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14/01450/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 14/01450/B Applicant : Manx Utilities Proposal : Conversion of existing appliance store to changing room/showers and offices including window and door alterations 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.
1.4 The application concerns part of the works building which lies to the east of the main administration building. It is at the front (west) of this building with its access from the main entrance from the estate spine road.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed here is the conversion of the existing accommodation which provides appliance repair facilities and toilets to a larger office with shower room. The external changes include the installation of half glazed aluminium doors in place of existing fully glazed doors and perhaps the only element which requires planning approval is the replacement of two square windows either side of the existing door with two half glazed doors.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Planning approval was granted for the erection of the building under PA 91/01863/B. A recently submitted application proposes the creation of new parking spaces around the administration building and the removal of trees - PA 14/01375B.
PLANNING POLICY AND STATUS
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14/01450/B
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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 proposed works change very little of the appearance of the building and in terms of its use, very little of the overall use of the building as a works depot for the MUA (Electricity). As such, the proposal is considered to be in accordance with GP2 and is recommended for approval.
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: 26.01.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
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14/01450/B
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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.
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This approval relates to drawings reference SC1313/P/10-10 and SC1313/P/10-00 both received on 23rd 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 : 11.02.2015
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
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