Planning Officer Report Recommendation

Case Officer: Mr Ian Brooks Photo Taken: Site Visit: Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

Site

1. The site represents the curtilage of Isle of Man Development Co. Ltd Head Office, Cooil Road Braddan. The site is located to the south-east of the entrance into Spring Valley Industrial Estate with the building fronting onto Cooil Road and vehicular access available from Spring Valley Industrial Estate. To the north-east boundary of the site is the car park which serves B & Q, screened from view by a band of coniferous trees. The main building is relatively traditional in form despite previous extensions and on the whole the site retains a largely residential appearance. To the rear of the main building is a substantial hard-standing which currently provides on site parking for users of the building. A detached double garage with a pitched roof sits behind the main building.
2. The site is located within an area identified as being Industrial Use by the Braddan District Local Plan 1991. The site is not within a conservation area.

Proposed Development

1. This application is seeking permission to demolish the existing garage/store to allow a single storey extension to be built to the existing office buildings and to extend the existing car parking area for the site.

Planning Status And Relevant Policies

1. 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, Business Policy 7 and Business Policy 8
2. Business Policy 7 states that "New office floor space should be located within town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space

• (a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers; or
• (b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance."

Application No.:	11/01027/B
Applicant:	Isle Of Man Development Co Ltd
Proposal:	Alterations and erection of an extension to office and alterations and extension to existing car parking hard standing
Site Address:	Headquarters Building
Cooil Road
Douglas
Isle Of Man
IM2 2AF

1. Business Policy 8 states that "New office buildings should, in terms of height and mass, respect the scale and character of adjoining and nearby buildings and should accommodate parking space in accordance with the standards specified in Appendix 7 of the Plan."

1. Within the local plan, Paragraph 3.2 of the written statement (Planning Circular 6/91) states that "Offices of a minor nature and for the purpose of the administration and function of the industrial area are present in

Spring Valley Industrial Estate Snugborough Industrial Estate Union Mills Industrial Estate

1. Policy 3.3 states that "No additional office development will be permitted in the Braddan Parish District with the exception of those necessary for the functioning of an approved industrial development, including science based industries, or when an individual office can be shown to be necessary solely for the needs of the local community. Conversion of existing structures will be preferred to new development."

Planning History

1. There have been a number of previous planning applications that are considered material to the assessment of this current planning application.

07/01506/B - Erection of a two storey extension to form additional office accommodation, associated car parking and facilities. This was refused on 21 November 2007 for the following reasons:

The proposed extension would increase considerably the floor space for office use on a site zoned within an area of Industrial Use by the Braddan District Plan 1991, contrary to the provisions of Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.

The proposed extension by virtue of its height and massing would fail to respect the scale and character of the existing building and as such is contrary to Business Policy 8 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.

The parking provision as indicated by the submitted drawings represents a shortfall of 20 spaces when assessed against the relevant Parking Standards in respect of out of town office space as set out by Appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.

02/01492/B sought permission for the erection of an office/storage building to replace the existing garages behind the main building. This application was withdrawn however no reason is given on the file.

99/00292/B sought permission for an extension to the office accommodation and a new bulk gas storage tank. This was permitted 21st July 1999.

92/00061/B sought permission for alterations and extensions to office accommodation. This was permitted.

Representations

1. Braddan Parish Commissioners have not commented on the application.

1. Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure have do not oppose the application.

Assessment

1. The proposal site is zoned within the Braddan District Plan as being Industrial Use. The existing use as offices would not accord with this land use classification. Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan states that new office floor space should be located within town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space

"(a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers; or

• (b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance."

1. This application is completely different to the previous extension scheme (07/01506), which proposed 350 sq m of additional office space and was assessed against Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. The proposed extension is of a modest size, and provides ancillary space to the existing offices. It is considered the proposal should not be assessed against Business Policy 7 as the majority of the floor space of the extension is not office space; it is storage space for the existing offices. The small office to be provide is again ancillary to the existing space and cannot be compared to the previous application. It is judged the proposed development would not be contrary to Business Policy 7 of the Isle of the Man Strategic Plan.

1. The proposal is set to the rear and will not be readily visible from the public highway of Cooil Road. The proposed work will be visible from the service road for Spring Valley Industrial Estate. The proposed extension is modest in scale and in keeping with the existing building. The proposal will not have a detrimental effect on the visual amenities of the locality.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Party Status

1. The local authority [Braddan Parish Commissioners] are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

1. The Highways Division is part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part of. As such, the Highways Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 10.10.2011

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 permission relates to the erection of an extension to offices and extension to existing car parking hardstanding as shown in drawing numbers 714/010, 714/001, 714/012, 714/013 and 01 date stamped 22nd July 2011.

C 3.

No facing and roofing materials shall be used other than materials similar to those use on the existing building.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 20/10/14

Signed : Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

OR Signed : Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager