Extension to provide storage facility, garden machine workshop and weather protection to existing canopied display area
Site Address:
Eden Park Garden Centre Ballapaddag
Cooil Road
Douglas
Isle Of Man
IM4 2AF
Case Officer:
Miss S E Corlett
Photo Taken:
Site Visit:
Expected Decision Level:
Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSAL RESULTS IN MORE THAN 500 SQ. M OF FLOOR SPACE IN AN AREA WHICH IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR DEVELOPMENT
The Site
The site is the curtilage of Eden Park - a relatively new garden centre located on the south western side of Cooil Road. The site is adjacent to the Robinson's fruit and vegetable packing and packaging plant and opposite the new Celton Manx headquarters which lie within the Isle of Man Business Park.
Eden Park comprises a large glazed building which accommodates a garden centre and machinery sales area with a covered plant and compost area to the south west and an outdoor plant sales area to the north west and a reptile and fish sales unit in this area. To the south west there is an area where containers are parked and storage occurs along with access to and from the machinery sales area.
The car parking area serving the site is shown to the north east, in blue.
The Proposal
Proposed is the re-finishing of the existing storage area fabric roof in insulated metal sheeting and the extension of the existing covered storage area to provide covered and enclosed storage for the containers with a new mower storage and repair area at the front area and parking space alongside to the south west. The new building will be finished in timber clad curved roofed structures which are lower than the ridge level of the adjoining building. The new area will extend the frontage by 10m with a new covered canopy which extends a further 2.8m and a further 6m width of parking area for delivery vehicles which can reverse up to the side doors of the new storage area. The proposal will result in 512 sq m of floor space.
Planning Status And Policy
The site lies within an area designated on the Braddan Parish Plan of 1991 as Open Space/Agricultural use. The site however, has planning permission for use as a garden centre.
As such, whilst the site is not designated for development, its use and proposed use are authorised and as such the principles of General Policy 2 are applicable. Thus the principal concerns relate to the visual impact of the proposals, whether the extension will increase traffic and activity to an unacceptable extent and whether the proposal will result in an unacceptable loss of existing facilities which will not be replaced in the proposed scheme.
Representations
Highways Division indicate that they do not oppose the application.
The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority register an interest in the application but do not state any objection.
Planning History
The site was developed as a garden centre under PAs 01 / 2360 (the principle) and 03/0344. These permissions required that the retail area be used only for the sales of certain items listed in the application and all related to gardening or outdoor leisure use. This will not be changed as a result of this application. Since then there have been permissions for various other developments, alterations and extensions, including the use of a building for the sale of fish and reptiles within the outdoor sales area (PA 08/1775).
Assessment
The proposed development will not result in an increase in activity, rather more a more efficient operation of the existing activities where storage can be undercover and the existing containers dispensed with altogether as there will be permanent storage facilities. The form of the new buildings follows the general style and character of the existing, with natural materials and a lower profile than the existing buildings alongside. Whilst there may be a slight increase in the massing of the site buildings from view from the Mount Murray Back Road/Ballacutchel Road, there are presently containers where the new building will be. As such it is considered that the impact from the proposal will be beneficial to those who view the site and who are largely at a considerable distance - approximately one mile away.
There will be no loss of parking and maintenance of access for delivery vehicles with more direct access to the storage area.
Party Status
The local authority, Braddan Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.
The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority do not state that they have a material concerns with the application and as such should not be afforded party status in this case.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of 23.03.2012
Recommendation:
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval <br> N : Notes attached to conditions <br> R : Reasons for refusal <br> 0 : Notes attached to refusals
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This permission relates to the alterations and extension of the existing garden centre facility as shown in drawings 001,002,003,004,005,006,007 and 008 all received on 17th February, 2012.
C 3. Notwithstanding the annotation of "retail area" on the approved plans, this area may not be used other than in accordance with the approved schedule of uses set out in the decision notice issued in respect of PA 03/0344 and subject to subsequent planning application decisions relevant to this site.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005
Decision Made : Committee Meeting Date : 24.12
Signed : Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate
YES/NO
Upon completion of the extensions hereby approved, no contamersnor other outside storage of materials may under-take on the site.
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