Officer Report

Application No.: 15/00176/B Applicant: Manx Telecom Proposal: Erection of temporary office accommodation Site Address: Greenhill Communications Centre Isle Of Man Business Park Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2QZ Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 26.03.2015 Site Visit: 26.03.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Greenhill Centre - Manx Telecom's telecommunications operating centre which comprises a garage facility for the company, storage, engineering centre and more recently a business continuity centre, providing back up facilities for local businesses. The site is 3.5 acres (1.4ha) and whilst within the Business Park, the site is not overly landscaped and is characterised by a large building sitting in the centre of the site within a large car park. There is a yard at the rear where vehicles are serviced and stored. - 1.2 Access into the site is from the north to the service yard and also from the main Business Park spine road at the south. - 1.3 Immediately to the north west of the site is Ballacottier Primary School. To the south east is the Douglas Corporation operational centre accommodating refuse vehicle storage and servicing and supporting offices and storage. To the west is the Red Cross and Restart training facilities and to the north is a series of industrial units contained in one building. Also owned by the applicant is Manx Telecom's headquarters which lies to the west alongside the estate spine road. - 1.4 Planning permission has been granted for changes to the use of the site which has seen the operating centre become more focused upon web hosting with less space dedicated to the maintenance of vehicles and the actual telephony operation. Some of the approvals which have been granted have been implemented (Phase 1) and others (Phase 2) due to start shortly. THE PROPOSAL

• 2.1. To summarise the overall proposals for the site Manx Telecom are broadening their service base and now a significant part of their business is in hosting and managing central computer equipment for local and international companies. They sought and received planning permission for a large data centre facility at the White Hoe Industrial estate (PA 10/1901) although this has not been implemented and remains an option for meeting larger scale demand for data centre services in an industrial location.
• 2.2 Manx Telecom wishes to consider outsourcing its vehicle servicing operations and review its stores operations which will release part of the site for other purposes. They wish to convert the existing maintenance garage into a data centre, convert the existing stores into a

• second data hall and finally the creation of a new data hall at the rear of the site. Each data hall is effectively a series of racks of computers which have to be temperature controlled and with a constant source of uninterrupted power. The plant required for the temperature control and power will be fenced off with emergency generators provided which would only be deployed in the event of a loss of power. They suggest that they would be happy to accept a noise control limit of 45dB (day) and 35 dB (night) measured at the nearest residential properties. This was permitted in principle under PA 12/01175/A and in detail under PA 13/000726/REM.
• 2.3 The first phase, removing the existing yard area to the east of the main building and installing generators, chillers and air handling units which would be up to 3m high, enclosed by 2.5m high fencing has been completed. Internally the vehicle servicing area has been converted to accommodate the racked computers.
• 2.4 The second phase will involve the internal conversion of the stores to more computer racks and the provision of further air handling, chillers, generators and fuel tanks on the western side. Again this area of plant will be enclosed by 2.5m high fencing with the plant being up to 3m high.
• 2.5 A third phase was shown in the approval in principle. This would involve the erection of a new building to the north of the existing main building. This was shown to have a footprint of 31m by 55m with a small annex at the western end of almost 14m by 16m. This building was shown to be up to 10m in height with a shallow pitched roof. No details of this have been proposed.
• 2.6 The implementation of Phase 2 involves the conversion of existing operating centre floorspace and as such alternative provision needs to be made for this before the works can be carried out. What is proposed is the siting and use of two temporary buildings for a period of two years to accommodate the office function of the division, until suitable premises are found for a permanent facility. The temporary buildings will be removed when they are no longer needed. The buildings are two floor, flat roofed typical site cabins with an L shaped footprint which forms part of a rectangle which is 16.6m by 12.4m and 6.7m high. The building will be sited close to the eastern boundary of the site, alongside Douglas Borough Council's premises and over 30m from the estate road. PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY

3.1 The site is designated on the Braddan Local Plan of 1991 as an area for which a Master Plan was to be produced and where the permitted development would be industry, sciencebased industries, high density residential, landscaping and a secondary school. The school which was developed is a primary school and the residential development has been undertaken at the north western edge of the site. There is now a service centre with a public house, take away, nursery and offices alongside the housing, all in accordance with the approvals which have been granted on the site for the development of the business park since the late 1980s early 1990s. The remainder of the area has been developed for a mixture of large corporate headquarters set in landscaped grounds and smaller scale industrial units. There is an area of around 3 ha which is undeveloped, at the south western end of the site. - 3.2 The proposed use of the site is in accordance with the use of the site as a telecommunications centre although the focus of the services provided at the site will change from general telecommunications to very specifically computer hosting. The decision to provide these services at this site is not a planning issue but one for the operation of the company. - 3.3 As such the provisions of General Policy 2 are applicable in this case:

"Development which is in accordance with the land use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• 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;

• g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• 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;
• j) can be provided with all necessary services;
• k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them".

3.4 The Government aims on which the Strategic Plan of 2007 was founded includes the aim to "pursue manageable and sustainable growth based on a diversified economy". The provision of a secure and robust computer system is very much part of many modern day businesses' foundation and a key factor in how they grow and maintain acceptable levels of service. This in turn creates employment and investment for the Island. PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The centre was approved under PA 96/00743 with alterations and extensions approved under 97/01332, 07/00550 and 09/1815. - 4.2 Permission was granted for a hosting facility at White Hoe under PA 10/01901. This was to supplement Douglas North's capacity which was to reach its limit in 2012. - 4.3 The approval in principle, PA 12/01175 required that the development be commenced no later than 4th January, 2017 and the application for reserved matters made prior to 4th January, 2015, PA 13/00726/REM. It also required that noise levels not exceed 35dB LAeq (1 hour) and at the nearest residential premises 30dB LAeq (1 hour). REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application (02.03.15). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Whilst temporary buildings are seldom a welcome addition to any site, in this case, the buildings will be in a not particularly prominent position as viewed from the road and will be seen behind a metal fence, parked vehicles and alongside a cream coloured, taller building, all adding to the mitigation of the structure. It is also only proposed on a temporary basis.

6.2 The application is recommended for approval on the condition that the temporary accommodation is removed from the site no later than 31st March, 2017. PARTY STATUS - 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant’s agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;

• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material;
• (d) The Highways Division of the Department; and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:

27.03.2015

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. The temporary accommodation hereby approved must be removed from the site no later than 31st March, 2017. Reason: the proposed accommodation is required on a temporary basis only.

This approval relates to drawings SC1363/P/00-01, SC1363/P/10-01 and SC1363/P/00-00 all received on 16th February, 2015.

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 : 30.03.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed :……………M GALLAGHER. Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control