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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS Application No. : Applicant: Proposal: 14/01223/B Dandara Commercial Limited Alterations to approved office building including changes to windows, creation of a fenced hard standing area to accommodate external plant and erection of three flag poles Site Adjacent To Buchanan BMW &. Dandara Head Office Vicarage Rise Isle Of Man Business Park Douglas Isle Of Man Site Address: Case Officer: Photo Taken : Site Visit: Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Miss S E Corlett Officer's Report THE SITE 1.1 The site is a parcel of undeveloped land which abuts the estate road through the Isle of Man Business Park. To the north is Dandara/Heritage Homes' headquarters, to the north east is a car sales outlet (Caledonian Toyota and Lexus dealership). The land rises gently from south to north by around 1,2m over 52m. 1.2 The style of development in the area is mixed - modern stylish buildings to the north and south and smaller simpler forms to the east including the Horse and Plough public house, the garage, nursery and offices. The development to the south is in a Business Park character, reflecting the requirements of the original planning approval, The development to the north is less so with a higher density of development, significantly less landscaping and plainer smaller buildings. THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the alteration of the approved scheme for the erection of a corporate headquarters building and associated access and car parking (109 spaces) which was authorised and is being implemented, under PA 13/91058B. The building as approved is three storied and provide 1663 sq m of floor space (1150 sq m nett). 2.2 The building as approved will be 13m tall and finished in stone cladding for the ground floor and white and grey render above, dark coloured windows and doors. 2.3 Drainage will be provided into the existing surface water and main foul sewerage in the adjacent highway. The applicant has now clarified that the land into which the surface water will drain - the estate drain is still in their ownership as the highway and drainage are not adopted. This in turn feeds into a pond which was designed to accommodate the surface water drainage from the estate and was intended to be handed over to Braddan Parish Commissioners on completion, which has not yet happened. 2,4 Planting is proposed around the periphery of the site. 2.5 Proposed now are minor alterations to what has approval. A number of the windows are to be single lights rather than having opening elements contained within them (this could be achieved once the approved windows had been installed and the property occupied, under 14/01223/B Page 1 of 4 24 November 2014
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the terms of the PDO). Also proposed is the creation of a fenced area for external cooler units to the south western elevation, The fencing will be vertical posts which are 1.9m high. Three 6m high flagpoles are to be erected on the north eastern corner of the site alongside the main estate road and opposite the car dealership. These flags will display the Canadian national Fag, the Manx flag and the Canada Life emblem. Technically the Manx flag requires planning approval as the Isle of Man may not be considered a "nation" and the Canada Life emblem is an advertisement. Both are included in a contemporaneous application for advertisements - PA 14/01244/D. 2.6 In addition the arrangement of windows in the north western elevation is to be changed with slightly more glazing which simplifies the appearance of this elevation. PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Braddan Local Plan of 1991as "Master Plan to be prepared which will include areas of Industrial Use, Science Based Industries, High Density Residential Use, Landscaping and Secondary School of approximately 16 acres". This succeeded a planning application in principle for the development of a business park of 40 acres, which was approved on appeal under PA 89/04166. This required, inter alia that the business park comprise light industrial use, warehousing, development associated with new technology companies predominantly involved in scientific, commercial or industrial research and development or electronic systems, micro-engineering, biotechnology, office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies which utilise the new information technologies and service other park users but specifically excluding financial and professional services to visiting members of the public, including banks, building societies, estate agencies and betting offices. The approval also required that buildings should cover no more than 25% of the business park. 3.2 The Business Park has existing occupants including Royal London 360 mutual life insurance which sits on the corner of the business park and Cooil Road, Manx Telecom who have a corporate headquarters and operating centre, the MEA who have similar accommodation. There are also training facilities, vehicle repair and servicing, parcel distribution facilities within the park. 3.3 Business Parks are defined in the Strategic Plan as "development encompassing land for light industrial purposes, warehousing, new-technology companies involved in scientific, commercial, or industrial research or development and office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies having multiple and diverse interests (but excluding financiai/professional services to visiting members of the public); buildings should be set in parkland which should dominate the landscape." PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Planning permission was granted for the development of the business park as a whole under PAs 89/04166 and 90/04155. Subsequent to that, planning permission was granted for offices on the site under PA 99/02059 and 04/00790. The latter was approved subject to a condition which stated, 'The proposed building may be used for office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of a single company which utilises the new information technologies and services other users of the Ballacottier Business Park (but specifically excluding users offering financial and professional services to visiting members of the public, such as banks, building societies, estate agencies, and betting offices). 4.2 Also of relevance is an application relating to the site which is now occupied by Dandara's headquarters, alongside the application site. This was the subject of an appeal which sought to remove part of the condition of use which related to the corporate headquarters of a company which utilises the new information and technologies and serves other users of the business park on the basis that this constrains the marketing and take up of the development opportunities. This was refused at appeal on the basis that the wording would prevent the 24 November 2014 14/01223/B Page 2 of 4
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loss of the vitality and viability of town centre commercial areas through the migration of offices to business park locations (PA 00/01996), As the owner of the remaining undeveloped part of the Business Park, it could be said that Dandara serves the Business Park and has indeed been responsible for the design and applications for the development of the Manx Telecom Headquarters and then now Royal London 360 headquarters buildings as well as other, smaller buildings to the east - Island House and Conister House. 4.3 The building was approved under PA 13/91058B. Advertisements are being considered under PA 14/01244/B. REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners and Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application. ASSESSMENT 6.1 The proposed changes to the building, whose construction is well under way, are modest and do not affect the appearance or character of the building, its height, contribution to the streetscene, its access, drainage or car parking provision. The alterations to the windows and the erection of fenced compound will not have any significant effect on the impact of the building, The most noticeable alteration is the erection of the three flagpoles. The business park constitutes buildings of striking architectural style and where flagpoles, particularly those displaying flags rather than advertisements are considered to complement this character and as such are not considered to be out of place or unacceptable. 6.2 The application is recommended for approval subject to the same conditions as previously imposed. PARTY STATUS 7.1 The local authority, Braddan Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4) (e), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status. 7.2 The Highway Authority is granted interested party status under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 paragraph 6 (4) d. Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.11,2014 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal 0 : Notes attached to refusals 14/01223/B Page 3 of 4 24 November 2014
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C 1. The accommodation hereby approved must be only office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies having multiple and diverse interests (but excluding financial/professional services to visiting members of the public) as defined in the Strategic Plan. Reason: to accord with the approval granted for the development of this site, C2. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development or the occupation of the dwellings, whichever is the sooner. Any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species. REASON: the landscaping of the site is an integral part of the scheme and must be implemented as approved. C3. TTie development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice. To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Reason: Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals. This approval relates to drawings 100,101.03, 101.05,101-02B1 and 300-02 B1 all received on 24th October, 2014. I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer, N' Decision Made: Permitted Date: Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :... Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :... Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Head of Development Management Signed ;... Jennifer Chance 24 November 2014 14/01223/B Page 4 of 4
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