Change of use to storage / retail of non food goods

Refusal Reasons

• ✗The application proposes the change of use of the site from manufacturing to "storage/retail of non food goods". This would encompass a very wide range of items, each of which would require a specific assessment in terms of: the traffic generated by the use and whether the existing highway network could satisfactorily accommodate this new level of usage; the car parking which would be required by the proposed use; whether the proposed use would give rise to further development or signage to attract passing trade or give directional information and whether the proposed use is, could or should be accommodated within an existing town centre. No such assessments have been provided with the application and it is not possible with so general an application to undertake any of these assessments and as such it has not been demonstrated that any of the proposed range of uses would be acceptable. There is at least some evidence on the basis of existing retailing operations, that motor accessories, carpets and furniture can be sold from existing town centres and where, in the case of Castletown, such usage of existing fabric would maintain and possibly enhance an historically important townscape.