**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 10/01307/B — Conversion of existing ground floor office and first floor store to a hairdressers salon with treatment and therapy rooms **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2010-11-12 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/37065-braddan-diamond-house-conversion/documents/1152292 --- # Officer Planning Report **Application No.:** 10/01307/B **Applicant:** Check 14 Limited **Proposal:** Conversion of existing ground floor office and first floor store to a hairdressers salon with treatment and therapy rooms **Site Address:** Diamond House Demesne Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 3DS ### Considerations Case Officer : Mrs Jade Craig **Expected Decision Level:** Senior Planning Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consultee : Manx Electricity Authority Notes: Comments received Consultee : Highways Division Notes: Do not oppose Consultee : Douglas Corporation Notes: no objection. ### Officer's Report ### The Site The area marked in red on the site and location plans represents a ground and first floor unit of Diamond House, on the corner of Demesne Road and Westmoreland Road in Douglas. Diamond House is a large two storey warehouse/sales outlet with associated offices. ### The Proposal This application seeks approval for the change of use from office space into a hairdresser's salon, including treatment and therapy rooms. The unit is accessed through a door on Demesne Road. There is a disused office on the ground floor and a staircase leading to an office/store on the first floor. It is proposed to have a hairdresser's salon on the ground floor and treatment rooms on the first floor. The majority of the proposed alterations would be internal, with the exception of the removal of the existing loading doors at first floor level and their replacement with a new window. ## Planning History The following previous planning applications are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application; 95/00511/B - Permitted 28/09/95 Erection of new warehouse/sales outlet with associated offices, Old Bonded Warehouse, Demesne Road, Douglas. 08/02172/C - Permitted 06/03/09 Change of use from takeaway to retail. This previous application shows that the ground floor of the unit subject to this current application was then part of the office space belonging to the new retail unit "Hanly's", on the corner of Demesne Road and Westmoreland Road. ### Development Plan Policies The application site is located within an area designated as Predominately Residential Use in the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998, Map No. 1 (Central Area). The site is not within a Conservation Area. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains policies which are considered material to the assessment of this current planning application; General Policy 2; Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: - (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; - (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; - (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; - (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; - (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; - (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees anc. sod banks; - (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; - (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; - (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; - (j) can be provided with all necessary services; - (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; - (I) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; - (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and - (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. Business Policy 10; Retail development will be permitted only in established town and village centres, with the exceptions of neighbourhood shops in large residential areas and those instances identified in Business Policy 5. Environment Policy 43; The Department will generally support proposals which seek to regenerate run-down urban and rural areas. Such proposals will normally be set in the context of regeneration strategies identified in the associated Area Plans. The Department will encourage the re-use of sound built fabric, rather than its demolition. ## Representations The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division do not oppose this application subject to the condition that a separate request for the mirror would be required. The Manx Electricity Authority have stated that the applicant should contact their Planning Department (tel: 687781), in order to discuss the electricity supply for this application. Douglas Corporation do not object to this proposal. ### Assessment Given the nature and the location of the proposed development, it is therefore appropriate to assess the proposal against the policies identified earlier within this report (i.e. General Policy 2, Environment Policy 43 and Business Policy 10 of the Strategic Plan 2007). This application proposes the retail use of a unit within an area which is not zoned for retail. However, although the site is located within a wider area designated as Predominantly Residential Use, Demesne Road contains buildings with various uses in addition to residential, including retail, offices, garages, workshops and even a school. The retail use of the site has long been established with previous planning applications and I therefore consider that the proposed use would be acceptable in this locality. With regard to car parking, the planning application states that there are sufficient parking spaces for 6 to 8 vehicles. When a site visit was carried out, there was some off-street parking on the forecourt of the building along Demesne Road and there was also on-street parking available. In addition to this, the site is within a short distance of the multi-storey car park on Westmoreland Road. The Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure have not objected to this proposal. Environment Policy 43 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 encourages businesses to re-use sound built fabric, as opposed to demolition and this proposal would make use of an existing building. Externally, the only alteration would be the replacement of first floor loading doors with a new window and it is considered that this would be an acceptable change. ### Recommendation For the above reasons this application is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval. Drawing number PTA-32-04 shows the existing and proposed elevation of the property along Demesne Road. The drawing suggests that there would be new signage and a canopy over the front entrance, the details of which are to be confirmed. As no further details of either have been included in this application, it is important to condition the approval notice accordingly. ### Party Status It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, should be afforded Interested Party Status; The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status. It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, should not be afforded Interested Party Status; The Department of Transport Highways Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance. The Manx Electricity Authority. **Recommendation** **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 01.11.2010 **Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal** **C : Conditions for approval** **N : Notes attached to conditions** **R : Reasons for refusal** **O : Notes attached to refusals** **C 1.** The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. **C 2.** This approval relates to the conversion of an existing ground floor office and first floor store to a hairdressers salon with treatment and therapy rooms, as shown in drawing numbers PTA-32-02, PTA-32-03, PTA-32-04, PTA-32-05 and PTA-32-06, date stamped 3rd September 2010, in addition to drawing number PTA-32-01, date stamped 20th September 2010. **C 3.** This approval does not include the erection of new signage or a new canopy to the entrance on Demesne Road. Should these be proposed, the details of which must be submitted in a new planning application for consideration by the planning authority. and/or an application for express consent to elect an advertisement I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to the Senior Planning Officer. **Decision Made :** Permitted **Date :** ................................. 1 November 2010 10/01307/B Page 4 of 5 Signed : _______________________________ _______ Senior Planning Officer 1 November 2010 10/01307/B Page 5 of 5 --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/37065-braddan-diamond-house-conversion/documents/1152292*