8 March 2005 · Minister for Local Government and the Environment
Land Adjacent To E B Christians And, White Hoe Industrial Estate, Old Castletown Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 1qd
The proposal sought approval in principle for light industrial units on a 2.275ha field zoned as Open Space or Woodland in the Douglas Local Plan, adjacent to the existing White Hoe Industrial Estate.
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The Minister considered the inspector's report but did not concur, judging that insufficient weight was given to the acknowledged demand for industrial land in Douglas and surrounding area, particular…
Douglas Local Plan (parking standards)
Zones the site as Open Space or Woodland. Planning Committee and inspector placed considerable weight on this zoning, requiring good reasons to depart. Minister approved despite conflict, citing demand and mitigable impacts outweighing zoning.
Time limit and reserved matters
This approval is in principle only and will remain valid for a period of two years within which time no development may take place until such time as details of the reserved matters (siting, design, external appearance, internal layout, means of access, landscaping) have been approved by the Planning Committee. Such reserved matters should form the subject of a single application.
Landscaping scheme
The details of landscaping submitted with the Reserved Matters application must include tree and shrub planting (predominantly tree-planting) to cover approximately 20% of the site (excluding the existing Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry's planting), so disposed as to mitigate the visual impact of the proposed units as viewed from the highway, the railway, and The Nunnery Estate.
Supports construction of light industrial units; aware of demand; logical extension; minimal visual detriment; land despoiled by IRIS; supports reclassification to industrial
No objection beyond initial response; conditional approval
Mixed responses to application 04/02473/A for light industrial units at White Hoe, with objections from local residents and farms on zoning and amenity grounds, support from DTI for economic reasons, no objection from Highways subject to conditions, and a standard utilities query from IoMWA.
Key concern: site not zoned for industrial use, zoned as private woodland
Andrew Jessopp
ObjectionI oppose the 'policy' of displacing businesses from Douglas onto greenfield sites in Braddan; This site was supposed to have been returned to its former state following use as a compound for the IRIS transmission main contract, but has not been carried out properly in my opinion; Building on this site would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the properties on the Braddan side of the Old Castletown Road
IoMWA Water Supply
Conditional No ObjectionSee Note (1)
Conditions requested: condition of planning be that the applicant must contact the Authority to ensure that a connection is obtained for water supply purposes, or an amendment to the existing supply under the terms of the Water Supply Byelaws; For connections that comprise more than a single connection to a water main or service, or where new water mains and hydrants will be required, the applicant should contact the IoMWA Planning and Projects Section
Department of Transport Highways Division
Conditional No ObjectionNo adverse traffic impacts, subject to the imposition of the following conditions
Conditions requested: The road layout, including sight lines, and parking arrangements shall be deferred to a later application
Department of Trade & Industry
SupportThe Department is aware of a demand for high quality light industrial units in or close to Douglas area; Whilst the zoning of this land as Open Space or Woodland is recognised, this Department would support its reclassification as Industrial land
The original application 04/02473/A for approval in principle for light industrial units was refused by the Planning Committee on 25 February 2005, confirmed on review on 29 April 2005, primarily because the land is zoned as Open Space or Woodland on the Douglas Local Plan and insufficient evidence justified an exception due to visual detriment. The appellant argued that the site is a natural extension of the established White Hoe Industrial Estate, supported by demand evidence, tenant success stories, infrastructure availability, prior IRIS compound use, and endorsements from the Department of Trade and Industry and draft plans. The Planning Committee defended the refusal citing visual impact on a green area beside a principal traffic route, availability of alternative sites in Braddan, and prematurity ahead of a new Area Plan. The inspector acknowledged demand and changes like temporary IRIS use but gave considerable weight to the existing Local Plan zoning, found no overwhelming case for immediate release due to visual prominence from the road and Steam Railway, and recommended dismissal on 22 August 2005.
Precedent Value
This appeal demonstrates that zoning in a current Local Plan carries considerable weight even with acknowledged demand; departures require overwhelming evidence, especially for visually prominent sites. Future applicants should prioritise sites within zoned areas or await plan reviews rather than seeking exceptions on open space.
Inspector: John S Turner
