Officer Report and Recommendation

Planning Officer Report And Recommendations {{table:11732}}

Officer's Report

Site

1. The application site is a former chapel located on the northern side of Main Road in Union Mills. The building is currently used as offices. The site is zoned as predominantly residential in the Braddan Parish District Local Plan.

Proposed Development

1. The application is seeking planning permission for an extension to the building to provide additional office accommodation.

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 Policies 7 and 8

1. 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.

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 Braddan Parish District 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 previous planning applications on the site. These are:

07/01623/B – Installation of roof lights – granted 90/01303/B – m Conversion of 1st floor of chapel to form office accommodation – refused 88/00154/B – Conversion of former chapel to office accommodation – granted

Representations

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

1. Braddan Parish Commissioners do not object to the application.

1. Standard comments have been received from the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority.

Assessment

1. The main consideration in assessing this application are 1) whether the development is acceptable in land use terms and 2) the impact of the development on the landscape. The following paragraphs deal with this issue, followed by consideration of other matters of detail.

Land Use

1. The application site is zoned as predominantly residential within the Braddan Parish District Local Plan; however, the building is currently used as offices and is located within the village of Union Mills. However, 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

1. The proposal accords partially with the policy in that the office space is located within a village centre; however, the site is not zoned for offices within the Braddan Parish District Local Plan. Therefore, the proposal does not conform within Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. It is considered a refusal on the basis that the land is not zoned for offices would be extremely harsh as the site is located in a sustainable location i.e. a village centre. The proposal would not be detrimental to the surrounding land uses, i.e. the Memorial Hall and residential properties. There would appear to be no reason to sustain a refusal on the basis that is contrary to Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Impact On Visual Amenities

1. In respect of the impact on the visual amenities of Main Road, the proposed extension will be visible through a gap between the application site and the Memorial Hall. The proposed extension is set back from the public highway. The extension has been designed to be sympathetic and subservient to the former chapel. It is considered the proposed extension will not adversely affect the visual amenities of the locality.

Parking Provision

1. In respect of parking for the development, the existing office accommodation is 97 square metres. The proposed extension will provide an additional 51 square metres of floor space. The total

office floor area will be 148 square metres. Using the 1 space/15 square metres of floor area, the car parking requirement for the total floor area will be 10 spaces. However, the applicants are able to provide 12 spaces. This exceeds the parking requirement and therefore the proposed development accords with Strategic Plan.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions in the attached schedule.

Party Status

1. The local authority [Onchan District 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 of the Department of Transport is now 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.

1. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority have not commented on planning matters and as such they should not be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 18.11.2011

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 as shown in drawing numbers 10 765 01 and 10 765 02 date stamped 13th September 2011, and supporting information from Penketh-Millar date stamped 3rd October 2011.

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

Signed: Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

OR

Signed: J. Munce Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager