church has dwindling numbers; not appropriate to protect given continued availability and proposed community-benefiting dance studio.
Environment Policy 22
Applies to the proposal; assessed as compliant in officer report without specific details on requirements, in context of no external works and amenity protection.
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.
Specific use
For the avoidance of doubt, the use hereby approved shall be limited to that of a dance studio. Reason: Any materially different uses may have different impacts that will require fresh assessment as to the impact such a use may have on neighbouring living conditions.
Operating hours
Unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing with the Department, no customers shall remain in the building outside the following days and hours: Tuesdays - 3:30pm to 8:00pm; Wednesdays - 3:30pm to 8:30pm; Thursdays - 3:30pm to 8:30pm, and Saturdays - 8:30am to 10:30am. Reason: In the interest of protecting local residents' amenity in terms of any noise or other disturbance that may arise from additional classes being held on other days or at different times.
no highways implications
no objection to the proposal
Douglas Borough Council and DOI Highways Division both raised no objections to the change of use from hall to dance studio at 17/00851/C.
Douglas Borough Council
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objection to the proposals
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) - Highways Division
No ObjectionHighway Services does not oppose this application.; The proposed use is similar to the extant use in traffic terms and provides sufficient off-street parking.; The road is lightly trafficked and should be able to accomodate the traffic generated by the proposal.
