Officer Report

Application No.: 15/01319/B Applicant: Department Of Health & Social Care Proposal: Erection of a two storey extension to existing Group Practice Surgery and extension to car park to provide additional parking spaces Site Address: Palatine Group Practice Strang Corner Field Strang Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 3TD Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 07.01.2016 Site Visit: 07.01.2016 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site includes the Palatine Health Centre and its associated landscaped area along with associated parking. The health centre is of fairly recent construction and is not of an especially imaginative design but equally has the bearing of a healthcare building, and is also not dissimilar in scale, mass or form to other buildings found across the wider Nobles Hospital site. The building has a prominent two-storey element to its southeastern extent, which offers one of two gable features found on the building that help to break up the massing - it is otherwise of single storey construction.

2.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 2.1 The principle of a new health centre was found acceptable under PA 06/01672/A. The detail was approved under PA 07/01960/REM; 36 parking spaces were provided for the health centre

3.0 THE PROPOSAL - 3.1 Full planning approval is now sought for the erection of a two-storey extension to the building's northwestern elevation. It would match exactly the form, mass and size of the existing two-storey element but differs slightly in terms of its window arrangement - on one elevation, three of the four windows are in the upper storey with one of these being French windows, while on the other there would be five windows surrounding a door. This relates to the four evenly spaced windows on each of the front and rear elevation of the existing two-storey element of the building. The extension would also be finished and detailed to match the existing building. - 3.2 Internally, the extension would provide for five additional clinical rooms at ground floor with associated reception, waiting room and storage facilities. The first floor is not shown laid out and is identified as a "future expansion zone". If built, each floor would provide for roughly 140sqm of new rooms. - 3.3 Twelve new parking spaces are also proposed, 6 at each of the two car parking areas that serve the site.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The current local plan that covers the application site is the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Braddan Parish District Local Plan) Order 1991. This Order is accompanied by and should be read in conjunction with a written statement (Planning Circular 6/91). Under this document the application site is within an area zoned as being part of the Ballamona Hospital Site. - 4.2 In view of the nature of the proposal, it is considered that both General Policy 2 and Transport Policy 7 (in conjunction with Appendix 7) of the Strategic Plan are relevant. There do not seem to be any other policies of direct relevance to healthcare facilities. - 4.3 In terms of parking provision, Appendix 7 requires that 3 parking spaces per consulting room plus staff parking are provided. Unfortunately, no clarification is provided with respect to what kind of standard should be applied to "staff parking". Using the specified standard, though, the existing health centre with its six identified consulting rooms would require 18 parking spaces. If account is also taken of the other, similar room types (Practice Nurse; Mother & Baby Clinic; School Nurse; Treatment Room), then some 39 parking spaces would be needed. The actual provision required is probably somewhere in-between these two figures, such that the existing 36 parking spaces are considered to be sufficient to address the existing parking need. It is noted that there were no objections from Highway Services with respect to the applications that established the acceptability of the principle and detail of a new health centre - and the latter application was assessed having regard to the by then-adopted Strategic Plan. - 4.4 It is noted that the site is close to a bus route, and further than Appendix 7 does allow for the relaxation of parking requirements where proposed development "is within a reasonable distance of an existing or proposed bus route and it can be demonstrated a reduced level of parking will not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality".

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 The Department of Infrastructure's Highway Services team offered no objection to the proposal on 7th December 2015, commenting as follows:

"In accordance with the IOM Strategic Plan each consulting room should provide 3 parking spaces plus staff parking. This application only provides an additional 12 spaces, IOM Strategic Plan states 15 spaces, plus staff parking would be required.

"This standard has been relaxed taken into account the existing parking provided within the site. However, it is recommended that any future development should consider the required parking standards as set out above."

5.2 Braddan Parish Commissioners offered no objection on 21st December 2015.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 There is no justification put forward with the application to set out why, so soon after the health centre was first constructed, additional floorspace is now needed. However, in view of the zoning and established use of the site it is considered that the principle of such an extension is not necessary to justify in this case. - 6.2 The fact that only half the proposed extension has complete internal floorplans reflects a welcome intention to provide the opportunity for future expansion needs to be met within the building as now proposed. The fact that an extension is proposed so soon after the health centre's first construction suggests that it is quite hard to forecast changes in need such that a more long-

• term approach as apparently intended here seems wholly logical, albeit that this makes assessment of the required level of parking more complicated.
• 6.3 In respect of the car parking provision, the additional 12 spaces are welcomed. While the new rooms proposed would not be "consulting rooms", it is considered that the provision required for consulting rooms in the Strategic Plan remains an appropriate measure. This means that an additional fifteen spaces would be needed on the basis of the submitted drawings (which as noted are incomplete). In view of the fact that there is considered to be something of a surplus in terms of the existing provision, the shortfall of 3 spaces is not considered significant, and would likely still result in something of a surplus.
• 6.4 It is difficult to be absolutely precise given the lack of a clear numeric steer in the Strategic Plan and also the incomplete proposed floorplans, but it is likely that any additional such rooms in the first floor, which would require a further fifteen spaces, would bring demand and supply rather closer towards a balance, possibly with the former outstripping the latter. The site's location next to a bus stop with a regular service is welcome, and it is also noted that any additional parking would further reduce the amount of soft landscaping to the scheme such that this could have a negative effect on the visual appearance of the building and its setting. Having visited the site during working hours, it was noted that there were a number of parking spaces available. It is further noted that Highway Services did not object to the proposal having given it close consideration. Taking all the above into account, it is concluded that the parking provision is acceptable and not in significant conflict with TP7 or Appendix 7 of the Strategic Plan.
• 6.5 The comments of Highway Services regarding any future expansion of the site are important and it would not be inappropriate to include this as an advisory note should the application be approved. A condition requiring the parking spaces to be fully laid out and made permanently available prior to the extension coming into use would be appropriate.
• 6.6 Turning to the design of the extension, the fact that its form, mass and size would match the only other existing two-storey element is welcome in balancing out the health centre, which, at present, appears a little lop-sided given that the existing two-storey element is no central within the built form. The loss of some of the landscaping to provide for the parking is unfortunate but the retention of much of the soft landscaping for the building is considered to more than outweigh this concern. The proposal is therefore considered to represent an improvement to the existing building and therefore meets with the general development criteria as set out in GP2 of the Strategic Plan.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is recommended that the application be approved subject to the condition discussed, as well as the advisory note mentioned.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material;
• (d) The Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.01.2016 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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Prior to the extension hereby approved coming into use, the 12 no. additional parking spaces shall be laid out as shown on Plan P-10-02, date-stamped as having been received 2nd December 2015, and shall be retained permanently as such thereafter. Reason: In the interest of providing sufficient parking for the site.

N 1. The applicant is advised that the demand and supply of parking spaces on the site appear likely to be fairly similar were the extension hereby approved to come into use. Therefore, it is recommended that any future expansion plans for this site be discussed with Planning and Building Control and Highway Services in advance of the submission of a planning application.

The development hereby approved relates to the following drawings, date-stamped as having been received 2nd December 2015: P-10-01, P-10-02, P-10-03, P-10-04, P-10-05 and P-10-06.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Director of Planning and Building Control in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 11.01.2016 Determining officer

Signed : M GALLAGHER Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

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