14 July 2021 · Planning Committee
St Helena, Millmount Garage, Millmount, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 1he
The proposal involves changing the use of a two-storey car showroom and car park site in a small industrial estate on the edge of Douglas from light industrial (car dealership) to a Class 1.1 retail furniture shop, with 11 parking spaces provided.
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The officer noted the site is designated industrial but the existing car dealership use was sui generis, not industrial, resulting in no net loss of industrial land and introducing a mix of employment…
General Policy 2
Requires development to accord with Area Plan zoning and respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design, amenity, access, parking, road safety, and not prejudice adjoining land. Officer assessed the change of use complies as it does not adversely affect character, amenity, traffic, or adjoining development, despite industrial zoning.
Business Policy 5
On industrial land, retailing permitted only if items could not reasonably be sold from town centre due to size/nature or are produced on-site, without detracting from town centre vitality. Furniture assessed as requiring large floor space unsuitable for town centre, with no detraction from Douglas vitality.
Transport Policy 7
Sets parking standards; light industrial 1 space/30m², neighbourhood shops for staff/customers/service. Proposal's 11 spaces adequate per Highway Services no-objection, using neighbourhood shop standards appropriate for site beside arterial road.
Environment Policy 1
Area Plan for the East supports industrial land for manufacturing, warehousing, offices (per BP7), or retail (per BP5). Retail here tested against BP5 and found compliant despite industrial designation.
Time limit
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.
Use restriction to furniture shop
Notwithstanding the provisions of the TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (USE CLASSES) ORDER 2019, the unit may only be used as a furniture shop and not for any other purpose within Class 1.1 of Part 1. Reason: in order to comply with Business Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan (2016).
Disabled parking provision
Prior to the development hereby approved being brought into use the car park shall be laid out in accordance with details which have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and which show the provision of at least 1 disabled parking space, and the car park shall be retained as such thereafter. Reason: to ensure that adequate provision is made for disabled parking in accordance with the supporting information.
no objection
do not oppose this application; no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and/or parking
does not object to this application
no concern for this development as there is no work altering external elevation of the property
All statutory consultees, including DOI Highways, DEFA Fisheries, DOI Flood Risk Management, and Douglas Borough Council, have reviewed the change of use application and raised no objections.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and /or parking.; DNO on 4.6.21
Conditions requested: Bicycle parking should be provided for staff and customers to accord with the benchmark parking guideline within Local Transport Note 1/20 at one space per 200sqm long stay and one space per 200sqm short stay respectively, requiring a minimum of two spaces. These should be provided in a covered and secure facility. Ideally, the short stay should be separate from the long stay and both positioned away from the waste bin storage.
DEFA Fisheries
No ObjectionDEFA Fisheries have no concerns in relation to this development from a fisheries perspective. This is due to the nature of the works not altering anything externally.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Flood Risk Management Division
No ObjectionDNO
Douglas Borough Council
No ObjectionDouglas Borough Council has no objection.
