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Application No.: 07/01512/C Applicant: Mr B T Hewett Proposal: Change of use of existing shop to dental surgery with reception and waiting room Site Address: 84 Bucks Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 3AG ### Considerations Case Officer: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Delegation ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consulttee: Highways Division Notes: Consulttee: Douglas Corporation Notes: Consulttee: Chief Fire Officer Notes: Note received Consulttee: Disability Access Officer Notes: Comments received Consulttee: IOM Water Authority Notes: Note received
THE SITE The site represents the curtilage of an existing terraced property which lies on the eastern side of Buck's Road. The property is presently a vacant shop.
PLANNING STATUS AND RELEVANT POLICIES The site lies within an area designated on the Douglas Local Plan as Predominantly Residential. This designation includes commercial properties – a flower shop, health food shop, optician's and all of the shops and facilities south of this property to, but not including Government Offices to the south of Mona Street.
There have been no applications submitted in respect of this property.
Proposed now is the change of use of the shop on the ground floor to a dental surgery. No external changes are proposed.
The Disability Access Officer recommends the provision of facilities for disabled persons. The Isle of Man Water Authority recommends a note regarding the provision of water supplies to the site. The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service recommends consultation regarding fire precautions.
The property is already in commercial use which generates a need for car parking, which is not available on site. There is, however on street parking directly outside, including a disabled person’s reserved space (outside the Islander Chip Shop).
The applicant has explained that they are in the process of purchasing another property which has current use as a dental practice however, the premises are considered by the vendors to be unsuitable and they consider the application site to be better (larger, suited to disabled persons’ access, on-street parking outside) and with a potential for upward expansion to the first and second floors in the future if required.
Community Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan states that the loss of local shops will only be permitted where it can be demonstrated that the use is no longer viable or cannot be made commercially viable. This would appear to apply to local neighbourhood shops rather than town centre facilities. Community Policy 6 relates specifically to health facilities and it states that such facilities will be permitted unless there would result in an over-concentration of such uses in a given area, would not have an unacceptable effect on residential or prevailing character of the area, would be easily accessible and would not have an unacceptable impact on the local highway network.
In this case the site is highly accessible (the bus stop is less than 100m away), there would not be an over-concentration of such facilities in the area and as it would represent a change in the commercial nature of the property there would be little in the way of impact on the area which is generally commercial in nature anyway.
The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Disability Access Officer, the Isle of Man Water Authority and The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service all raise issues which are covered by other legislation and which are note generally planning considerations and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 17.09.2007
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.
C 2. This permission relates to the change of use of the ground floor of the premises from a shop to a dental surgery as shown in drawings 001 and 002 both received on 10th August, 2007.
N 1. The applicant is recommended to consult the Disability Access Officer, Isle of Man Water Authority and Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service regarding provision for disabled persons, provision of water supplies and fire precautions respectively.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 18/9/07
Signed : M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control
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