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The site, defined in red on plan reference 92229/1 represents the former Ronaldsway Shoe Factory building which is presently vacant and situated within the industrial area situated between the railway line and the Castletown Road (A5): also included within the site is the grassed area tot he north of the building between it and the estate road. The industrial estate also accommodates Strix, various
warehouses and a building which has permission for use as the offices of Manx Family Services (04/02006).
The site is within an area designated as Industry on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982.
Previously, this site was the subject of a successful application for the change of use to the storage and maintenance of buses/coaches for Protours (05/1541).
Now proposed is the change of use of the site to the sale of non-food items under Class 1a of the Use Classes Order. This actually refers to the sale of goods other than hot food and would include cold food, for example a supermarket excluding the grilled/roast chickens. The supporting letter from the applicant, dated 29th November, 2005 indicates specifically the sale of motor accessories, carpets and furniture.
The building is sizeable with over 2,000 square metres of floorspace. The plans are slightly confusing as the site and location plans indicate that the application refers to one section of the building whereas the floor plan shows the whole of the two buildings which are inter-connected. The previous application for Protours indicated that only half of the building was the subject of the application (PA 05/1541).
An approach has been made to the Planning Office querying which uses may be considered acceptable for this building (see attached). The Office advised that the sale of some goods may be acceptable - builders' merchant, agricultural items and items sold in necessarily large quantities subject to it being demonstrated that such items are not and cannot be sold in the existing town centre (Castletown). A warning was given regarding the attraction of passing trade, that signage advertising the premises would be unlikely to be approved.
It was also advised that in every case any application must demonstrate that there is adequate on-site parking to accommodate the traffic generated by the proposed use and that the level and nature of traffic generated may be accommodated satisfactorily by the existing road network. It is not possible to provide any of these assessments with such a general application for a variety of uses.
The emerging Strategic Plan introduces the concept of non-industrial uses within industrial estates. Business Policy 4 states that:
"On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature or b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business; and, in respect of a) or b), where it can be demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area". The inspector reporting on the Strategic Plan does not propose any changes to this policy in his report. In order to assess whether any application complies with these exceptions, it is essential that the proposed items to be sold are known and information is provided regarding this and traffic levels at the very least.
There is an objection from the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment who are opposed to any retailing from industrial estates.
Malew Parish Commissioners indicate that they have no objection to the application.
In the absence of a specific proposal, traffic information, parking data and a retail impact assessment, even on a small scale, I cannot recommend approval to this application. Also, if the sale of the proposed items to be sold were to be aimed at attracting passing trade, there would be a not unreasonable request for signage to direct potential customers or signage on the building itself to
draw attention to its location, neither of which would have a positive or acceptable impact either in itself or as a precedent for others to follow.
A similar application was submitted for the change of use of a unit in Tromode Industrial Estate for use of the building as the restricted sale of certain items although it was not specified what those items would be. This application, PA 05/01905 was refused.
I would recommend that Malew Parish Commissioners are afforded interested party status as they are a statutory consultee. The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment are not generally accepted as such and I would not recommend any departure from that practice in this case.
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of Recommendation: 04.01.2006
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
R 1.
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:
a) the traffic generated by the use and whether the existing highway network could satisfactorily accommodate this new level of usage; b) the car parking which would be required by the proposed use; c) whether the proposed use would give rise to further development or signage to attract passing trade or give directional information and d) 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.
Decision Made : ...
Committee Meeting Date : ...
13 January 2006 05/92229/C Page 4 of 4
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