22 January 2025 · Planning Committee
Shepards Lodge, Leigh Terrace, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM1 5al
The proposal involves converting a two-storey former brewery and offices at Leigh Terrace, Douglas, into a gym with reception, fitness areas, changing rooms, sauna, and sunbed facilities across approximately 550-600 sqm, plus 6 on-site car parking spaces and cycle parking.
Click a button above to find applications similar to this one.
See how this application compares to similar ones — policies, conditions, and outcomes side by side.
The proposals were deemed acceptable in principle as the site is within a 'Mixed Use' area on the Area Plan for the East 2020, and the brewery has ceased trading, justifying reuse of the vacant buildi…
Spatial Policy 5
Requires good design and visual impact. The officer found no adverse impact on street scene or character from the minor door addition and reuse, as it faces a car park and maintains existing building form in a mixed commercial/residential area.
Strategic Policy 1
Supports development in Douglas. The site is within Douglas settlement boundary and mixed-use zoning, making gym reuse appropriate.
General Policy 2
Permits development in line with zoning if it respects site/surroundings, amenities, highways, parking, and safety. Assessed compliant due to no harm to amenities (conditioned), adequate parking/cycles, no highway issues, and reuse without visual detriment.
Environment Policy 22
Protects against noise pollution harming neighbours. Conditions for fixed windows, hours, and layout mitigate potential gym noise, deemed sufficient given buffering by road/car park and quiet class types.
Environment Policy 23
Protects residential amenities. Officer balanced mixed-use location against nearby apartments, using conditions to prevent harm from noise/activity.
Environment Policy 42
Requires designs respecting locality character. Existing building reuse with minimal external change preserves mixed commercial/residential street scene.
Business Policy 5 - Land zoned for industrial use
Permits non-industrial uses in mixed/industrial zones if not retailing. Gym falls within acceptable leisure use in mixed zoning without conflicting with town centre vitality.
Transport Policy 4
Protects highway safety. On-site parking for staff, cycle provision, and surveys showing local availability satisfied Highways, with no safety issues.
Transport Policy 7
Parking standards. Approx 550-600sqm gym equates to 35-40 spaces needed; on-site plus public car parks/street availability during peaks, plus sustainable measures, deemed adequate.
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Use restriction
The use of the premises shall only be for the purposes of a gymnasium and for no other use falling within Use Class 4.4 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019. Reason: Permission has been granted solely on the basis and merits of the proposed use. Any subsequent change of use of the premises within the same use class would require further assessment.
Operating hours
Customers will only be permitted onto the premises between the following hours: 06:00 - 21:00 Monday to Thursday; 06:00 - 20:00 Friday; 08:00 - 14:00 Saturday; 09:00 - 14:00 Sunday. Reason: The application has been assessed on the basis of the opening hours provided as part of the submission. Any extension to opening hours would require further assessment in the context of residential amenity considerations.
Approved plans
The development, hereby approved, shall be implemented solely in accordance with the approved floorplans, as shown on Drawing. No. WL-24-1599-2A, and thereafter retained as such for the lifetime of the development. Reason: The application has been assessed solely on the basis of the approved layout. Any deviation to the layout and introduction of additional activities would require further assessment in the context of residential amenity considerations.
Fixed windows
Prior to the occupation of the development, all external windows shall be fixed shut and thereafter remain non-opening. Reason: To reduce noise impacts and in the interests of residential amenity.
Parking and cycle provision
The on-site car parking provision and in premises cycle parking provision as shown on Drawing No. WL-24-1599-2A shall be provided prior to the first use of the premises for the Gym Use, hereby permitted. Thereafter, these arrangements shall be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development. Reason: To ensure adequate on-site car parking provision and in premises cycle parking provision are provided to serve the development in the interests of highway safety.
No objections
No objection following receipt of additional information on user numbers, parking surveys, travel plan, cycle provision, and accessibility audits
DOI Highways requests further information on parking demand, user numbers, surveys, and sustainable transport measures due to concerns over inadequate parking provision; Douglas Borough Council has no objections; local residents and management object due to parking shortages, traffic congestion, highway safety, and noise pollution.
Key concern: inadequate parking provision and demand assessment for gym with 400 memberships
Department of Infrastructure Highways Development Control
Conditional No ObjectionFurther detail about parking demand, peak gym user numbers and staff employed will be necessary.; Recommendation: Request further information / revisions.
Conditions requested: An assessment of gym user numbers, including peak user times, number of peak users and estimated length of stay; Additional information on class times and number of users; Further parking surveys of the public parking options, over multiple days and different hours, including peak parking and gym user times; Travel plan/proposal identifying ways of encouraging sustainable transport use and parking management; Accessibility audits; Further details of bicycle parking provision and location; Details of expected employee numbers
Highway Services HDC
No Commentthe following new planning applications have highway related impacts and will be subject to a separate response: • 24/90980/B
Douglas Borough Council
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objections.
Riverside Apartments Management Company
Objectionsix on site parking places at the premises and these would certainly be insufficient for a proposed membership of four hundred people and associated staff.; We also have considerable concerns regarding the potential for noise pollution
Owners of Apartments 12 and 13 Riverside Apartments
Objectionparking is already an issue around Riverside Apartments and for the residents of Leigh Terrace; any further overflow of parking will undoubtedly cause problems and chaos
Resident at 9 Lhag Beg
Objectionsevere lack of parking in the area and on a busy route
