**Document:** APL Planning Statement **Application:** 21/00197/B — Conversion of offices into 3 apartments and creation of salon treatment room **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2021-07-16 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/7233-braddan-29-victoria-conversion/documents/929704 --- # APL Planning Statement 1842.01 APPLICATION FOR RENOVATION AND CHANGE OF USE TO CREATE 3 APARTMENTS ON UPPER FLOORS AND SALON FACILITIES IN THE BASEMENT at 29 VICTORIA STREET, DOUGLAS for Redacted PLANNING STATEMENT The Applicants, seek planning approval for the renovation and change of use of 29 Victoria Street, Douglas to create: Redacted Three one-bedroom apartments on the upper floors and Treatment Room, Staff Room and a Toilet in the basement for the Salon. This is an application for full approval for operational development. Each apartment provides a bedroom, a shower room also containing a toilet and basin, a small, fitted kitchenette and a combined lounge/dining room. Each apartment is accessed from the main stair through the full height of the building. Each apartment lounge enjoys two openable sash windows overlooking Victoria Street, and each apartment bedroom enjoys a top hung openable window to the rear of the property. The apartments are given the feel of space through the large windows and high ceilings allowing a great deal of natural light into the living space that when paired with light natural colours and minimalistic furniture creates a modern and spacious feel. Each apartment has a compact ventilated laundry cupboard in the shower room, where there is a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer. The entrance to the apartments is located to the rear of the building, at ground floor, with a new entrance door to the main stairwell, accessed from the lane off Cambrian Place. At the entrance there is a new enclosed bin store, with an adjacent storage space for bicycles. The public entrance to the Salon on ground floor remains as it is, and the access from the Salon to the new basement Treatment Room, Staff Room and Toilet is by way of the existing stairwell. As part of the renovation there is a window replacement scheme on the upper floors. The new windows to the front (Victoria Street) elevation will be upvc double glazed vertical sliding sash windows and the rear elevation will be upvc top-hung casement windows. The Area Plan for the East and the Central Douglas Masterplan promotes the town centre area as a residential location (especially on upper floors). The application site is in Mixed Use Area 3 and TAPE says “The area is currently busy during daytime but quiet of an evening and it is considered that more residential uses would benefit the area and help support the night time economy.” Housing Policy 17 in the IOM Strategic Plan (IOMSP) allows for conversion of redundant spaces in buildings into flats. Each apartment has a washing machine and tumble dryer in a laundry cupboard, providing clothes washing and drying within each apartment. There is also space for refuse bins to the rear of the property as shown on the application drawings. It is proposed to store bicycles in the refurbished store at the rear of the building. The building is also on or near principal bus routes on Victoria Street, the Promenade and Lord Street Bus Station and this combined with the fact that there are public car parks and contract parking available within 400m of the development, addresses the car-parking requirement in HP 17. Whilst there is no amenity space available in the application site, it is a short walk to the promenade, the beach, and the sunken gardens. Therefore, amenity can be found within a short walk from the building. The Salon on ground floor will continue to trade and the added new facilities in the basement will improve the range of treatments available to customers and improve the economic sustainability of the business. The Staff Room will be an improvement of the working conditions of the salon staff. Other than the window replacement scheme, the elevations to Victoria Street and the rear lane will remain the same; all other alterations forming part of the renovation are internal. Therefore, the building will retain its architectural character and appearance; thus satisfying IOMSP Environmental Policy 35. Summary The Applicants believe they can sensitively renovate the building to create much needed residential accommodation in the town centre and retain the architectural character of the building. The basement renovations will also improve the economic sustainability of the Salon. They believe the additional apartments and improved salon offerings will add to the economy of the town centre and bring increased economic benefit to the island. They also believe the proposals satisfy the relevant policies of the IOM Strategic Plan and Area Plan for the East. Therefore, the Applicants respectfully request that planning approval is granted. --- *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/7233-braddan-29-victoria-conversion/documents/929704*