20 November 2025 · Planning Committee
22, North Quay, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM1 4le
The site at 22-26 North Quay in Douglas comprises a row of existing buildings including traditional quayside properties at Nos 22-23 and 25, a vacant fire-damaged site at No 26, and the retained Merchant House at No 24, all within the North Quay Conservation Area adjacent to Registered Building 289 (Newson's Warehouse)…
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The main issue was the potential impact on the character and quality of the North Quay Conservation Area/streetscene and the setting of adjacent Registered Building 289; although 'the loss of the exis…
Strategic Policy 4
Requires protection/enhancement of Conservation Areas and Registered Building settings; officer found proposal preserves RB 289 setting (matching footprint, varied massing) and enhances CA via contemporary insertions maintaining variety.
Spatial Policy 5
New development must positively contribute to environment; contemporary design with height variations and contrasts accepted as appropriate to site's diverse quayside context, per pre-application dialogue.
General Policy 2
Requires respect for surroundings in scale/form/design, no adverse amenity/traffic/flood impacts; met via design overcoming prior uniformity concerns, urban separations to neighbours, sustainable location, flood mitigation.
Environment Policy 35
Permits only development preserving/enhancing CA character; demolition harm (positive contributors) outweighed by enhancement from varied modern forms addressing appeal criticisms on horizontal emphasis.
Environment Policy 39 - Retention of building in Conservation Areas
Presumption to retain positive CA buildings; demolition acceptable exceptionally as buildings altered/poor condition, prior approvals precedent, and replacement merits outweigh per para 7.32.2 tests.
Environment Policy 4
Protects species/habitats; conditioned bat survey and swift boxes address potential in traditional buildings near river.
Environment Policy 10 - Development and flood risk
Requires FRA in flood risk areas; provided, with raised FFLs (5.10m AOD), resilience measures, ground floor non-residential.
Housing Policy 5
25% affordable for 8+ units; two units via £140,994 commuted sum per S13 Agreement, as sizes exceed affordable standards.
Strategic Policy 10
Promotes integrated transport minimising car use; no parking needed in sustainable centre location with cycle storage.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
No approval for adjacent hoardings/shores
For the avoidance of doubt no approval is hereby given for any hoardings, existing shores as shown on drawing 112-01 in relation to Nrs 27-28 (Newson's building).
Construction method statement for adjacent RB
Before the commencement of any works on site, details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department setting out the method of construction and ensuring the safety and stability of the adjacent registered building. Such details to include structural engineering drawings and/or a method statement to a suitable level of detail. The work shall be carried out fully in accordance with the method statement approved.
Air source heat pump noise limit
Noise emissions resulting from operation of the internal domestic air source heat pump shall not exceed 42 dB LAeq, 5 mins.
Materials approval
Prior to the commencement of construction works above slab level, or refurbishment works to an existing building details of cladding, window frames, external doors/frames, roof finishes, balustrading and outdoor raised decking/ramps/stairs i.e. all external finishes have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be occupied/brought into use unless the external finish has been applied in accordance with the approved details, and shall be retained thereafter.
Bat survey
No demolition or development shall commence until a bat survey of the buildings has been undertaken and the results submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The bat survey shall identify any impacts on bat species together with a scheme of mitigation, where appropriate, including a timetable for its implementation. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.
Swift boxes
No part of the development hereby approved shall be occupied/brought into use until swift boxes have been installed in accordance with details that have previously been submitted to and approved by the Department. The details to be submitted shall include the design, locations and post-installation maintenance arrangements. Once implemented, the bird boxes shall be retained and maintained thereafter in accordance with the approved details.
Noise insulation scheme
Prior to the commencement of development, a scheme detailing noise insulation between the ground floor bars/restaurants and the apartments against the transmission of noise and vibration shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and the measures shall be retained thereafter.
Ground floor use restriction
The ground floor units hereby approved shall be used only for purposes falling within Class 1.3 - Food and drink of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 and for no other purpose (with the exception of the main entrance/stair lobby, bin store and cycle store associated with the residential accommodation).
Bin and cycle storage details
Prior to the commencement of construction works above slab level, or refurbishment works to an existing building details of the bin storage areas and secure bicycle storage areas have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be occupied/brought into use unless the bin and cycle store has been applied in accordance with the approved details, and shall be retained thereafter.
Plant/pipework details
Prior to the commencement of construction works above slab level, details of all Air Source Heat Pumps, fume/ventilation flues, rainwater goods, soil stacks, soil vent pipes, extraction plant, air conditioning units, flues, ductwork or any other pipework shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.
No objection subject to conditions on cycle parking, bin storage, and 180-degree swing/roller shutter doors; site sustainable with public transport/walking access; raised seating demountable.
Proposed varied form, massing, and finishes maintain Conservation Area character; setting of RB 289 preserved as footprint matches existing and no works to RB; less than substantial harm from fabric loss outweighed in planning balance.
No objection subject to condition on no sleeping accommodation in basement and FRA section 3.1.
Recommend commuted sum of £140,994 in lieu of two affordable units via S13 Agreement.
Supportive of bat survey and swift box conditions; bats/birds possible but presence would not prevent development with mitigation.
The Senior Registered Buildings Officer acknowledges less than substantial harm to the Douglas (North Quay) Conservation Area from demolition of historic buildings but considers the proposed varied design preserves the area's character and the setting of registered building 289, recommending approval subject to specific conditions.
Key concern: less than substantial harm to the character of the Douglas (North Quay) Conservation Area from loss of historic fabric
Tom Sinden: Senior Registered Buildings Officer
Conditional No Objection"on balance I judge the harm to be less than substantial"; "I judge that the setting of registered building 289 would be preserved by the proposals"; "the proposed North Quay elevation to be varied in its form, massing and finishes"; "Without prejudice, in the event that the applications are recommended for approval, I would request that the following conditions be added"
Conditions requested: Before the commencement of any works on site, details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department setting out the method of construction and ensuring the safety and stability of the adjacent registered building. Such details to include structural engineering drawings and/or a method statement to a suitable level of detail. The work shall be carried out fully in accordance with the method statement approved.; The development shall not commence until a programme of historic building recording of the buildings on the application site has been undertaken, submitted to and agreed in writing by the Department. The programme of building recording must be undertaken in accordance with Level Two as set out in Understanding Historic Buildings: A guide to good recording practice.; No above ground works relating to the development shall commence until sample details of cladding, windows, external doors and roof finishes have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be occupied/brought into use unless the external finish has been applied in accordance with the approved details, and shall be retained thereafter.
