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15/01123/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/01123/B Applicant : Heron & Brearley Ltd Proposal : Alterations, internal re-organisation including the installation of a mezzanine floor to provide additional office space, creation of additional windows and doors and provision of additional parking Site Address : The Brewery Old Castletown Road Douglas Isle of Man IM2 1QG
Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 29.10.2015 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Heron & Brearley Offices and Distribution Centre, located on the northern side Old Castletown Road, Kewaigue. Various warehouse and office buildings exist on the site, which is largely screened from Old Castletown Road by some high metal fencing and brick walls. Directly behind the wall and fencing lies quite a significant level of screening in the form of mature vegetation.
1.2 Access into the site is to the southeast, and opposite Ellenbrook Drive, a residential street. Surrounding uses include other industrial units, the steam railway line and private woodland.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the installation of a mezzanine floor to provide additional office space, creation of additional windows and doors and provision of additional parking.
2.2 The mezzanine floor over the existing reception would provide an additional 31.2sqm.
2.3 A further 130sqm of office space would be created on the ground floor in place of an existing storage area with an additional 30sqm office space in place of a cigarette store. Other internal alterations are proposed to create further office space.
2.4 All new windows and doorways would be installed on the south eastern elevation and north eastern of the existing building.
2.5 The final element of the proposal is the creation of twenty additional parking spaces. 16 of the new spaces would be a direct extension of the existing parking area and would extend the south and north eastern parking area by one space. The further four parking spaces would sit adjacent to an existing HGV parking area. This element of the proposal would result in the loss two large trees and ten further shrubs.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 Most recently, planning approval was granted in 2013 under PA 13/91120/B and 13/91119/B
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for the creation of an additional ten parking spaces and alterations including the creation of roller shutter openings and the regrading of the existing hard standing to create a level access.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 In terms of Local Plan policy, the application site is within an area zoned as Light Industrial under the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, no policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 relate specifically to alterations to existing industrial premises or the extension to existing car parks, unless within close proximity to rail routes. As such, General Policy 2, Business Policy 1 and Transport Policy 3 of the Strategic Plan are considered the most relevant.
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: (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 affect adversely 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 affect adversely 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 necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) 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."
Business Policy 1 states: "The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this plan."
Transport Policy 3 states: "New development on or around existing and former rail routes should not compromise their attraction as a tourism and leisure facility or their potential as public transport routes, or cycle/leisure footpath routes."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to the current planning application (21/10/2015).
5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application (17/11/2015).
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5.3 The Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture: Forestry, Amenity & Lands Directorate have stated in an email dated 16th October 2015 that given the amount of screen planting already in place at the site, DEFA have no problems with removal of the two trees specified. DEFA further acknowledged that the existing hedge will be removed to create another row for cars that will involve inserting kerbing close to trees to be retained. DEFA have therefore recommended that protective membrane of heavy gauge polythene be used to shield any feeder roots exposed to toxic cement and concrete as a result of removing the hedge . In addition to this the retained trees should be fenced off with protective barriers during works and no materials, machinery or plant be allowed to work or stand in the exclusion zone.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The window alterations and the installation of additional windows are deemed to be a fairly minimal form of development and are not considered to have a harmful impact upon the visual appearance of the building as viewed within the street scene.
6.2 A design statement has been prepared in support of the planning application that sets out the reasons for the need in the increased office space and the proposed additional parking. Within the submitted document it has been stated that for the past ten years or so, general warehousing and distribution has been a key activity at Heron & Brearley Kewaigue site and despite the recession, Heron & Brearley Ltd.'s business activities have continued to expand both in the Isle of Man and UK with the resultant increase in employment at all levels.
6.3 The statement goes on to further explain that in order to respond to the increasing demands associated with corporate and health and safety legislation and to undertake the level of turnover that prevails, Heron & Brearley are now in a position where they are looking to rationalise their in- house departments and generally update their office accommodation that was constructed over 25 years ago. To respond to the continued increase in staffing levels and accommodate the requirements of existing warehouse users, additional office space is needed.
6.4 Based on the above, in principle, the proposal would allow in the expansion of the business activities of Heron & Brearley which without doubt would assist with the growth and viability of the company as a whole and in this case is deemed acceptable.
6.5 The key consideration when considering the impact of the creation of the additional office floor space is whether the increase would result in an increased demand for car parking which cannot be satisfied within the site.
6.6 The extension to the car park would provide the additional parking required for the creation of the additional office space. In total, an additional 291sqm of office space would be created. Appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 states that 1 parking space should be provided for every 15sqm of nett floor space for out of town offices. In this instance, 19.4 parking spaces should be provided in which the proposal would do so by providing 20 parking spaces. It should also be acknowledged that the creation of an additional 8 parking spaces have previously been approved under PA 13/91120/B.
6.7 Looking at the visual impact of the car park extension, whilst the creation of additional parking would benefit the users of the site, the extension would result in the loss of two trees and other shrubbery. This has been considered by DEFA: Forestry who has no issue with the removal of the trees and other identified landscaping.
6.8 The southern and south eastern boundary of the application site is made up of dense mature planting that extends between 10 and 20 metres into the site from the road edge and as a result the existing car park is not visible from a public thoroughfare, nor is it visible from the railway line given its position in front of the building and the screening along the north/north western boundary of the site.
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6.9 It is considered that the removal of the trees, hedge and other shrubbery would not be detrimental to the visual amenity of the locality given the existing level of planting within the locality and the fact that the two trees are within the site, not visible to the public.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 For the reasons set out above, it is recommended that the planning application be permitted.
8.0 PARTY STATUS
8.1 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 considered material, in this case, Department of Infrastructure Highway Services; (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
DEFA Forestry is part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status.
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: 27.11.2015
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. Notwithstanding the details on Drawing Number PA 03, no approval is granted for the parking layout as shown on this submitted drawing.
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Reason: The correct proposed parking layout and parking space dimensions have been shown on Drawing Number PA 06 Revision A date stamped as received 11th November 2015.
C 3. No site works or clearance shall be commenced until protective fences which conform with British Standard 5837:2012 (or any British Standard revoking and re-enacting British Standard 5837:2012 with or without modification) have been erected around any existing trees and other existing or proposed vegetation indicated to be retained on Drawing Number PA 06 Revision A date stamped 11th November 2015. Unless and until the development has been completed these fences shall not be removed and the protected areas are to be kept clear of any building, plant equipment, material, debris and trenching, with the existing ground levels maintained, and there shall be no entry to those areas except for approved arboricultural or landscape works.
Reason: To safeguard the areas to be landscaped and the existing trees and planting to be retained within the site.
C 4. No site works or clearance shall be commenced until protective membrane of heavy gauge polythene has been installed over any feeder roots as a result of the removal of the hedge.
Reason: To shield and safeguard the feeder roots of the existing trees and planting to be retained within the site from toxic cement and concrete.
C 5. The existing trees and hedges shall be retained in accordance with the approved details. Any retained tree or hedge which within five years of the approved development being occupied or completed (whichever is the later) dies, is removed or becomes seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced by a similar species, of a size to be first approved in writing by the Department, during the next planting season or in accordance with a programme of replacement to be agreed in writing with the Department.
Reason: To safeguard the appearance of the development and the surrounding area.
This approval relates to Drawing Number PA 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 and 07 and Design Statement date stamped 6th October 2015 and PA 06 Revision A date stamped as received 11th November 2015.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 02.12.2015
Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett
Senior Planning Officer
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