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January 2014
Hugh Logan Architects Bridge Court 10 Bridge Street Castletown Isle of Man IM9 1AX
PLANNING APPLICATION IN PRINCIPLE FOR UPTO ELEVEN NEW INDUSTRIAL UNITS, BALTHANE ROAD, BALTHANE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, BALLASALLA, MALEW
DESIGN AND PLANNING STATEMENT 4.2 v4
1.0 Introduction 2.0 The Site and surroundings 3.0 Access and Parking Provision 4.0 Foul Water Drainage 5.0 Surface Water Drainage and Flooding 6.0 Environmental Protection 7.0 Planning Policy and History 8.0 Summary
Appendix A Email communication with Hazel Fletcher of DOI Highways. Email communication with Ian Wade of the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority.
1.1 This is a proposal for an approval in principle for the industrial development of the site of the former gas storage facility in the Balthane Industrial Estate. 1.2 An indicative site layout, drawing 1273-001-H, is provided with the application. This drawing shows an arrangement of 10 light industrial units articulated into two buildings and a separate eleventh unit which is part of a builders' yard. The site layout also indicates how the site would be accessed and how up to 55 car parking spaces could be accommodated. 1.3 A Flood Risk Assessment \& Drainage Review by BB Consulting Engineers Ltd which advises the lowest floor level for the development as well as strategies for both foul and surface water drainage. This report has been accepted by the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority.
2.1 The site identified for the project is a former gas storage facility in the Balthane Industrial Estate which, due to changes in the island's gas infrastructure, is no longer required. 2.2 The primary land use in the vicinity is industrial. To the south-east is the recycling facility operated by JCK Ltd, to the south-west are industrial units and the JCK yard and offices, to the north-west are existing industrial units and to the north-east is Balthane Road beyond which is the new DOI salt barn. 2.3 The total area of the proposed site is $3,600 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$. 2.4 The site slopes upwards from the south-east to the north-west with the highest point being approximately 3 metres higher than the lowest point. 2.5 The site's south-eastern boundary is a stream called the Ronaldsburn.
3.1 The site is presently accessed from Balthane Road to the northeast. This road already carries large industrial vehicles. 3.2 Access to the site will be via the existing entrance which is already capable of accommodating large vehicles. As the road becomes steeper to the northwest of the entrance any attempt to relocate the entrance would require significant additional earthworks. The indicative plan also shows two units for which the parking is accessed directly from Balthane Road. 3.3 The Department of Infrastructure's Highways Division have been consulted. No objections were raised to the proposed development. Refer to Appendix B. 3.4 Appendix 7 of the 2007 Strategic Plan requires one car parking space for every $30 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$ of net floor space for light industrial use. The 11 units have a total parking provision of 53 car parking spaces between them which, at $30 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$ per space, would allow the units to have total area of up to $1,590 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$. The indicative plan shows 11 industrial units with combined footprint of $1,543 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$.
4.1 BB Consulting Engineers Ltd has provided a Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Review document which deals with foul water drainage. The review has been accepted by the Isle of Man Water \& Sewerage Authority. 4.2 There is an existing adopted foul water sewer along the north-western site boundary. An area, 3 metres of either side of the adopted sewer, must be kept clear from any new development. 4.3 There is a manhole (3401) in the adopted sewer located in Balthane Road, about $10 \mathrm{~m}-15 \mathrm{~m}$ to the northwest of the northern corner of the site. The
manhole's invert is 4.1 m and the approximate level is +17.900 relative to Douglas 02. It is possible to connect to the manhole and the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority (IOMWSA) have confirmed that there is capacity. The falls in the connection to the sewer may be too shallow to be adopted by the IOMWSA and therefore the connection may have to remain private. 4.4 As an alternative, subject to a discharge licence, foul water can be discharged into the Ronaldsburn via a suitable treatment plant.
5.1 The Water and Sewerage Authority have been consulted. Due to the proximity of the Ronaldsburn stream the planning application will be subject to a Flood Risk Assessment in accordance with Appendix 4 of the Strategic Plan. 5.2 BB Consulting Engineers Ltd has provided a Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Review document which deals with surface water drainage. The review has been accepted by the Isle of Man Water \& Sewerage Authority.
6.1 There is a group of apple trees in the northeast corner of the site next to Balthane Road, the development should only have a limited effect on this area and most of the trees should remain. As the trees are fruit trees there will be no need to seek permission from the department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. 6.2 The site is within 8 metres of a watercourse, the Ronaldsburn stream. Consultation has taken place with Karen Galtress of the Fisheries Directorate of the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture. It has been confirmed that this is not a trout river and therefore this will not cause restrictions on the period of construction. As this is an application in principle
it has been agreed that it is not necessary to submit the form for development within 8 metres of a water course, but that this should be done when the subsequent full application is made. 6.3 The Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture require that any pollution from the site be prevented from entering the Ronaldsburn using a petrol interceptor. 6.4 A discharge licence would be required from the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture should the disposal of foul water into the Ronaldsburn via a treatment plant be preferred.
7.1 The principal planning policy documents relating to this site are the 2007 Isle of Man Strategic Plan (the strategic plan) and the 2013 Area Plan of the South (the area plan). 7.2 The site is zoned as industrial on Map 4 of the Area Plan of the South. 7.3 Advice has been sought from the Department of Infrastructure's Planning Office. The officer consulted raised no objection to industrial development on the site. 7.4 There have been no recent applications on the proposed site. The last application was in 1996 for two additional gas storage tanks. 7.5 There have been recent planning applications in the immediate vicinity for other developments. 13/00197/B is for 8 industrial units and 11/01623/B is for the Department of Infrastructure's Salt Barn. 7.6 The indicative proposal meets the parking requirements of Appendix 7 of the Strategic Plan with one parking space for every $30 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$ of floor space created.
7.7 A flood risk assessment in accordance with Environment Policy 7 and Appendix 4 of the Strategic Plan has been provided.
8.1 The site is zoned in the southern area plan for the intended light industrial use. 8.2 The access to the site is existing and has been shown to the DOI highways division who have no objections. 8.3 It is possible to meet the parking provision requirements of the Strategic Plan for the proposed area of the building. 8.4 A flood risk assessment has been carried out and a ground level established which should be high enough to mitigate any risk of flooding. 8.5 It is possible to dispose of foul water from the site either by connection to the mains sewer or by treatment plant and discharge into the stream.
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