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23/01072/B Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 23/01072/B Applicant : Mr Gordon Rice Proposal : Erection of proposed detached replacement workshop building Site Address : Unit 36 Snugborough Trading Estate Union Mills Isle Of Man IM4 4QL
Planning Officer: Mr Hamish Laird Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.01.2024 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas have been provided in accordance with the approved plans. Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
C 3. The units shall be used only for the permitted use of the existing structure on site as a workshop building, and for any Use as outlined in Use Class 2.2 (Light Industrial and Research and Development) and/or Use Class 2.4 (Storage or Distribution) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 or equivalent classes in any replacement to that Order.
Reason: To safeguard the character of the area and planning approval only sought these uses and therefore considered on these basis only.
C 4. The unit hereby approved shall not have a mezzanine floor installed without first receiving prior written approval from DEFA Planning.
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Reason: To ensure that there is sufficient parking in accordance with the Strategic Plan (2016) parking standards.
C 5. No development shall take place until a method statement which sets out how the River Dhoo will be protected from run-off and sedimentation during both the construction phase of the development, and subsequently during the operational phase of the replacement workshop building, has been submitted to and approved by the Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out and operated in accordance with the approved statement.
Reason: To ensure that there is no adverse effect on the adjacent River Dhoo watercourse. The proposed works are in close proximity to the watercourse, and precautions will need to be taken to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river.
C 6. No direct exterior lighting, such as security lighting, shall be directed onto the River Dhoo running to the rear of the site.
Reason: The area of river in question is a valuable migratory fish spawning ground, and direct exterior lighting directed onto the river would be harmful to the success of fish spawning in this area.
C 7. The development shall be fitted out internally with a raised freeboard & services sited above potential flood levels.
Reason: To provide a sufficient freeboard against the potential risk for flooding from the adjoining River Dhoo.
N 1. If works are within 9.1m of the river bank a Section 20 Works Consent should be applied for (https://iomfloodhub.im/guidance/section-20-worksconsent/)
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application has been recommended for approval as it is deemed to be in accordance with General Policy 2; Environment Policy 7; 10; 22, and Transport Policies 4 and 7.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings all stamped received on 12.09.2023. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None. __
Officer’s Report
1.0 APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site comprises an existing workshop building on the Snugborough Trading Estate, Braddan, located to the north-west of Douglas. The existing workshop is a steel-framed, single storey in scale structure, covered with light grey profiled metal sheeting for its walls and its asymmetric shaped roof. It is served by 1 No. roller shutter door in each of both the front and SE side elevations. Similar industrial size scale and buildings adjoin the site to the sides and front. The site backs onto a belt of mature trees located on either side of the River Dhoo which runs to the rear of the site. The site lies within the Settlement Boundary for Braddan.
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1.2 Within the estate a number of industrial buildings of varying dimensions have previously been built. There is a common theme in colour and design of the buildings.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the erection of a replacement workshop building at Unit 36, Snugborough Trading Estate, Braddan. The existing workshop building on the site would be demolished and the replacement unit would measure approx. 18.55m wide x 19.8m deep x 5.5m high to the eaves and 7.25m high to the ridge. It would have a dual pitched roof (not asymmetric). It would be served by 3 No. roller shutter doors placed in the front elevation each measuring 4.5m high x 4.4m wide which would face the internal estate road. 80mm Thick 'Kingspan' KS1000RW Composite Roof Sheeting is proposed to be used for the walls and rood, and the roof would be served by 12 No. GRP Rooflights on each roofslope covering approx. 10% of the roof area. The side and rear elevation would be blank save for a ground floor fire escape door in the SE side elevation. The forecourt area to the front of the building would be paved with concrete slabs up to the roadway to allow for vehicular access for customer vehicles and for vehicle parking.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 This application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
3.2 Within the immediate area/ estate there have been a number of approvals for the erection of light industrial buildings. 98/00164/B - Erection of store & office at plot 36, Snugborough Trading Estate, Union Mills, 96/00819/B - Erection of garage/workshop, Plot 36, Snugborough Trading Estate, Union Mills, Braddan- Approved. 10/10/1996. 94/00347/B - Construction of workshop/store with associated office & facilities, Plot 36, Snugborough Trading Estate, Braddan - Approved. 04/08/1994.
94/00266/C - Temporary change of use of trailer/skip storage area to waste transfer station & re-cycling unit, Snugborough Trading Estate, Braddan. Permitted - 19/09/1994.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the site lies within an area designated in the Area Plan for the East Proposals Map 4 - DOUGLAS - as part of a wider area zoned for industrial use. The site is not within a Conservation Area.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains two policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: Policy GEN 2 (in part) b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; i) does not have an adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways."
4.3 Environment Policy 7: Development which would cause demonstrable harm to a watercourse, wetland, pond or dub, and which could not be overcome by mitigation measures will not be permitted. Where development is proposed which would affect a watercourse, planning applications must comply with the following criteria: (a) all watercourses in the vicinity of the site must be identified on plans accompanying a planning application and include an adequate risk assessment to demonstrate that works will not cause long term deterioration in
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water quality; (b) details of pollution and alleviation measures must be submitted; (c) all engineering works proposed must be phased in an appropriate manner in order to avoid a reduction in water quality in any adjacent watercourse; and (d) development will not normally be allowed within 8 metres of any watercourse in order to protect the aquatic and bankside habitats and species.
4.4 Environment Policy 10: Where development is proposed on any site where in the opinion of the Department of Local Government and the Environment there is a potential risk of flooding, a flood risk assessment and details of proposed mitigation measures must accompany any application for planning permission. The requirements for a flood risk assessment are set out in Appendix 4.
4.5 Environment Policy 22: Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of: i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater; ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution.
4.6 Transport Policy 4: The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan.
4.7 Transport Policy 7: 'The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.' The standard in respect of light industrial requires there to be one parking space per 30 sq m of floor space for light industrial use, one per 50 sq m of industrial floor space and 1 per 100 sq m of storage and distribution floor space.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Braddan Commissioners have no objection (2/10/23)
Highway Services (22/9/23) Comments: 23/01072/B - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking.
DEFA - Inland Fisheries (17/10/23): I can confirm that DEFA, fisheries have no objections to this development from a fisheries perspective, provided that there is no adverse effect on the adjacent watercourse. As the proposed works are in close proximity to the watercourse, precautions will be needed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river. The area of river in question is also a valuable migratory fish spawning ground, as such we would request that no direct exterior lighting be directed onto the river.
DoI - Flood Risk management Division (25/9/23) Advises: The proposed building works are in a surface water flood zone. Flood risk mitigations should be implemented (raised freeboard & services above potential flood levels). If works are within 9.1m of the river bank a Section 20 Works Consent should be applies for (https://iomfloodhub.im/guidance/section-20-worksconsent/)
Recommendation - DNOC - Do not oppose subject to condition(s)
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) the impact of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
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6.2 The application proposes the replacement of the existing workshop unit on this recognised Industrial Estate with a larger (in area) footprint building. The proposed use and building would remain compatible with the original permission and surrounding buildings. The development will have little in the way of visual impact in terms of change to the character and appearance of the area as it is a developed industrial estate with buildings of a similar character already on the site either side and opposite to the front. The design and visual impact of the proposed replacement workshop building is considered to be acceptable and accords with the provisions of Policy GEN 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
6.3 The existing parking area would be upgraded and retained and parking provision is made on the basis the use will be for light industrial which is at the upper end of parking requirements should the use change to general industrial.
6.4 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services raised no objection to the proposal. There are no residential neighbours close-by to the site and no neighbours amenities would be affected by the development. This accords with accords with the provisions of Policies GEN2 (j), T4 and T7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
6.5 The comments received from DEFA Inland Fisheries and DoI FMD are noted. Their respective requirements can be covered by conditions. This accords with accords with the provisions of Policies ENV 7 and ENV 22 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
RECOMMENDATION 7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application is in accordance with aforementioned General Policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.
8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status __
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 24.01.2024
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Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER
Stephen Butler
Head of Development Management
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