17 April 2025 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Jason Singleton)
Commerce House, 1, Bowring Road, Ramsey, Isle Of Man, IM8 2lq
The proposal involves converting a vacant two-storey detached office building on a prominent corner site in Ramsey town centre into a community facility for Living Hope Community Church, including religious worship, youth groups, toddler groups, counselling, and community events like a fridge initiative and warm spaces…
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The officer determined that the change of use complies with relevant policies as it optimises a redundant underused office building in a Comprehensive Treatment Area designated for urban regeneration,…
Spatial Policy 5
General design and amenity policy. Proposal protects amenities with no neighbour impacts and low-key use.
General Policy 2
Subsections (b),(c),(g),(h),(i),(k),(l),(m) cover design, amenities, highways, accessibility. Assessed as satisfying safety, efficiency, parking, and amenity tests given central location and off-peak operations.
Environment Policy 42
Design requirements respecting character. No external alterations maintain townscape.
Environment Policy 43
Optimising under-used buildings. Vacant office reuse aligns directly.
Community Policy 2
Encourages community facilities in vacant buildings where possible, accessible to non-car users. Central site with public transport, walking/cycling access meets criteria; no need justification required per para 10.5.2.
Transport Policy 7
Parking standards (assembly: 1 per 15m² gross floorspace), relaxable in town centre near bus routes if no unacceptable on-street parking. Sustainable location with nearby parking 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.
Approved use definition
The approved use is community facilities within Class 4.3 of the Use Class Order 2019 (and any legislation that may precede or replace this order). Reason: a) For the avoidance of doubt; and, b) the assessment of the application is for an assembly for religious worship, which has the most impact within the use class. Therefore, all other uses within the class are also considered acceptable.
Flood resilience measures
Any alterations to the property should take into consideration the potential to flood. Electrics should be placed above flood levels and flood resilient materials should be used where possible. A flood evacuation plan should be displayed. Reason: In the interests of user safety given the potential for flooding from rivers and/or the sea in the locality of the site.
No significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the site is in a sustainable location in Ramsey centre with available parking for the use.
No objection to this proposal.
Did not oppose subject to condition(s) on flood considerations.
DOI Flood Risk Management Division issued DNOC due to the site's location in a high risk tidal flood zone, recommending specific flood resilience conditions; Ramsey Town Commissioners raised no objection.
Key concern: The property is within a high risk tidal flood zone
Department of Infrastructure Flood Risk Management Division
Conditional No ObjectionDNOC; The property is within a high risk tidal flood zone
Conditions requested: Any alterations to the property should take into consideration the potential to flood; Electrics should be placed above flood levels; Flood resilient materials should be used where possible; A flood evacuation plan should be displayed
Ramsey Town Commissioners
No ObjectionRamsey Town Commissioners have no objection to this proposal.
