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PLANNING STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF SHEARWATER PROPERTIES LTD
ERECTION OF A 3 STOREY MIXED USE BUILDING PROVIDING RETAIL AND OFFICE ACCOMMODATION ON LAND AT THE FORMER BARRY CURRAN THE FARMER’S COMBINE SITE, WEST QUAY, RAMSEY
MAY 2021
Introduction 3 Site History 4 Site Location 5 Proposed Development 5 Relevant Planning Policies 5 Principle of Development 9 Site Layout 9 Landscaping 9 Design 9 Transportation & Access 11 Ecology and Trees 12 Flood Risk & Drainage 13 Conclusion 14
This statement is prepared on behalf of Shearwater Ltd and is submitted in support of the erection of a 4-storey office building and associated car parking and landscaping on land at the former Barry Curran and Farmer’s Combine site, West Quay, Ramsey.
The following issues are covered within this statement:
These issues are dealt with in turn throughout this report.
SITE HISTORY A brief summary of the relevant planning history of the site is provided below. Alterations and conversions to form sales area and associated offices, No. 27 and warehouse premises, Corner of West Quay and Christian Street, Ramsey 85/00175/B – APPROVED Change of use of warehouse to car sales and associated workshop, building occupied by Corlett Sons & Cowley, 26a West Quay, Ramsey - 97/00421/C – APPROVED Change of use of agricultural repair shop to motor vehicle repair shop (to be used in conjunction with adjoining showroom) - 00/00890/B – APPROVED Conversion of existing covered coal yard/wool shed to car parking and display area in relation to adjacent Barry Curran Motors, with installation of new vehicular entrance doors and signage - 04/00854/B – APPROVED Erection of a building to provide retail and office space and seven residential apartments with associated parking - 08/01012/B - APPROVED Erection of a building to provide retail and office space and six residential apartments with associated parking – 09/00954/B - APPROVED Proposal to register the former Farmer’s Combine warehouse – 18/00007/RBINV dated 9th November 2018. Application to de-register the former Farmer’s Combine warehouse – 19/00235/CON approved 15th October 2019. Appeal in respect of application 19/00235/CON – appeal dismissed and former Farmer’s Combine warehouse formally de-registered – dated 26th November 2020. All remaining buildings demolished and site cleared in December 2020. Pre-Application Discussions
Initial discussions have taken place between McGarrigle Architects on behalf of the applicant and Chris Balmer & Ross Brazier on behalf of the Isle of Man Government. The discussions centered upon the principle of development and any particular design considerations required.
The site is located along West Quay in Ramsey, adjacent to Christian Street to the east and Aukland Street to the south. The site formerly accommodated the Farmer’s Combine warehouse, a car sales showroom and a workshop garage however all have now been demolished and the site is presently vacant.
The buildings in the locality are a mixture of two, three and four storey buildings. The building abutting the western site boundary on the West Quay frontage, is a four-storey apartment building, with a painted render façade. The building adjacent to the site on Christian Street, fronting onto West Quay is also a fourstorey apartment building, with a stonework façade and is a Registered Building. The architectural character of the older buildings along the quayside can be summarised as traditional Victorian architecture which developed in tandem with the growth of commercial activity in the harbour area. The building types range from two and three storey painted render former office and retail buildings, to tall four-storey narrow stone-faced warehouses with gable fronts split down the middle by vertical doorways; with windows on both sides of the central doorways.
Access to the site is currently served off West Quay however historically there have also been access points off Aukland Lane.
This proposed development, on behalf of Shearwater Properties Ltd, is for the provision of a 3-storey mixed use building providing two upper floor levels of offices and a retail unit on the ground floor. The external works includes a new vehicle access on to West Quay, car park for 48 car spaces, 4 motorcycle spaces and 8 bicycle spaces, a service vehicle area, soft landscaping and new foul and surface water drainage systems.
The proposed design of the building has been given careful consideration to ensure the design, appearance and positioning is appropriate at this location and has an appropriate relationship with adjoining uses.
The relevant planning policies in the Development Plan applicable to the determination of this application are set out below.
‘New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3.’
‘Proposals for development must ensure that the individual character of our towns and villages is protected or enhanced by:
between settlements; and
materials and character.’
‘New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to take account of the Strategic Aims and Policies.’
‘Major employment-generating development should be located in existing centres on land zoned for such purposes and identified as such in existing Local or new Area Plans.’
Strategic Policy 9:
‘All new retail development (excepting neighbourhood shops and those instances identified in Business Policy 5) and all new office development (excepting corporate headquarters suitable for a business park(1) location) must be sited within the town and village centres on land zoned for these purposes in Area Plans, whilst taking into consideration Business Policies 7 and 8.’
General Policy 2:
‘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:
Environment Policy 13: ‘Development which would result in an unacceptable risk from flooding, either on or off-site, will not be permitted.’ Environmental Policy 42:
‘New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity, in terms of buildings and landscape features of the immediate locality. Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a particular area will not be permitted. Those open or green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans.
Environment Policy 43:
‘The Department will generally support proposals which seek to regenerate rundown urban and rural areas. Such proposals will normally be set in the context of regeneration strategies identified in the associated Area Plans. The Department will encourage the re-use of sound built fabric, rather than its demolition.’
‘New office floor space should be located within town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space (a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers; or (b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance.’
‘New office buildings should, in terms of height and mass, respect the scale and character of adjoining and nearby buildings and should accommodate parking space in accordance with the standards specified in Appendix 7 of the Plan’
‘The Department will support new retail provision in existing retail areas at a scale appropriate to the existing area and which will not have an adverse effect on adjacent retail areas. Major retail development proposals will require to be supported by a Retail Impact Assessment(1) .’
‘Retail development will be permitted only in established town and village centres, with the exceptions of neighbourhood shops in large residential areas and those instances identified in Business Policy 5.’
Transport Policy 1: ‘New development should, where possible, be located close to existing public transport facilities and routes, including pedestrian, cycle and rail routes.’ Transport Policy 7:
‘The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department’s current standards.’ Appendix 7 (Parking Standards) requires one space per 50sqm of net office floor space, preferably provided on-site, but otherwise provided conveniently close to the site.
The site is located within an area of ‘mixed use’ located within the town centre. The proposed development provides retail and commercial uses and as such is deemed appropriate within this location.
The previous planning permissions on site, whilst now lapsed, demonstrate suitability of a similar mix of uses at this location.
Therefore the principle of development is established at this site. SITE LAYOUT
The layout of the proposals has been arranged to replicate the existing line of built form along West Quay with the proposed building at the back of the pavement. The proposed building also abuts Christian Street. This arrangement has been agreed following discussions with the planning department.
Vehicular access to the site is proposed via a solitary position off West Quay to the west of the proposed building. This positioning ensures a safe and convenient access both to and from the site. This access links directly into a car park within the western and southern part of the site. Pedestrian access to the retail is provided via the car park to the rear of the building and to the offices is via Christian Street.
Pedestrian access is provided via the main car park entrance and a further pedestrian and cycle access is provided via Christian Street.
The bin store is located to the south western portion of the site alongside Aukland Lane and the car park incorporates sporadic landscaping features to soften the appearance of built form.
The proposals include elements of landscaping within the car park and communal areas to soften the impact of the proposals and provide important habitat to increase vertebrate prey for a range of bird species.
The aim is to produce a high quality development appropriate in scale and character for the site and its prominent location whilst also ensuring deliverability. The overall aim is to provide a development that will be both aesthetically pleasing and economically viable.
The aim of the proposal is to provide a high quality development that maximizes the opportunity on site whilst providing a development appropriate to this sensitive location.
The sensitive location of the site along West Quay and the relationship with Sulby River is such that it is considered essential to provide a high quality and positive elevational treatment to the north as of paramount importance. However it is also important to ensure a positive relationship with Christian Street to the east and also to Aukland Street to the south in light of the active frontage in these areas.
The key is to ensure a high quality development is achieved appropriate to this important and prominent location. We believe the proposed development achieves these aims.
The proposed development has been carefully designed in context with the neighbouring properties and then existing built form along West Quay in terms of the height, scale and bulk. The proposals are 3 storey with a top height consistent with the properties along West Quay ensuring an appropriate relationship with the adjoining buildings.
The architectural design concept for the West Quay frontage is for a more traditional ‘Victorian’ façade, with traditionally proportioned uPVC or aluminium sash-style casement windows set in a masonry cavity wall over the three storeys. Along the West Quay elevation, the design uses a variety of different materials on the façade to create the appearance of several properties rather than just one single building. The design uses natural stone, painted render and facing brickwork to express the separation of the facade creating the impression of several individual buildings.
At the Christian Street corner of West Quay facade, the corner projecting gable is finished in natural stone with stone lintels over the windows and doors to be sympathetic to the stone gable of the Registered apartment building on the other side of Christian Street. The architectural style along Christian Street is more contemporary and as such the more contemporary façade with parapets at roofline level would fit in the existing street-scene in this location.
On the rear (car park) elevation the façade is much more contemporary in design with a ground floor of full height glazing/sign space to the retail unit at ground floor and a mix of curtain walling and sash style windows set in a cavity wall on the upper floors. The rear elevation of the new building is set between 29.5m and 34.7m away from the nearest points of the rear of the properties on the terrace along this section of Auckland Lane.
The roof is designed to be a simple traditional hipped roof, with an artificial slate tile covering; and three projecting gable roofs on the West Quay elevation.
To avoid and reduce any chance of overlooking from this new development to the existing apartment building opposite the facade of the new building is set-back progressively from the back-of-kerb, increasing the distance from the facades down Christian Street. Furthermore the positioning of the windows has been carefully considered to ensure there is no direct overlooking to the existing
residents along Christian Street. The small size of the windows within Thurwood Place assist in minimizing any impact upon amenity.
The result is a high quality and appropriate design for this sensitive location. Further information is provided within the enclosed Design Statement and associated drawings.
As part of the proposals it is important to assess the transportation implications of the development to ensure the scheme is acceptable from highway safety, traffic and transportation issues. A separate Transport Statement and Travel Plana re submitted as part of this application. The key points are summarised below.
Existing Site Conditions
West Quay is a single carriageway two-way road with footways on both sides of the carriageway. It provides frontage access to residential and commercial properties as well as access to Mooragh promenade and other elements of Ramsey Town Centre. Controlled street parking is present along its length.
Christian street lies to the eastern boundary and is a narrow single carriageway two-way road with footways on both sides of the carriageway. Aukland Lane to the south is a narrow single carriageway two-way lane with no footways present and is used to gain rear access to the businesses and residential properties fronting Parliament Street.
Access Proposals
Vehicular access is proposed via a purpose built simple priority junction from West Quay, which will be in the same location as the existing informal access, located on the northern boundary of the site.
The proposed development will be serviced by Ramsey Town Commissions who when consulted said that their vehicle will drive along Christian Street and reverse into Auckland Lane. For this reason, the bin store can be accessed from Auckland Lane and a 6m radii has been provided.
Deliveries to the site will be undertaken using a 10.1m ridged service vehicle. Swept path analyses has been undertaken within the car park and at the site access to demonstrate the turning manoeuvres of a 10.1m ridged service vehicle.
As per the guidance set out above the 1,521sq.m of nett office space requires 30 car parking spaces. Town Centre Shops only require space for a service vehicle, which is provided, however, given the proposed is food retail it is likely a proportion of customers will use their cars to transport shopping and as such an additional 18 spaces have been proposed on-site. In total 48 car parking spaces are proposed on site, including three disabled bays. In addition, four motorcycle parking bays are proposed and six bicycle racks.
It is considered that the proposed level of parking provides an appropriate balance between the need to promote sustainable modes of transport, meeting residents’ demands and minimising on street parking.
Accessibility
Walking is recognised as the most important mode of travel at a local level and it offers the greatest potential to replace short car trips, particularly those trips under two kilometres. Footways are present on both sides of the roads surrounding the site, with dropped/low kerbs present at appropriate junctions. In addition, many of the roads surrounding the site benefit from uncontrolled pedestrian crossings along their length. The walking catchment area from the centre of the site, set by the 2 kilometre distance, includes all of Ramsey itself.
Cycling also has the potential to substitute for short car trips, particularly those that are less than five kilometres. As such, all areas and facilities within a reasonable walking distance can also be considered to be within a reasonable cycling distance. It is clear that, in addition to the areas that are accessible on foot, the five kilometre catchment area also includes the rural areas surrounding Ramsey. Furthermore cycle route 5 is located close to the site.
Ramsey Bus Station is located on Westborne Road in Ramsey some 200m south of the site. Ramsey Bus Station is well served by local bus services and is within a reasonable walking or cycling distance of the site. In addition, the route from the site to the bus station benefit from existing well maintained footways and crossing points. This will enable employees to commute and customers to visit the site using the local bus services as part of their journey, should they wish. Those travelling between the site and the bus station by bicycle could also make use on the on-site cycle parking. Cycling has the potential to substitute for short car trips, particularly those less than 5 km.
Summary
Overall, it is considered that the site is a suitable location for the proposed development and there are no highways or transport reasons that should prevent the granting of planning consent for the proposals.
The site is generally of low ecological value in its current condition with the main ecological features relating to a probable nesting site for Herring Gulls and a Nectar source for invertebrates.
In response to the ecological features on site the proposed scheme includes bird boxes and bat boxes integrated into the built structures and the provision of nectar rich planting, such as hawthorn and willow, to improve the diversity and biomass of invertebrates.
The site is located in an area at risk of tidal flooding. Discussions have been undertaken with Manx Utilities and in order to mitigate the risk of flooding the proposed building is required to be 5.64m above datum plus an additional 300mm for the finished floor level.
The Flood Risk Assessment submitted as part of this application, sets out the flood environment and flood protection measures in detail. In this instance it is not possible to raise the finished ground floor level of the building – due to where it is located – above the predicted flood level plus free board of 5.94 AD02, as a result flood protection measures are required for the building. On all elevations of the building, the minimum ground floor windowsill height has been set to 5.95 AD02 – only the doorways to the building are set below this level. Flood defences shall consist of either a de-mountable type of structure that will be constructed or installed once exceptional storm surge forecasts are made or will be an integrated system as part of the building construction.
The drainage for the site will consist of a separate foul and an attenuated surface water system discharging to the sewers in West Quay. Further detail is provided in the accompanying Flood Risk Assessment and Surface Water Management and Disposal Strategy Report.
This statement is prepared in support of the proposed development of a 3-storey mixed use building providing two upper floor levels of offices and a retail unit on the ground floor.
The principle of development is accepted by virtue of the location within the town center but also in light pf the planning history of the site.
The proposed development has been designed in accordance with the relevant planning policies, in context with the history of the site and in context with the site and surrounding area. This has taken careful consideration of the need to provide a high quality development upon this prominent site.
The proposals have been carefully designed to sit appropriately in context with the surrounding uses, in particular the properties along Christian Street and the adjoining properties along West Quay. The result is a high quality development appropriate to the site and its surroundings.
In light of the above, and following a detailed assessment of all other matters, the proposed development complies with all relevant planning policies and represents a high quality and deliverable development for this site.
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