**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 09/00841/B — Conversion of hotel to provide twelve holiday and two private flats **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2009-07-29 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/63264-braddan-sea-view-hotels-conversion/documents/1379111 --- # Officer Planning Report **Application No.:** ** 09/00841/B ** **Applicant:** ** Mr Robert & Mrs Linda Edghill ** **Proposal:** ** Conversion of hotel to provide twelve holiday and two private flats ** **Site Address:** ** - Sea View Hotels - 13 / 15 Empress Drive - Douglas - Isle Of Man - IM2 4LQ ### Considerations **Case Officer:** Mr Ian Brooks ** **Photo Taken:** ** Mr Ian Brooks ** **Site Visit:** ** Planning Committee ### Written Representations ### Consultations **Consultee:** Highways Division **Notes:** **Consultee:** Douglas Corporation **Notes:** Defer 30.06.09 - No objection, however the Committee expressed concern regarding the poor parking provision in the vicinity. ### Officer's Report #### Site The application site is an end of terrace property located on the south east side of Empress Drive. The building is currently being used as a hotel. The application site is located within a Conservation Area and zoned as Tourism/Residential/Office use within the Douglas Local Plan. #### Proposed Development The application is seeking to obtain planning permission for the conversion of the building from a hotel to 12 holiday flats and two private flats. #### Planning Status And Relevant Policies Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application: General Policy 2, Environment Policy 42, Housing Policy 6, Transport Policies 4 and 7 General Policy 2 states that "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; 15 July 2009 09/00841/B Page 1 of 4 - (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 and 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; - (l) 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". Housing Policy 6 states that "Development of land which is zoned for residential development must be undertaken in accordance with the brief in the relevant area plan, or, in the absence of a brief, in accordance with criteria in paragraph 6.2 of this plan. Briefs will encourage good and innovative design, and will not be needlessly prescriptive." Transport Policy 7 states that "The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards." ## Planning History The following planning application should be considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application: 06/00698/B - Installation of uPVC casement windows to replace existing on front elevation - granted 03rd August 2006 ### Representations Douglas Corporation has advised that the Public Works Committee have agreed not to raise an objection to the application; however, they have expressed concern regarding the poor parking provision in the vicinity. Highways Division of the Department of Transport have not comment on the application. ### Assessment The application is proposing to convert an existing hotel into twelve holiday flats and two private flats. One of the private flats is to be used by the owner and the other is for a caretaker/manager. The application site is located within an area zoned as Tourism/Residential/Office use within the Douglas Local Plan and therefore the use would be compatible with the current land use zoning of the area. It should be noted if the proposal was to convert the building into residential apartments then there would have been an affordable housing requirement; however, since the application is for tourist accommodation the applicants are exempt from providing any affordable housing. It is considered that an appropriate condition is attached to ensure the flats are only used for tourist purposes so as to ensure that the building does not revert to permanent residential accommodation without a new planning permission and provide a contribution to the affordable housing requirement. In respect of parking, the current hotel provides 25 bed rooms. This application is proposing to create 12 x 1 bedroom holiday flats and 2 private flats. On which the private flats will have 3 bedrooms; while, the other flat will have 2 bedrooms. The overall number of bedrooms within the building will be reduced to 17. The reduction in bedrooms will see an overall reduction in the number of people staying in the building, which will lead to lesser demand for on-street parking than the existing use. **RECOMMENDATION** It is recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions in the attached schedule. **PARTY STATUS** 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. In summary, it is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, accord with the requirements of Planning Circular 1/06 and are therefore, afforded interested party status: - Douglas Corporation - Highways Division of the Department of Transport **Recommendation** **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 13.07.2009 **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 permission relates to the conversion of a hotel into twelve holiday flats and two private flats as shown in drawing numbers 00841/1, 00841/2 and 00841/3 date stamped 13th May 2009. ## **C 3.** The holiday flats hereby approved shall only be used as tourist accommodation where tourism is defined as set out below in accordance with the provisions of the Strategic Plan and for clarification may not be occupied as a person's main place of residence. Tourism has been defined by the Tourism Society as "the temporary short term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during their stay at these destinations" and it covers a very wide range of activities and types of development. 15 July 2009 09/00841/B This may include travel and visits for business, professional and domestic purposes as well as for holidays and recreation. Note: For the avoidance of doubt, the holiday flats are located on the first, second and third floors of the buildings. N 1. For the avoidance of doubt, if the applicant wishes to carry out any external alterations to the building which are in connection with the approved conversion, a separate planning application for those works must be first submitted to and approved by the Planning Authority prior to the commencement of those works. I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005 Decision Made : Committee Meeting Date : Signed : Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate YES/NO --- *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/63264-braddan-sea-view-hotels-conversion/documents/1379111*