DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 20/00425/B Applicant: Manx Petroleums Limited Proposal: Erection of security fencing and gates Site Address: Battery Pier Depot Battery Pier Douglas Isle Of Man Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.08.2020 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Energy Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents, covering letter, drawings no. PA/01, PA/02 and PA/03 date-stamped as having been received on 21st April 2020. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

- 1.0 THE SITE

Officer’s Report

1.1 The site is the industrial curtilage of the Manx Petroleums Limited property located within the Battery Pier Depot, on the southeast corner of South Quay. The site accommodates two blocks, one accommodating an electricity sub-station and a workshop, the other accommodating the fuel tank farm. - 1.2 The boundary of the site and the South Quay is formed by a brick wall approx. 1.95m tall. The entrance, a double-swing palisade gate, is located near the northwest corner of the site, breaking up the brick wall.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the erection of security palisade fencing approx. 1.2m tall on the existing brick wall and the replacement of the gate to match the height of the new fences.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local policy, the site lies within an area designated as Light Industrial Use in the Douglas Local Plan 1998. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 4.3 General Policy 2 states: "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:

• (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; (e) does not affect adversely the public views of the sea; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highways users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

4.4 Energy Policy 1 States: "Proposals for the provision of energy supply facilities or development arising as incidental to such facilities will be expected to comply with all other policies of this Plan to ensure that any effect on the environment is minimised whilst ensuring that the community's needs for energy are satisfied."

5.0 REPRESENTATION - 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection on this application (18/05/2020). - 5.2 DoI Highway services does not oppose this application (18/05/2020).

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main concerns for this application are its impact on the character and landscape of the area and its impact on community security. - 6.2 The fence is of industrial appearance and the area is designated as light industrial use so it fits into the surrounding environment. - 6.3 Site visits have confirmed that there is no public vantage point of the sea being affected either around the quayside or on Douglas Head, where sight of the site is obscured by topography and heavy vegetation. - 6.4 The proposed fencing is intended to improve security standards in accordance with the current regulation for fuel storage. As a significant fuel storage facility on the Island, security of the site is fuel security to every community on the Island. 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Energy Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land which the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision-maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status.

_____________________________________________________________________ I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 07.08.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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