27 February 2013 · Delegated
N F U Mutual Insurance Society Ltd, Agriculture House, Ballafletcher Farm, Ballafletcher Road, Cronkbourne, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM4 4ql
The application concerned the ground floor of Agriculture House, a building on the eastern side of Ballafletcher Farm Road near Isle of Man Creameries, in an area designated as Predominantly Industrial under the Braddan Local Plan. The ground floor comprises around 181 sq m of office accommodation including a meeting room, filing room, store, and kitchen, with eleven parking spaces shared with the Creameries. NFU Mutual, a commercial insurance provider, had been using the premises as offices since at least the mid-1980s. The key planning question was whether the use had been continuous for more than ten years, which would make it lawful by passage of time. The officer noted that direct evidence was limited but, taken together with the views of the local Commissioners, it was sufficient to conclude the office use had persisted for over a decade. The officer also considered which use class applied, concluding that NFU Mutual — as a commercial insurer rather than an insurance broker — fell within Class 4 (general offices) rather than Class 2 (financial and professional services).
The certificate was granted because the available evidence, supported by the Commissioners' views, was sufficient to establish that the premises had been used as a general office for more than ten years, making the use lawful by passage of time. The use was classified as Class 4 (general offices) rather than Class 2, as NFU Mutual operates as a commercial insurer rather than an insurance broker.
Predominantly Industrial
The site lies within an area designated on the Braddan Local Plan as Predominantly Industrial.
