18 December 2019 · Planning Committee, signed by S Corlett (Presenting Officer)
Land Adjacent To, Knock Rushen House, Scarlett Road, Scarlett, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 1ta
The proposal involves minor retrospective alterations by removing a rear doorway and changing part of the ground floor of Knock Rushen House, a large three-storey detached guest house, to a beauty spa with lounge, hair and beauty room, changing room, toilets, and treatment room for up to 8 clients and 4 staff.
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The officer determined the spa use was appropriate despite being outside the town centre and in a residential area, as the large house is suited for more than domestic use and complements existing gue…
Key elements of the Island Spatial Strategy for the South
Supports regeneration within Castletown to create housing, employment and leisure opportunities in keeping with the scale of the settlements. The officer noted this as relevant but did not detail specific testing; the proposal was seen as supporting employment growth in line with the area's strategy.
Business Policy 1
Supports growth of employment opportunities. The spa employing up to 4 staff was viewed positively as contributing to employment without adverse impacts.
Community Policy 1
Supports provision of new community facilities including small shops and meeting places where accessible to non-car users and re-using under-used buildings. The spa re-uses part of an existing large guest house serving local needs, though not explicitly a community facility.
Community Policy 2
Similar to CP1, supports local facilities in accessible locations re-using vacant buildings. Applied to justify the use despite residential designation.
Transport Policy 7
Requires adequate car parking provision. Assessed pragmatically based on maximum occupancy; site has sufficient spaces (13+ open, 2 garaged) for spa plus existing uses, with narrow Queen Street unsuitable for on-street parking.
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.
Operating hours
The spa may be open for business only between the following times: Monday 1000 - 1500hrs, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1000 - 1800hrs, Thursdays and Fridays 1000 - 2100hrs and Saturdays and Sundays 1000 - 1700hrs. Reason: to reflect what is proposed in the application and to control the amount of additional traffic using Queen Street.
Use restriction
This approval relates only to the use of the area shown in the application as a spa, for the delivery of beauty-related therapies and treatments and not for any other purpose. Reason: to clarify the intention of the approval and to prevent the space being used for other purposes within the same Use Class.
Highway Services Division objects to the application due to inadequate off-street parking for the proposed spa use, recommending refusal.
Key concern: not adequate off street parking to accommodate the likely demand at peak times
Highway Services Division
ObjectionNotwithstanding the previous use as a Guest House / Hotel, there are concerns over the potential increase vehicle movements as a result of spa business in a location such as this.; The application form states there will be 4 staff and no more than 8 clients resulting in a parking demand that may result in 12 vehicles. However, the change over from one client to another will no doubt lead to an overlap in parking demand resulting in the potential busy times of another 8 vehicles equating to a demand in theory of 20 spaces; Based on the limited information, the proposals are not considered to have adequate off street parking to accommodate the likely demand at peak times in the business operation.; Refusal is therefore recommended.
