Loading document...
==== PAGE 1 ====
25/90373/C
Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 25/90373/C Applicant : Opul Move Limited Proposal : Additional use for operation of coach depot with ancillary driver facilities (retrospective) Site Address : Unit 1- 4 C Balderton Court Balthane Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 2AJ
Planning Officer: Peiran Shen Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 21.07.2025 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. 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.
C 2. The approved land and building are not to be used for the boarding and unboarding of passengers.
Reason: in the interest of in keeping with the industrial use of the area and reduce impact on neighbouring properties. This application also does not include passenger use within the proposal.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is not considered to have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenities or highway safety. It is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the documents, location plan and drawing no. 1731.1, which have all been received on 17th July 2025.
==== PAGE 2 ====
25/90373/C
Page 2 of 5
__
Right to Appeal
It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: Malew Parish Commissioners - No objection Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - No objection __
Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BUT IS CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The site is Unit 1-4C, Balderton Court, Balthane, Ballasalla. The site encompasses the industrial buildings and the surrounding areas. The building is located in the south of the Balthane Industrial Estate.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal is to use the industrial building additionally as a coach depot (sui generis). The employer would mostly drive to the depot with their vehicle to use the company vehicles.
2.2 The building is a single-storey industrial building with a mezzanine floor. It has offices and employee welfare facilities, including a kitchen and toilets. No additional floor space is created with this proposal.
2.3 The area south and east of the building is used for employee and coach parking.
3.0 Planning History 3.1 There is no previous application considered material relevant to this application.
4.0 Planning Policy Site Specific 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Industrial/Business Park in the Area Plan for the South.
Strategic Policy 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: o Strategic Policy 1, 2 o General Policy 2 (b), (g), (h), (i), (j), (m), (n) o Business Policy 5 o Transport Policy 7
PPS and NPD 4.3 No relevant Planning Policy Statement or National Policy Directive applies to this application.
5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Strategy and Guidance 5.1 There is no strategy or guidance materially relevant to this application.
6.0 REPRESENTATION
==== PAGE 3 ====
25/90373/C
Page 3 of 5
This section is a summary. The original texts of the consultations and comments received are available on the Planning Application Search on the government website. 6.1 Malew Parish Commissioners do not object to this application (09.05.2025).
6.2 DoI Highway Services does not oppose this application (14.04.2025). The comment states that there is no significant negative impact on highway safety, network functionality, and/or parking, as there is space for parking large vehicles within the site and building without blocking vehicular access for other units.
7.0 ASSESSMENT Elements of Assessment 7.1 The key considerations in determining the application are its principle, its impact on the character of the area, parking provision, and the amenities of the neighbours.
Principle of the Change of Use 7.2 The proposed coach depot is not industrial. Its character of use, which includes regular coach traffic, is challenging to fit in with other land uses, and this character is also not considered to conflict with that of the existing industrial uses. Therefore, the use is considered compatible and acceptable in principle.
Character of the Area 7.3 The proposed depot has little activity within the site but does generate more traffic than typical industrial activities. However, given that the coaches are large vehicles and typical industrial use also often introduces traffic with large vehicles, and the site (including the parking area) is of a small scale, the introduced traffic is not considered to change the character of the area nor harm other industrial activities on site. Therefore, the proposal is considered to have no negative impact on the character of the area.
Neighbouring Amenities 7.4 As mentioned in 7.2 and 7.3, the proposal is not considered to harm neighbouring industrial units.
Traffic and Parking 7.5 As there is no objection from Highway Services, the proposal is considered to have an acceptable impact on highway safety and parking.
8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 The proposal is not considered to have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenities or highway safety. Therefore, it is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Business Policy 13 and Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan and is recommended for an approval.
9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE 9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).
9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: o applicant (in all cases); o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10.
==== PAGE 4 ====
25/90373/C
Page 4 of 5
9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and o in the case of a petition, a single representative.
__
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made: Permitted Date: 28.07.2025
Signed : Presenting Officer - Pieran Shen
Customer note
This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the office copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online service/customers and archive record.
==== PAGE 5 ====
25/90373/C
Page 5 of 5
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal