29 October 2021 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Jason Singleton)
Plot Of Land East Of Block H, Balthane Park, Balthane, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 2ax
The proposal involves building two blocks of 10 small industrial units each (5 at 92.9 sqm and 5 at 125 sqm per block, totalling 2183 sqm) using rendered cavity blockwork walls, grey sheeting above, and matching roller shutter doors. The site is within the designated industrial area of Balthane Industrial Estate.
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The site is zoned for industry on the Area Plan for the South, so the principle of industrial/storage units is acceptable per Employment Proposal 1, Strategic Policy 6 (major employment in zoned areas…
Environment Policy 1
Requires industrial uses at Balthane Industrial Estate. Officer assessed proposal aligns as site is designated for industry and units for small-scale industrial/storage.
Landscape Proposal 19
Requires high-quality functional design for industrial buildings visible from A5 or railway. Officer found design matches adjacent units, functional, and views distant/filtered.
General Policy 2
Requires development respects site/surroundings in scale/design/landscaping, no adverse amenity/highway impacts. Assessed compliant on visual, amenity, highways, landscaping tests (b,c,g,h,i).
Strategic Policy 6 - Major employment-generating development
Locate major employment in zoned centres. Site zoned industrial near employment areas with good transport.
Strategic Policy 10
Promote integrated transport minimising car use. Achieved via parking, cycle storage, pedestrian links.
Business Policy 1
Encourage employment growth per other policies. Proposal offers jobs in zoned area.
Business Policy 5
On industrial land, permit only industrial/storage; no retail. Restricted to Class 2.3/2.4 uses.
Transport Policy 7
Parking per standards (1/50sqm industrial, 1/100sqm storage). 50 spaces exceed requirements.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
No mezzanine floors
Notwithstanding the meaning of development in Section 6 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 or any act revoking or re-enacting that Act, no mezzanine floor shall be constructed without a further application for planning approval being submitted and approved.
Use restriction
Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification), the units hereby approved shall only be used for General industrial (Class 2.3) and/or Storage/distribution (Class 2.4) and for no other purpose at any time.
Access and parking layout
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the pedestrian and vehicle arrangements, and pedestrian link to Douglas Road have been provided in accordance with the approved plan (APL21 Rev A). Such areas shall remain free from obstruction thereafter and remain available to the users of the corresponding industrial unit.
Cycle storage
The development shall not be occupied or operated until the details of secure and covered cycle storage has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The secure and covered bicycle store shall be provided in accordance with the approved details and shall thereafter be retained as such.
Landscaping scheme
No development shall be commenced on site until the details of the Manx native soft landscaping scheme for the landscape areas shown on Drawing No. APL/221 rev A, has been first submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development or the occupation of the units, whichever is the sooner. Any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.
Bat and bird boxes
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied/brought into use until the plans which show details of the location, amount and specifications of nest boxes of the bat boxes and bird boxes have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The bat and bird boxes shall be installed/constructed in accordance with details shown on the submitted plan and shall thereafter be retained as such.
No opposition subject to layout per Drawing APL21 Rev A and condition for cycle parking.
No concerns from fisheries perspective.
Capacity exists in infrastructure; no objection.
No objections.
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer raised concerns about nesting birds and loss of habitat, requesting specific landscaping and bird box conditions; all other consultees (Highways, MUA Drainage, Fisheries, Malew Parish) raised no objections with minor conditions from MUA.
Key concern: potential for nesting birds in gorse scrub requiring checks and timing restrictions
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No ObjectionIdeally all gorse scrub removal should take place outside of nesting season; Thorough checks for nesting birds must be undertaken prior to vegetation removal; These conditions are requested in order for the development to comply with Strategic Objective 3.3 Environment (b) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
Conditions requested: Manx native landscaping plan to be provided to Planning for written approval prior to works, clearly showing retained vegetation and new planting; plans detailing location, amount and specifications of nest boxes submitted to Planning for written approval prior to works, with at least 4 Starling nest boxes (45mm entry hole) on north west elevations
Department of Infrastructure Highways
Conditional No ObjectionThe proposal does not raise significant road safety or highway network efficiency issues. Accordingly, Highway Services raise no opposition
Conditions requested: layout to conform to Drawing No: APL\221 Rev A; cycle parking if appropriate
Manx Utilities Authority
Conditional No Objectioncapacity exists within the current infrastructure to accommodate this increase; Manx Utilities has reviewed the development proposals to ensure that the original surface water infrastructure installed under PA 04/00024/B is suitable
Conditions requested: NO discharge of surface water (directly or indirectly) from this proposed development to any foul drainage system(s); proposed development must be connected to the public sewer(s) in a manner acceptable to Manx Utilities. All drainage works must conform to the requirements of “Manx Sewers for Adoption”; 20 communication fees of £1500.00 each payable to Manx Utilities Authority
DEFA Inland Fisheries
No ObjectionDEFA Fisheries have no concerns in relation to this development from a fisheries perspective
Malew Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionMalew Parish Commissioners have no objections to the following two planning applications
