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Application No.: 09/01815/B Applicant: Manx Telecom Ltd Proposal: Conversion of first floor to a Business Continuity Centre Site Address: Greenhill Communications Centre Isle Of Man Business Park Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 2QZ ### Considerations Case Officer : Ms Henrietta Hopkins Expected Decision Level: Senior Planning Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consultee : Highways Division Notes: Do not oppose Consultee : Braddan Parish Commissioners Notes: The Board commented on the lack of dedicated parking spaces available for use by the continuity centre. Consultee : Disability Access Officer Notes: comment
The property subject of the application relates to the Business Continuity Centre, Greenhill Centre, Douglas. The property, a two-storey detached building, is located within the Isle of Man Business Park.
The application seeks approval to change the first floor from individual office rooms to an open plan office with 112 seats and the creation of an additional escape staircase from the first floor. The escape stairs will be located on the gable (east) elevation of the building.
The first floor will be used as a Business Continuity Centre for clients of Manx Telecom. A business Continuity Centre is basically "an insurance facility for any business in the event of a full or partial shutdown of their building and building services. The building will therefore only be used in that eventuality."
The application site is zoned as 'Master Plan to be prepared which will include areas of Industrial Use, Scientific Based Industries, High Density Residential Use, Landscaping and Secondary School of approximately 16 acres' in the Braddan Local Plan 1991. In the Braddan Area Plan (south) Draft the site is located as a 'Business Park.' The business park was accepted in 1989 when PA/89/4166 was approved on Appeal. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains a policy which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this application - General Policy 2.
General Policy 2 states the following: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of the Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; c) does not adversely affect the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; e) does not adversely affect public views of the sea; f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; 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 unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; j) can be provided with all the necessary services; k) does not prejudice the use of development of adjoining landing accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; I) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."
There have been no recent planning applications submitted which are considered relevant in the assessment of the application:
89/04166/A - Approval in principle for development of 40 acre business park, Ballacottier Farm, Cooil - Application Permitted on Review (1st January 1994)
96/00743/B - Erection of engineering centre for Manx Telecom, Isle of Man Business Park Permitted (2nd October 1996)
The Department of Transport have raised no objection to the proposed development. Braddan Commissioners have raised no objection but commented on the lack of dedicated parking spaces available for the use of the continuity centre.
The Access Officer made the following comments: A wheelchair user needs at least 1.5 m turning circle with the door shut. They would also need 600 mm at each side to transfer from the wheelchair to the toilets. This would need the cubical to be 2.4 m sq. If this is not possible then you could get away with 2 m sq cubical on each floor and have the toilet on the left hand side on one floor and right hand side of the next floor. The reason for this is if the wheelchair user has lost the use of their limbs down their left hand side then they would
need to transfer on the toilet to the right hand side and so on. If room is short then these toilets could be open to everyone not just for disabled people.
ASSESSEMENT
The application site is located within a Business Park in the Braddan Local Plan. Given the nature of the proposed development it is therefore appropriate to assess the proposals against the policy identified earlier within the report (i.e. General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007).
The Braddan Draft Plan (2003) states that "the Department is of the opinion that the land zoned for Business Park purposes should be retained solely for the uses as set out in paragraph 2.30 and should exclude the development of any new retail uses." Paragraph 2.30 states that "the Business Park was originally to encompass development for light industrial purposes, warehousing, new technology companies involved in scientific, commercial or industrial research or development, companies involved in the production of any electronic or associated system including fibre optics, view data systems, integrated circuitry, radio and telecommunications equipment, robotics or computer-aided design, companies involved in micro-engineering and micro-electronics, companies involved in research and development of production in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals."
The existing use is offices and the applicant proposes to continue using this building for office use. There will be internal changes made providing 112 seating areas. The only external change proposed is the escape stairs from the first floor, situated in the gable (east) elevation. It is considered that the metal escape stairs will not have a detrimental impact on the character or appearance of the building or surrounding area.
In terms of lack of parking that Braddan Parish Commissioners have commented upon, when on site there were plenty of vacant spaces available. Furthermore, the Highway Adviser has raised no objection to the proposed development. The existing use is offices and the proposed use will remain as offices.
RECOMMENDATION For these reasons it is considered that the proposed development is acceptable and is therefore recommended for approval. PARTY STATUS
It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, accord with the requirements of Planning Circular 1/06 and are therefore, afforded Interested Party Status:
It is considered that the following parties who submitted comments are not afforded Interested Party Status:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.01.2010
5 January 2010
09/01815/B
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