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Government Kelly's Ctlen Towns
Kelly Lewthwaite Building Design 23 Market Street Douglas IM1 2PA
In pursuance of powers granted under the above Act and Order the Department of Infrastructure determined to APPROVE a planning application by Ms Anna Kawalek, Ref 13/00531/A, for the Approval in principle for conversion of existing building into permanent and or tourist apartments and provision of associated off road parking facilities at Groudle Glen Hotel King Edward Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 2JY subject to compliance with the following condition(s):
Date of Issue: 21st June 2013
Director of Planning and Building Control
This decision was made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority delegated to them.
This permission refers only to that required under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005.
Any appeal against this decision must be in writing and must be received by this Department within 21 days of the date of this notice.
An appeal form and guidance notes are available from either the Planning Office, Tel 685950, or to download from the Department's website www.gov.im/transport/planning/plan/applications/decision.xml
Please note that a copy of the Officer's report which led to the decision, together with correspondence relative to the application, are available for inspection at the Department.
No development may be undertaken until such time as the relevant reserved matters have been approved by the Planning Authority.
If no appeal is lodged within 21 days of the date of issue overleaf, and this decision becomes final, the Department's public reference copy (counter copy) of the planning application may be collected by the applicant or their agent from Murray House.
Please note that if the counter copy of the application is not collected within THIRTY DAYS following the last date on which a planning appeal can be made it will be destroyed without further notice.
Department of Infrastructure, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2SF Tel (01624 685950) email; [email protected] 13 / 00531 / A
| Application No. : | 13/00531/A | | :-- | :-- | | Applicant : | Ms Anna Kawalek | | Proposal : | Approval in principle for conversion of existing building into | | | permanent and or tourist apartments and provision of | | | associated off road parking facilities | | Site Address : | Groudle Glen Hotel | | | King Edward Road | | | Onchan | | | Isle Of Man | | | IM3 2JY |
Case Officer : Mr A Holmes
Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of the Groudle Glen Hotel, which is located on the north side of King Edward Road in Onchan.
2.1 The planning application seeks approval in principle for the conversion of existing building into permanent and/or tourist apartments, together with the provision of associated off road parking facilities. 2.2 The planning application submission comprises the application form, a location plan defining the site by red line, a drawing of showing the existing layout of the building, a drawing showing an illustrative layout of the building for conversion into six apartments, a drawing showing an illustrative car parking layout for eleven on site spaces, a supporting statement setting out the applicant's justification for the proposal, and photographs of the existing situation.
3.1 Whilst the application site has been the subject of previous planning applications it is considered that none of these is specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is located within wider areas of land designated as a) open space; and b) ecological interest/semi natural vegetation under the Onchan Local Plan. 4.2 Planning Circular 1/2000, which constitutes the written statement to be read in conjunction with the local plan, contain one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this planning application. Policy O/NC/P/2 states:
"In order to preserve the areas of interest for nature conservation within the study area, there will be a general presumption against any development which would have an adverse impact or effect on an area of ecological interest including both those identified in this document and others which may subsequently be identified as of interest or value to nature conservation." 4.3 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
"Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10); (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11); (c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment; (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14); (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services; (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry; (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage." 4.5 Environment Policy 4 states: "Development will not be permitted which would adversely affect: (a) species and habitats of international importance: (i) protected species of international importance or their habitats; or (ii) proposed or designated Ramsar and Emerald Sites or other internationally important sites. (b) species and habitats of national importance: (i) protected species of national importance or their habitats; (ii) proposed or designated National Nature Reserves, or Areas of Special Scientific Interest; or (iii) Marine Nature Reserves; or (iv) National Trust Land. (c) species and habitats of local importance such as Wildlife Sites, local nature reserves, priority habitats or species identified in any Manx Biodiversity Action Plan which do not already benefit from statutory protection, Areas of Special Protection and Bird Sanctuaries and landscape features of importance to wild flora and fauna by reason of their continuous nature or function as a corridor between habitats.
Some areas to which this policy applies are identified as Areas of Ecological Importance or Interest on extant Local or Area Plans, but others, whose importance was not evident at the time of the adoption of the relevant Local or Area Plan, are not, particularly where that plan has been in place for many years. In these circumstances, the Department will seek site specific advice from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry if development proposals are brought forward."
4.6 Housing Policy 17 states: "The conversion of buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential areas provided that: (a) adequate space can be provided for clothes-drying, refuse storage, general amenity, and, if practical, car-parking; (b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principal rooms and (c) if possible, this involves the creation of parking on site or as part of an overall traffic management strategy for the area." 4.7 Transport Policy 7 states: "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards." The relevant standard for apartments is currently 1 space for 1 bedroom and 2 spaces for 2 or more bedrooms.
5.1 Onchan District Commissioners recommend that the planning application be approved. They highlight that the property is connected to a private drainage system for all properties in the area and suggest that confirmation that the system can cope with the projected load should be sought prior to any approval. 5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division does not oppose the planning application, stating that the proposal meets highway standards and policies 5.3 The owners and/or occupants of Glenholme, which is located adjacent to the application site, object to the planning application. The grounds for their objection can be summarised as the potential loss of a mature tree to provide some car parking spaces, the potential loss of privacy arising from overlooking and the safety of parking arrangements.
6.1 The planning application seeks approval in principle for the conversion of the building into permanent and or tourist apartments. As can be seen the building is redundant of its original use as a public house, primarily a result of its location and changing attitudes to drink driving. Subsequent use as a restaurant has ultimately not been found to be viable. That has resulted in a redundant property with consequential maintenance issues. To address that issue and ensure the ongoing viability of the building it is appropriate to consider new uses. This planning application effectively does that. 6.2 In terms of material planning considerations the key issues to consider are impact on public amenity, impact on private amenity, impact on highways and service provision. As highlighted earlier in this report the site is located within an area designated as being of ecological interest/semi natural vegetation under the local plan. However, as it consists of existing built development it is self evident that the application site will not have any significant ecological interest and the proposed development would not change this. As such, it is concluded that the proposal accords with the provisions of Environment Policy 4. 6.3 The impact of the proposed development on public amenity is primarily a consideration of how the proposal will affect the character of the building and its appearance within the area. As the planning application only seeks planning approval in principle there is no specific detail about any alterations to the building. It would appear that the conversion work would primarily relate to internal alterations, which do not impact on public amenity. The specifics of any external changes would be subject to further assessment as part of any
subsequent reserved matters planning application, but there is not considered to be any obvious reason why sympathetic externals could not be accommodated. 6.4 The assessment of the impact on private amenity is twofold. Firstly, it is necessary to consider the impact on the existing residential property within the surrounding area. In terms of that there is no inherent reason why the layout and general arrangement of the proposed conversion could not be done in a manner that did not unduly harm the private amenity of those surrounding properties. This would be a matter for further consideration as part of any subsequent reserved matters planning application. Secondly, it is necessary to consider the acceptability of the private amenity for the six proposed apartments. In terms of that the submitted planning application provides an illustrative layout that is considered to appropriately demonstrate that each of those apartments would have a sufficiently pleasant living environment. 6.5 The impact on highways is primarily concerned with the acceptability of the car parking provision and consequential impact on highway safety. This issue has been specifically discussed and considered by the Department of Infrastructure Highways Division. As stated earlier in this report they do not oppose the planning application stating that the proposal meets highway standards and policies. There is no evidence to contradict that view and, as such, the impact on highways is concluded to be acceptable. The plans show a possible 6 apartments - two on the ground floor, two on the first and lower ground floors and one at roof level and one spread across three floors and a possible eleven spaces, according with the required standard. 6.6 The final issue to consider is service provision. The site already has electricity, water and telecommunications. As for foul drainage it is understood that the property is, and a number of surrounding properties are, served by a private sewage treatment plant. This issue has been clarified by the applicant and the respective service team have confirmed that the existing system has capacity for 50-60 domestic users. Even with the additional users proposed by this planning application there is more than sufficient capacity within the existing treatment plant. As such, there is no issue with service provision to the application site.
7.1 It is recommended that the planning application be approved.
8.1 It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:
Onchan District Commissioners; The owners and/or occupants of Glenholme. 8.2 It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:
The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of 20.06.2013
C 1. Approval of the details of, design, external appearance of the building, internal layout, means of access, car parking (hereinafter called "the reserved matters") shall be obtained from the Planning Authority in writing before any development is commenced.
C 2. The application for approval of the reserved matters shall be made to the Planning Authority before the expiration of two years from the date of this permission.
C 3. The development to which this permission relates shall begin within 4 years of the date of this permission or within two years of the final approval of the reserved matters, whichever is the later.
C 4. This approval relates to the principle of the conversion of the existing building into permanent and/or tourist apartments, together with the provision of associated off road parking facilities within the site as defined by the red line on drawing no. 4 date stamped the 1st May 2013 and as shown generally in plans reference 2 and 3 which demonstrate that the parking requirements of the Strategic Plan can be provided.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : \qquad Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed : \qquad Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer Signed : \qquad Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed : \qquad Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed: \qquad Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager
PA13/00531/A Ms Anna Kawalek
Approval in principle for conversion of existing building into permanent and or tourist apartments and provision of associated off road parking facilities,
Groudle Glen Hotel King Edward Road Onchan Isle Of Man IM3 2JY
Planning Officer:
Planning history and constraint detail extracted from the planning database for this site, collated for the benefit of the Planning Officer on 07.05.2013, includes;
Dev Control Polygons:
Reference Number: 05/00840/B
Status: Refused on Review
Proposal: Alterations and additions to form function rooms
Reference Number: 92/01134/B
Status: Permitted
Proposal: Installation of 60 cm satellite TV dish, Groudle Glen Hotel, Onchan.
Reference Number: 88/00291/B
Status: Permitted
Proposal: Alterations and refurbishments, conversion of bottle store, and alterations to front wall, Groudle Glen Hotel, Onchan.
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