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5 January 2015 14/01375/B Page 1 of 4 PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 14/01375/B Applicant : Manx Utilities Authority Proposal : Construction of additional roads, car parking spaces, hard standing area and alterations to security fence and gate Site Address : Manx Utilities Authority Ballacottier Headquarters Isle of Man Business Park Douglas Isle of Man IM2 2QZ

Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 30.12.2014 Site Visit : 30.12.2014 Expected Decision Level :

Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Manx Utilities (formerly Manx Electricity Authority) premises located within the Isle of Man Business Park to the north east of Cooil Road. The site accommodates two blocks, one accommodating the administration of the operation and the other the maintenance and technical operations. There is also landscaping and car parking. The premises were first built in the early 1990s with minor alterations thereafter.

1.2 Access to the site is from the estate road which leads from the main spine road through to the industrial part of the overall site, next to Spring Valley Industrial estate.

1.3 The site has attractive landscaping around it, less so as the site proceeds east. There are trees separating the site from its neighbours to the north and south west - RL360 and Celton Manx respectively.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is a scheme for the provision of additional car parking, access to connect around the building and a new area of hard standing.

2.2 The new car parking spaces will be to the south western side of the building, connecting the car park at the front entrance to that around the rear. There will be fifteen new spaces, losing two additional spaces to make way for the road, with a further 20 spaces provided from the extension of existing parking provision around the site, largely taking up land which is currently laid to grass or planting.

2.3 Also proposed is the introduction of a hand rail and fence along the footpath which runs alongside the estate road and a 2.4m high 5.5m wide palisade sliding gate installed alongside the footway, leading to the rear of the maintenance building.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Planning approval was granted for the erection of the building under PA 91/01863/B. The alterations thereafter are not relevant to the consideration of the current application other than PA 08/01388/B which proposed the erection of a substation, extension of access road and parking area. This proposal included the provision of the extension of the access road but

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5 January 2015 14/01375/B Page 2 of 4 with parking shown on the far side of the road, losing more space and as many trees as are proposed in the current application. The sub-station would have resulted in the loss of more green space than is the case here and there was also approved an additional hard surfaced area in the region now proposed although this retained a strip of unsurfaced land where the ash trees are shown as being retained.

PLANNING POLICY AND STATUS 4.1 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.

4.2 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.

4.3 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 financial/professional services to visiting members of the public); buildings should be set in parkland which should dominate the landscape."

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 There are no comments on file at the time of writing.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The issues in this case are whether the additional areas of hard standing and the loss of trees detract from the setting of the buildings so as to create an adverse impact, taking into account that the development was originally intended to have no greater than 25% of the area covered in buildings and that landscaping was an important feature in the creation of the business park.

6.2 The creation of road around the rear of the building has already been approved in a slightly different format and as such there should be no objection to that. The slight change in arrangement will result in the loss of fewer trees on and close to the western boundary with Celton Manx and is to be encouraged. The additional car parking provision is also welcomed.

6.3 The loss of trees 1-15 are all slightly further out than the boundary trees and their loss are not likely to significantly affect the setting of the buildings. Trees 20, 21 and 22 are not to be removed to make way for additional parking and are situated alongside the side estate road which leads from the main spine road to the new industrial developments adjacent to Cooil Road along with vacant plots which have approval for two office buildings (PAs 11/00170/B and 11/00168/B). The applicant is concerned about interference with opened vehicle doors. This will be less of an issue when the trees grow taller and the lower branches

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5 January 2015 14/01375/B Page 3 of 4 may be pruned. These trees are some of the few along this side road and should be retained if possible. The applicant has indicated that they are content for them to remain (e-mail dated 30/12/14).

6.4 The new largest area of hard standing alongside the workshop poses perhaps the greatest threat to the adjacent trees.The advice of DEFA has been sought and they recommend that some tolerance will allow the hard standing to be created without adversely affecting the main ash trees in this part of the site. The applicant has indicated that the hard standing will not come within 2m of the trees which is within the tolerance recommended by DEFA which should ensure their survival - immediate and longer term. They advise that these ash trees should be managed and pruned so that they are not allowed to grown full height which could result in them being a threat to the adjacent building through falling.

6.5 Other than the removal of trees 20, 21 and 22, which the applicant is now happy to retain, the scheme will provide additional car parking provision and storage space without significant impact on the trees which have the greatest amenity value to the area. As such the application is recommended for approval subject to conditions regarding the protection of the remaining trees during works.

PARTY STATUS 7.1 The local authority is, 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 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services 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:

05.01.2015

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal O : Notes attached to refusals

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2.

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5 January 2015 14/01375/B Page 4 of 4 Prior to the commencement of any excavation or hard surfacing works, all trees which are to remain and which are within 2m of any proposed works must be appropriately protected from damage during works by the erection of protective fencing to create a protected area 2m from and around each tree trunk within which there may be no vehicles driven or parked and no materials stored. All such fencing must be retained for the duration of the engineering works. Any roots which are severed during works must be cut cleanly and protected using heavy gauge polythene if toxic materials are likely to come into contact with the roots.

Reason: in order to ensure that those trees which are to remain are protected from damage during works; the advice of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is recommended in this respect.

C 3. No approval is hereby granted to the removal of trees numbered 20, 21 and 22 on the submitted plans.

Reason: the loss of these trees is not considered to be warranted and they are considered to contribute positively to the amenities of the area.

N 1. The applicant is recommended to consult the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture in respect of a tree management regime which will prevent existing trees from growing inappropriately tall or close to the existing buildings.

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This approval relates to drawings DW147094-02-P0, DW147094-03-P0, DW147094-01-P0 and the palisade fence detailing, all received on 3rd December, 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 5th January 2015

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed :... Chris Balmer

Senior Planning Officer

Signed :... Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

Signed : Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher

Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed :... Jennifer Chance

Head of Development Management