20 February 2017 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer Sarah Corlett
Cameo House, 19, Duke Street, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM1 2bb
The proposal involves converting the vacant upper three floors of Cameo House, a four-storey building with shops on the ground floor, into three self-contained 2-bed flats of 85sqm each. Access and refuse storage remain from King Street, with no external alterations proposed.
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The officer assessed the proposal against the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, concluding it accords with Housing Policy 17, General Policy 2, and Transport Policy 7.
Strategic Policy 1
Requires optimising use of previously developed land and redundant buildings, efficient site use, and location utilising existing infrastructure. The officer found the proposal makes effective use of empty offices in a sustainable town centre spot near amenities.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
Directs new development primarily to existing towns and villages. The central Douglas location was deemed appropriate with no strategic concerns.
General Policy 2
Permits development respecting site/surroundings in scale/form/design, without adverse impacts on townscape, amenity, access, parking, or highway safety. No external changes ensured no harm to character; internal layout met amenity and access standards.
Housing Policy 4
Locates new housing primarily in existing towns/villages. The town centre site was suitable.
Housing Policy 17
Permits conversions to flats if adequate space for drying/refuse/amenity/parking, pleasant outlooks from principal rooms, and possible on-site parking or traffic strategy. Flats met internal standards with adequate space/outlooks/refuse; parking not possible but location justified.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards, relaxable in town centres considering location/public transport. 6 spaces needed but none provided; relaxed due to central location, DOI Highways support, and reuse of redundant building outweighing shortfall.
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.
Does not oppose; unlikely to have significant impact due to town centre location with restricted on-road parking; no off-road parking possible.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division does not oppose the conversion of top three floors of offices to residential flats due to the town centre location minimising parking impact.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionHighway Services does not oppose this application.; There is no off road car parking provision and none can be provided. Although the profile of car parking for offices and residential are different there is unlikley to be a significant impact due to town centre location.
