**Document:** Glen Moar Tearooms Supporting Statement **Application:** 17/00354/B — Conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation and creation of race day steward facility with viewing platform over **Decision:** Application Withdrawn **Decision Date:** 2017-07-14 **Parish:** German **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/22209-st-johns-glen-moar-tearooms-conversion-garage/documents/1324082 --- # Glen Moar Tearooms Supporting Statement ## Glen Moar Tearooms, Glen Helen Road, Laurel Bank, St Johns Isle Of Man Im4 3Nn Proposed conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation with disabled access, race day steward safety/sanitary facility, with viewing platform above. Supporting Statement ### Contents 1. Introduction. 2. Planning Policy. 3. Conclusions. #### 1.00 Introduction 1.01 Planning permission for the conversion of the tearooms to create two dwellings and the siting of a gas storage tank was granted on 22 February 2016 (15/01387/B). That planning permission 1.02 The site is on the southern side of the A3 road and is adjacent to Glen Moar Mill (also in the same ownership). The existing building on the site comprises a twobedroom two-storey dwelling to the west, one one-and-a-half-storey and one twostorey building which together comprise the former tearooms (vacant since at least 2008) and two flat roofed garages to the east. The building presents a blank façade to the road with also existing windows and doors facing south or west. There is a large area of hardstanding which provides parking and manoeuvring space. To the south are the mill race and the river Neb. 1.03 The current proposal comprises three elements: 1. Conversion of the existing garages to tourist accommodation, suitable for disabled persons. The alterations to the building to enable this are the insertion of a wall to the south elevation, including windows, and an entrance door with a storm porch. The accommodation provided is an open plan living/dining/kitchen room, bedroom and shower room. 2. A single storey extension to the east end of the building to provide race day steward safety and sanitary facilities. The accommodation provided is a WC, shower and galley kitchen, plus storage for essential safety equipment. Also, an elevator and an external staircase providing access to; ## Glen Moar Tearooms, Glen Helen Road, Laurel Bank, St Johns Isle Of Man Im4 3Nn Proposed conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation with disabled access, race day steward safety/sanitary facility, with viewing platform above. Supporting Statement 3. A first floor viewing platform, with space for a stewardand up to 16 members of the public, including disabled. The platform to be created by raising up parapet walls to a height of 1 m . 1.04 The floor areas are as follows: - Existing garages: 66.96 sqm - Proposed dwelling: 66.96 sqm - Proposed race day steward safety/sanctuary unit: 20.07 sqm - Proposed viewing platform: 57.2 sqm , of which 39.9 sqm is the existing flat roof of the garages Thus the increase in floor area is 37.67 sqm . #### 2.00 Planning Policy 2.01 The policies of the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 that are considered to be relevant are set out in Appendix 1, and considered below: 2.04 The garages are redundant and form part of a building where permission has been granted for two dwellings, and there is already an existing dwelling. The building is structurally capable of renovation/conversion, and will make a satisfactory dwelling. The building can accommodate the new use without significant extension or adverse change to appearance or character 2.04 The site is within an area identified as being of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance by the 1982 Development Order. ## Glen Moar Tearooms, Glen Helen Road, Laurel Bank, St Johns Isle Of Man Im4 3Nn Proposed conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation with disabled access, race day steward safety/sanitary facility, with viewing platform above. Supporting Statement #### 3.00 Conclusions 3.01 The proposal makes use of previously developed land, and a redundant building. The proposal provides small-scale residential development, and also tourist facilities. The proposal is in accordance with the relevant strategic, environment, housing and business policies. As such, planning permission should be granted. ### Appendix 1 ### Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 ### Strategic Policy 1: Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under-used land and buildings, and re-using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space(1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services. ### Strategic Policy 8: Tourist development proposals will generally be permitted where they make use of existing built fabric of interest and quality, where they do not affect adversely environmental, agricultural, or highway interests and where they enable enjoyment of our natural and man-made attractions. ### Environment Policy 1: The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative. ## Glen Moar Tearooms, Glen Helen Road, Laurel Bank, St Johns Isle Of Man Im4 3Nn ### Proposed conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation with disabled access, race day steward safety/sanitary facility, with viewing platform above. Supporting Statement ### Environment Policy 2: The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance (AHLV's) as shown on the 1982 Development Plan and subsequent Local and Area Plans will be used as a basis for development control until such time as it is superseded by a landscape classification which will introduce different categories of landscape and policies and guidance for control therein. Within these areas the protection of the character of the landscape will be the most important consideration unless it can be shown that: (a) the development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; or (b) the location for the development is essential. ### Environment Policy 16: The use of existing rural buildings for new purposes such as tourist, or small-scale industrial/commercial use may be permitted where: a) it is demonstrated that the building is no longer required for its original purpose and where the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; b) the reuse of the building will result in the preservation of fabric which is of historic, architectural, or social interest or is otherwise of visual attraction; c) it is demonstrated that the building could accommodate the new use without requiring extension or adverse change to appearance or character; d) there would not be unacceptable implications in terms of traffic generation; a) conversion does not lead to dispersal of activity on such a scale as to prejudice the vitality and viability of existing town and village services; and f) the use of existing buildings involves significant levels of redevelopment to accommodate the new use, the benefits secured by the proposal in terms of impact on the environment and the rural economy shall outweigh the continued impact of retaining the existing buildings on site. Proposals to convert rural buildings to residential accommodation will be considered along with the advice given at Section 8.10 of this document. ### Housing Policy 11: Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where: (a) redundancy for the original use can be established; (b) the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; (c) the building is of architectural, historic, or social interest; (d) the building is large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building; ## Glen Moar Tearooms, Glen Helen Road, Laurel Bank, St Johns Isle Of Man Im4 3Nn ### Proposed conversion of garage to one-bedroom tourist accommodation with disabled access, race day steward safety/sanitary facility, with viewing platform above. Supporting Statement (e) residential use would not be incompatible with adjoining established uses or, where appropriate, land-use zonings on the area plan; and (f) the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure. Such conversion must: (a) where practicable and desirable, re-establish the original appearance of the building; and (b) use the same materials as those in the existing building. Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form. ### Business Policy 11: Tourism development must be in accordance with the sustainable development objectives of this plan; policies and designations which seek to protect the countryside from development will be applied to tourist development with as much weight as they are to other types of development. Within the rural areas there may be situations where existing rural buildings could be used for tourist use and Environment Policy 16 sets out the circumstances where this may be permitted. ### Business Policy 12: Permission will generally be given for the conversion of redundant buildings in the countryside to tourist use providing that the development complies with the policies set out in paragraph 8.10. - Housing Policy 11. Copyright JKL Planning. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be copied without the prior written approval of JKL Planning. --- *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/22209-st-johns-glen-moar-tearooms-conversion-garage/documents/1324082*