**Document:** Officer Planning Report Continuation **Application:** 08/00540/C — Change of use from industrial unit to an auction house **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2008-07-25 **Parish:** Lezayre **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/85097-lezayre-the-old-factory-dwelling-change-of-use/documents/1523614 --- # Officer Planning Report Continuation ## Planning Report And Recommendations [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Considerations [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Written Representations ### Consultations [Table omitted in markdown export] [Table omitted in markdown export] [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Officer's Report #### Site The property is The Old Factory, Gladstone Avenue, Ramsey, which is a single storey large detached building, located on the northern side of Gladstone Avenue and east of Gladstone Park Industrial Estate. #### Land Use Zoning The site has been zoned under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998 as being within an area of predominately industrial use; the site is not within Ramsey Conservation Area. - The Ramsey Local Plan - The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007) ## Planning History There are no planning applications which are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application. ### Proposal The application seeks approval for the change of use from an industrial unit to an auction house. The proposed auction house would sell antiques collectables, general household items and furniture. The need of an auction house follows the closure of Chrystals Auctions and Mart last year. The Factory according to the applicant has been unoccupied for the past 4 years as its owners have been unable to find a suitable tenant to occupy the 7000 sq ft of available covered space. The site has onsite parking for approximately 50 cars and further public parking if necessary is just a short walk away in Shoprite car park. The applicant anticipates that the sale room would be open to the public viewing on Thursdays, with Friday as the main sales day. This midweek opening would bring in the region of 300 people to the site over the two days. Initially the salesroom would have six employees. ### Representations Ramsey Commissioners; No objection Highways Division have no objection subject to: 1) Car park layout showing adequate spaces (22) approved by DoT. 2) Visibilities splay of in both directions onto Gladstone avenue. The Authority has received no private representations objecting to the application. ### Assessment / Recommendation Due to the zoning of the site, and due to the proposed development, the following Planning Policy is relevant for consideration what determining the application:- ### Business Policy 5: On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either: - (a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or - (b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business; and, in respect of (a) or (b), where it can be demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area. As indicated within Business Policy 5 there are exceptions for the change of use of existing industrial units to retailing uses. In this particularly case, the use of the building to a auction house is not like most retailing units, due its nature, particularly as auction rooms require a significant space for when the auctions take place to accommodate the stock and people buying/visiting. Due to this is reasonable to consider that the proposed use could not reasonably be sold from a retail unit within a normal town centre unit, due to the limited number of retail units of the size required. Notwithstanding, this it is considered that the use of the unit as proposed would not detract from the vitality and viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area, give the type of development and as the unit is very close to Ramsey Town Centre. Additionally, this site has a number of off street parking spaces; it is near a number of public car parks within Ramsey Town Centre and on street parking and is also very close public transport links. ## Recommendation Overall, it is considered the proposed use would be acceptable for the reasons given previously within this report, and as the unit has been unoccupied for a number of years. Accordingly, the proposal would be appropriate in this location and therefore my recommendation is for an approval ### Party Status I consider that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status: The Ramsey Commissioners Highways Division ### Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.06.2008 ### Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal - : 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 change of use of the unit as proposed in the submitted documents and drawings 00540/1 and 00540/2 all received on 22nd April 2008. ### C 3. In the interests of road sanity:- 1. Twenty-two off road parking spaces are required to be provided and retained within the and 2. Visibilities splay of are to be provided in both directions onto Gladstone avelide. mith C 4. No advertisement matter of any description shall be exhibited on these premises without the PRIOR written permission of the Planning Authority. C 5. The holding of auctions within the building shall only take place on Thursdays and Fridays. Decision Made : Committee Meeting Date : --- *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/85097-lezayre-the-old-factory-dwelling-change-of-use/documents/1523614*