Officer Report

Application No.: 15/00686/B Applicant: Promenade Shirts And Embroidery Ltd Proposal: Construction of mezzanine floors in both units Site Address: Unit 4 & 5 Former Cooil Smithy Site Isle Of Man Business Park Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2QA Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the southernmost part of a recently completed building block situated on the north eastern side of Cooil Road opposite Ballapaddag industrial operation and within a development of 12 other units with a further similar development approved but not commenced to the north. The units are around 200 sq m measured internally and have three and four spaces associated with and available to them directly in front of the units which are back to back. THE PROPOSAL - 1.2 Proposed are internal changes which will link the two units so that they may be used as one. Also an upper floor area is to be introduced to provide 93 sq m of storage, a canteen, artwork room and screen stock room. The applicant has explained that the company has 4 staff in total and the new premises will not be increasing staff levels. The premises are intended to store their clothing before and after printing. They consider the amount of parking provided is adequate for their needs. PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY

3.1 The site lies within a site designated on the Braddan Local Plan of 1991 as an area where a master plan for the development of the site should be formulated to incorporate a mix of uses including residential, industrial, science based industry and a secondary school. The area was the subject of applications (PAs 89/04166, 90/04155) for the development of residential development at the northern edge and for a business park on the remainder of the site which includes some retailing (cars, carpets, timber and building products), Douglas Corporation's waste management headquarters, training facilities (Restart and Red Cross), and corporate headquarters (Manx Telecom, MEA, Celton Manx, Royal London). Planning approval was granted for the erection of the application building under PAs 13/00555/B and 13/91117/B as industrial and / or warehousing & distribution units. - 3.2 The development should therefore accord with the following policies in the Strategic Plan:

General Policy 2 states: "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:

• 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".

3.3 Parking provision should be made on the basis of 1 space per 50 sq m of industrial space and 1 to 100 sq m of storage and distribution in accordance with the Strategic Plan Appendix Seven. PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The site has previously been used temporarily as a builder's compound (PA 04/01292). A subsequent application for commercial development, including the adjacent land was refused for reasons relating to access which was to be taken directly from Cooil Road (PA 05/00575). Most recently it has had permission for the erection of 12 industrial units (see above). - 4.2 PA 10/01676 proposed the erection of a corporate headquarters building on part of the current site. This was a modern style structure with flat roof and horizontal proportions and associated car parking and landscaping. - 4.3 PA 12/01628 sought and was granted approval for the hoarding around the site and a current application seeks the display of advertisements on the hoarding (PA 13/00432). - 4.4 PA 11/00169 and 11/00170 proposed corporate headquarters buildings, similar to that approved under PA 10/01676, with associated landscaping and car parking. REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not object to the application (03.07.15). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The only issue in this case is whether the additional floor area will generate an increased demand for car parking which cannot be satisfied within the site and where such overspill would create difficulties for the adjacent highway network. The additional floor area should result in a requirement for an additional 1 or 2 spaces depending upon the nature of the use which is a combination of industry and storage. However, there are no opportunities for additional car parking to be provided within the immediate area as all possible parking was provided when the buildings were originally designed. Also, the applicant has indicated that their present and future staffing can be easily accommodated (with three spaces to spare) within the parking which is available to them.

6.2 As such the application is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval. 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 (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the

word ‘Department’ to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:

20.07.2015

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.

N 1. The building has approved use for industrial and warehousing and no approval is hereby granted or implied to the use of the building for retail purposes.

This approval relates to drawings A-CN-300 C1, A-CN-301 C2, A-CN-305C4, A-CN-308 C4 and PS/20/1 all received on 18th June, 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 : 24.07.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

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