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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 21/00691/C Applicant : Miss Catherine Prosser & Miss Sharon Kearns Proposal : Change of use of ground floor office space to residential living space Site Address : Brookdale Parliament Square Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AH

Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.08.2021 __

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to be in accordance with the land use designation as per the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 and General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 in that adverse impact has been identified as likely with respect of the amenity of the nearby residents or the commercial viability of the Town Centre. Furthermore, no unacceptable flood risk has been identified.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following plans and drawings (dated stamped received 10th June 2021): SM21/550/1 - Location Plan, Block Plan, Existing and Proposed Floor Plans

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

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It is recommended that the following Government Departments should be given Interested Person Status on the basis that they have made written submissions these do relate to planning considerations:

Flood Management Division (DOI) __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site consists of a three storey dwelling on the corner of Parliament Square and Taubman Street in Ramsey Town Centre. The dwelling has no record of being used for any other purposes, save for a ground floor room to the northern side which was previously connected to a chiropody surgery to the north (under the same ownership). This has since had planning approval for a conversion to an ice cream parlour. The room in question has never formally been re-converted to residential use since the initial change of use in 1994.

1.2 The site does not relate to a Registered Building or Conservation Area. It is within an area of fluvial and tidal flood risk.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks to regularise the use of one of the ground floor rooms at Brookdale as part of the dwelling. No external alterations are proposed. The room would be used as a utility room with a small bathroom and accessed from the rest of the dwelling as per the existing arrangement.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site falls within an area designated as the Town Centre in the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. As such, General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan is a key policy in the consideration of this application.

3.2 General Policy 2 states that 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: (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; (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; and (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding.

3.3 Environment Policy 13 notes that development which would result in an unacceptable risk from flooding, either on or off-site, will not be permitted.

4.0 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 94/00912/C - Change of use to chiropody surgery, unit adjoining Brookdale House, Parliament Square, Ramsey. APPROVED.

4.2 16/01378/C - Change of use of premises from a chiropodist to an ice cream parlour. Chiropody Surgery Adjacent To Brookdale Parliament Square. APPROVED.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 DOI Highways Services Development Control do not oppose the application (28.06.21).

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5.2 DOI Flood Risk Management Team oppose the application (28.06.21) as the it proposes a change of use from retail to residential accommodation within a high fluvial and tidal flood risk zone. Residential accommodation is classed as more vulnerable land use in regards to flood risk and consequently this cannot be supported by the Flood Management Division.

5.3 Ramsey Commissioners have no objection (14.07.21).

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key considerations in the assessment of this proposal are: o The Principle of the Residential Use o Impact on residential amenity o Flood Risk

6.2 Principle of the Use 6.2.1 The site is within Ramsey Town Centre and located centrally within Ramsey within walking distance to shops, attractions and bus services. There is no issue in principle with the use of Town Centre buildings for residential purposes provided that this does not harm the viability and vitality of the area. In this case however, the proposal is not to convert an existing commercial or retail unit into a dwelling.

6.2.2 The planning history for the site and the adjoining property to the north, in addition to the submitted planning statement, makes clear that a single ground floor room within the residential dwelling of Brookdale was used in connection with a previous chiropodist office and provide a link between the business and the dwelling (which were under the same ownership). The 2016 change of use application (see above) for the use of the commercial property to the north as a food outlet did not include any part of Brookdale in the floor plans. The 1994 plans show the room as an office and no change of use for the room has been approved since. The applicant therefore wishes to regularise the situation to make clear that the room is part of the wider dwelling, and to use it as a utility room with a small bathroom.

6.2.3 The principle of the use is acceptable as it would bring the room formally back into part of the rest of the dwellinghouse to which it is connected and from which it is accessed.

6.3 Residential Amenity 6.3.1 The use of the room as part of the wider dwelling would complement the dwelling and ensure that commercial uses to not take place which share a front door access and hallway with a residential dwelling. No adverse impact on residential amenity is likely to result.

6.3.2 Considering the above, the proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 (g) with regard to residential amenity.

6.4 Flood Risk 6.4.1 It is noted that the site is within a high risk flood zone given its proximity and ground level relative to the harbour and Sulby River. DoI Flood Risk Management team object to the change of use proposal for this reason.

6.4.2 It is considered however that the objection fails to take into account the nature of the proposal or the existing situation. Brookdale is an existing dwelling with a ground floor lounge and hallway, further living accommodation at first floor level, and bedrooms on the second floor. The access to Brookdale is existing and would be retained. The proposal does not seek an additional housing unit within the building, as outlined above, but would formally bring the room previously designated as an office into use as part of the dwelling. The proposed use of the room is as a utility room and a small bathroom - both considered to be less vulnerable uses as no sleeping accommodation is proposed. Indeed, the use would carry less risk to persons from flood risk than the existing lounge at ground floor level. Sleeping accommodation would be retained in the upper floors on this existing dwelling.

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6.4.3 No flood risk assessment is required due to the above. With the above in mind, it is considered that there would be no increased flood risk to occupants of Brookdale or adjoining land uses, in accordance with Environment Policy 13.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 In summary, the proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 2 of the IOMSP. No adverse impact has been identified as likely with respect of the amenity of the nearby residents or the commercial viability of the Town Centre. Furthermore, no unacceptable flood risk has been identified.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status. __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 04.08.2021

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

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