Planning Division Statement PA12/00831/B

Statement Of ### Planning And Building Control Division #### (Department Of Infrastructure) PA12/00831/B Erection of a development comprising new town centre library, offices, multi-storey car park and public toilets with associated external works, site bounded by Lord Street, Fort Street, Cambrian Place And Muckles Gate, Douglas, Isle of Man ## Statement on behalf of the Planning and Building Control Division (Department of Infrastructure) in respect of: PA12/00831/B – Erection of a development comprising new town centre library, offices, multi-storey car park and public toilets with associated external works site bounded by Lord Street, Fort Street, Cambrian Place And Muckles Gate, Douglas, Isle of Man. ### Introduction 1. In accordance with the provisions of 10.(1)(b) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005 any planning application that proposes development involving land that the Department of Infrastructure could be said to have a vested interest in cannot be determined by the Planning and Building Control Division. In these instances the relevant legislation requires the planning application to be referred to and determined by the Council of Ministers. Such planning applications are dealt with by an appointed person (Planning Inspector) who is charged with assessing the proposed development and reporting their recommendations to the Council of Ministers. 2. Given the above, this statement is intended to set out the planning history of the site, provide the planning policy context of the site and set out possible planning conditions. ### Planning History 3. The site, in all or part, has been the subject of the following previous planning applications (most recent first): 05/02050/A – Approval in principle for a mixed use development consisting of a four screen multiplex cinema, a sixteen lane bowling alley, restaurants, apartments and parking. Permitted. 97/00420/A – Approval in principle for the creation of fast food restaurant with drive through and car parking, land between Lord Street and Fort Street. Refused. 93/00935/B – Redevelopment of site bounded by Walpole Avenue, Parade Street, North Quay and including Lord Street Bus Station and Fort Street to provide offices. Permitted. 85/00882/B – Alterations to upgrade premises, 2 Cambrian Place. Permitted. ### Planning Policy 4. In terms of land use designation the site lies within an area which was designated as Predominantly Offices by the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Douglas Local Plan) Order Map No. 1 (Central Area). 5. In terms of strategic plan policy, the following are contained within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan - Towards a Sustainable Island June 2007 and are judged to be relevant to this application: - Strategic Aim page 9 - Strategic Policy 1 page 13 - Strategic Policy 3 page 14 - Strategic Policy 4 page 15 - Strategic Policy 5 page 16 - General Policy 1 page 30 - Environment Policy 10 page 43 - Environment Policy 13 page 43 - Environment Policy 36 page 54 - Environment Policy 41 page 55 - Environment Policy 42 page 56 - Environment Policy 43 page 51 - Community Policy 2 page 89 - Community Policy 7 page 91 - Transport Policy 1 page 95 - Transport Policy 4 page 96 - Transport Policy 6 page 96 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 can be viewed and downloaded from http://www.gov.im/transport/planning/plan/publications/ or paper copies can be purchased from the planning office. 6. The site is not within a Conservation Area however there are in the vicinity a number of such areas. Maps for each of the surrounding Conservation Areas are appended to this report. 7. The Department has recently issued a consultation document on Draft Interim Planning Guidance for Key Town Centre Sites in Douglas, referred to as the “Lower Douglas Master Plan”. The consultation document is appended to this report. ## Recommended Conditions Should the appointed person be minded to recommend that the application be permitted, the following conditions are suggested: C1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. C2. This permission relates to the erection of a development comprising new town centre library, office, multi-storey car park and public toilets with associated works, site bounded by Lord Street, Fort Street, Cambrian Place and Muckles Gate, Douglas as shown by P100, P101, P102, P103, P104, P105, P106, P107, P108, 109, P110, P111, Transport Assessment part 1, Transport Assessment part 2, Design and Access Statement, Flood Risk and Technical Report, all received 7th June 2012. C3. Prior to the commencement of works, there must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority samples of the materials to be used in the external finishing of the approved building. The exterior of the building must be finished using only the approved materials and retained as such thereafter. C4. Prior to the commencement of works, there must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority samples of the materials to be used in the hard landscaping. The hard landscaping must finished using only the approved materials and retained as such thereafter. C5. Prior to the commencement of works, there must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority a detailed scheme of landscaping which provides information on the species, size and planting method for the trees and shrubs shown on Drawing P102. The approved scheme must be implemented in the first planting season following the completion of the development or the first use of the development, whichever is the sooner. Should any trees die or be removed, they must be replaced within the next available planting season with a tree or shrub of the same species which is at least of Standard size as set out by BS 3936 - Part 1: Nursery stock specification for trees and shrubs. C6. Prior to the use of the library or offices, the refuse store shown on Drawing P102 must be constructed and available for use and must remain as a refuse store to serve the building.