**Document:** Planning Application Statement Ellis Brown **Application:** 16/01103/B — Erection of multi-purpose building containing three units of commercial use (Classes 1-4), offices, four apartments and three townhouses with associated parking and access. **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2017-04-04 **Parish:** Lezayre **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/23136-lezayre-albert-road-school-dwelling/documents/1327351 --- # Planning Application Statement Ellis Brown ## 1.00 Background Estate agents Black Grace Cowley, agents on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure Isle of Man Government, issued particulars on the site seeking offers for the freehold purchase of the site. The site is the western part of the former Albert Road School, the eastern part having been developed by the Department of Infrastructure as a 69 space, surface level, public car park. In those particulars it was noted that "The car park is available for public use, but it is possible at additional cost that car parking spaces could be-sis BUILDING specifically reserved for the benefit of the development site, maximising the development potential on site." #### 2.00 Design Concept The proposal is for a three storey mixed use development consisting of retail space on the ground floor level, office space on the first floor level and four apartments on the second floor level. Three town houses, over four floors, are included adjacent to and adjoining the mixed use block. The retail space comprises an independent unit, of approximately 220 square metres, on the Albert Road/Albert Square corner designed as a potential coffee shop and retail space, of approximately 210 square metres being capable of use as one unit or subdivision to two units, forming the other arms of a ground level u-shaped plan form. A pedestrian way is located between the coffee shop unit and the other retail unit leading in to a landscaped courtyard from which access is gained to the office areas, of approximately 440 square metres total gross floor area capable of division to four offices, and apartments above the retail units. This also provides access to the three town houses constructed on the gable of the retail unit. From the landscaped courtyard access is available to the parking spaces available on site and also to the recently constructed public car park parking. The parking spaces on site are located adjacent the public car park access road and take advantage of use of this access. Spaces available on site are designed as 10 spaces, including one disabled wheelchair standard space, dedicated to the retail unit designed as a potential coffee shop, five spaces which it is proposed to designate as one space for each of the four apartments and one visitor space and the provision of a garage to each of the town houses. Parking for the proposed offices, if required considering the town centre nature of the development site and the availability of close by public car parking, would be by taking up the possibility of reserved parking spaces within the recently constructed adjacent public car park, referred to in the particulars issued on the site as referred to in section 1 above. ## Former Albert Road School Site
Proposed Mixed Use Development
Statement to Accompany Planning Application
Ellis Brown
Architects This will minimise the visual impact of further car parking areas adjacent to the large public car park, maximise the potential site area for development and provide the opportunity of creating a landscaped area between the proposed development and the car parking. Existing stone walls with railings over boundary features will be retained and will be introduced into the landscaped courtyard as boundaries to the proposed garden areas of the town houses. The proposal whilst providing a public face to Albert Road, Albert Square and Queens Pier Road, reflecting the prominent location of the site on the traffic routes from Parliament Square, will also retain a public face on the internal landscaped courtyard created by the development. The building form has been modelled with set backs from the site boundaries, recognising the use of these external spaces, and recessing, to identify and lead into the pedestrian route through from Albert Square to the landscaped courtyard. Thus the facades are modelled and this modelling is further enhanced by the splayed corner details at ground floor level of the coffee shop, the introduction of an oriel/bay window detail to areas of first and second floor level and corbel details at roof level. The fenestration responds to the proposed floor usages, with shopfronts at ground floor level of the retail and coffee shop units. Space is allowed above the shopfronts and on selected walls of these units for future signage. Roofs are pitched and of slate like material, Redland Cambrian tiles or similar, finish and walls are smooth coloured render, Alumasc through coloured system or similar, with a contrasting colour plinth band as a stall riser to the retail/coffee shop units. Pedestrian surfaces will be concrete block paved, or similar, with contrast detail inserts. Soft areas of landscaping are included. Note - the areas stated in the text above are internal floor areas, for planning fee purposes and using external wall measurements the areas are 497 square metres total of retail space and 533 square metres of office space. Former Albert Road School Site Proposed Mixed Use Development Statement to Accompany Planning Application Ellis Brown Architects Schedule of drawn information to accompany application. Drawing number and content. 15 / 2513 – 01 Location and site plans – as existing 15 / 2513 – 02 Site plan as proposed 1-200 15 / 2513 – 03 Site plan and ground floor layout 1-100 15 / 2513 – 04 First and second floor plans 1-100 15 / 2513 – 05 Roof and 3rd floor plans (townhouses) 1-100 15 / 2513 – 10 Elevations – Sheet 1 1-100 15 / 2513 – 11 Elevations – Sheet 2 1-100 --- *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/23136-lezayre-albert-road-school-dwelling/documents/1327351*