Planning Application Response

Email: [email protected] Officer: MB

Date of Response: 04/12/18

Date of Application: 26/10/18

Application Reference: 18/01085/B

Location: Greenbank (Formerly Glen Road Garage), Glen Road, Laxey, IM4 7AR

Description: Demolition of existing garage and erection of single storey, detached, timber clad building for the preparation of food (in association with RB application 18/00958/CON)

Highway Comments: The previous 18/00957/B application for the site was withdrawn. The current application now includes definitive proposals for the demolition of the existing garage used for vehicle repairs, and for the construction of a wooden cabin to prepare food and juices for the applicant’s juice and food bar business situated on Laxey Promenade. The application confirms:

• There will typically be 2 part-time members of staff at any given time
• All staff live locally and will walk to work
• Deliveries will occur twice per week

Scaling off the existing site plan shows that the existing hard surfaced area in front of the garage could accommodate up to 6 parked cars depending on whether the garage doors are open. With the proposed wooden cabin in place this would be reduced to 2 car parking spaces. However, the parking demand should be reduced as a result of the development provided that no customers would visit the site. This could be secured via a planning condition so the loss of site parking would be acceptable.

The applicant proposes to surface the parking area with gravel which could result in loose material being illegally transferred onto the adopted highway of Glen Road which would also be unsafe. Section 10.2.4 of the ‘Manual for Manx Roads’ design guide states that a private access should be surfaced in a bound material over at least the first 5m adjacent to the public highway to prevent this. A planning condition is therefore needed for the proposed type of surfacing to be changed and agreed.

The proposed side wall would be no higher than 0.7m which would not have any adverse impact on the highway visibility of the existing site access.

The applicant has not confirmed the size of the delivery vehicles to be used, but there should be sufficient room for a vehicle to pass a delivery vehicle parked on the highway adjacent to the site. If the delivery vehicle is small enough to park on the site then that would be beneficial.

Highway Services does not oppose the application subject to the following planning conditions:

• No customers can visit the site. Reason: to limit the site parking demand in the interest of highway safety and amenity.

• Prior to occupation of the development, the first 5m length of the site parking area adjacent to the public highway must be suitably surfaced in a bound material, details of which must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority in advance. Reason: to minimise the risk of loose material being transferred onto the public highway in the interest of highway safety.

Recommendation: DNOC