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Application No.: 15/01375/B Applicant: Linnia Investments Ltd Proposal: Demolition of existing units and erection of a two storey single retail unit Site Address: 62-66 Strand Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2EW Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken: 05.01.2016 Site Visit: 05.01.2016 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT.
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site 62 to 66 Strand Street which are mid-terrace properties. They are part single and part two storey in height. However, Nr 66 was recently demolished following structural concerns when the adjacent property (Topshop) was being developed. All are situated within the main shopping street of Douglas on the eastern side of Strand Street. - 1.2 Strand Street displays a wide range of building heights from single storey up to four storeys, all varying in design and style from various periods.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 This application seeks approval for the demolition of existing units and erection of a two storey single retail unit. The proposed building would have a modern design with the front elevation featuring a two storey height glazed frontage with the entrance doors set within it. The remainder of the front facade would be finished with composite cladding panels and grey aluminium glazing frames. The rear elevation would be finished with a painted render. The roof would be flat and would have a parapet wall around it. - 2.2 Internally the building would provide retail floor space at ground and first floor level. The elevation facing onto the rear service lane would have two roller shutter doors (bin store and rear access to unit) and a small first floor window.
3.0 PLANNING STATUS - 3.1 The application site is located within an area identified as being Predominantly Shopping by the Douglas Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. The Douglas Promenades Conservation Area runs to the rear of the site with the boundary being the edge of the buildings on the opposite side of the service lane. Within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, the following are judged to be relevant: - 3.2 Strategic Policy 1 states: "Development should make the best use of resources by:
3.3 General Policy 2 states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
3.4 Environment Policy 36 states: "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area." - 3.5 Business Policy 10 states: "Retail development will be permitted only in established town and village centres, with the exceptions of neighbourhood shops in large residential areas and those instances identified in Business Policy 5."
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highways Services does not oppose this application (received on 24.12.2015). - 5.2 Douglas Borough Council have no objection to this application (received on 21.01.16), and make the following comments: "The above planning application was placed before the Environmental Services Committee of Douglas Borough Council at its meeting held on the 18th January 2016.
I would advise that the Committee agreed that the Council would express its support for the development. Currently a shortage exists of larger modern, more easily serviced units within the principal retail area. The development of this site would provide an opportunity for a new multiple retailer to be attracted to Douglas.
Having stated the above, the Council would wish to see efforts being made to limit the negative effects that may result from the demolition of the existing properties, and the construction of the new unit, including the effects on existing adjacent businesses.
During its deliberations the Committee considered a number of issues, principally the impact that the new building will have upon the adjacent properties, the surrounding area, and the adjacent Conservation Area. The properties on Strand Street display a mixture of sizes, architectural styles, and ages. The three properties making up the current proposal are small and have little redeeming architectural style. One of the properties has already been demolished and the resulting plot has such a small frontage as to be of doubtful viability as a stand-alone unit.
The remaining units are currently vacant and appear to have attracted little interest from prospective tenants. The Central Douglas Master Plan has identified the need for larger retail units within the main shopping area. A new building which provides a single larger unit in place of three smaller units would appear to go some way to achieve the objectives of the plan.
The new unit is two storeys high and is therefore lower in height than the current buildings either side. As such the replacement building would appear to have no negative impact upon its neighbours.
The front elevation treatment of the new building may, in isolation, seem somewhat out of place in comparison to the older, more traditional properties in Strand Street. However, the modern design chosen does appear to reflect the changing face of retailing, and the current needs of retailers. This development continues a trend in the immediate area for larger retail units with a predominantly glazed street frontage. Similar designs can be seen in the River Island and Monsoon stores, and to a greater extent in the adjacent TopShop store. The architectural treatment chosen by the designers can be seen to compliment the adjacent TopShop store, without appearing to be a continuation of the same building.
The impact upon the Promenade Conservation Area would seem to be negligible, with the adjacent property only sharing a service lane. As such the new development will have no discernible impact upon the Conservation area."
5.3 The owners/occupiers of Lexicon Bookshop, 63 Strand Street, Douglas (received on 08.01.2016) who are opposite the site, have no objection to the proposal; but has concerns possible loss of trade through the disruption of construction works which they have already experienced during the refurbishment of Strand Street. They seek the applicants to liaise with the adjoining/facing retailers prior to each stage of the proposed project and that they are given a senior point of contact of there are any problems during the works.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issues to be considered in the determination of this application are the impact of the development upon the surrounding area and the impact of the proposal upon any important views into and out of the adjacent Conservation Area. IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT UPON THE SURROUNDING AREA - 6.2 Strand Street displays an eclectic mixture of building styles and sizes, with smaller buildings sitting immediately adjacent to taller buildings. There has been a trend of larger buildings such as the M & S development, Next and The Strand Shopping Centre being introduced into Strand Street through the clearance of smaller buildings. More recently is Nr 68 to 72 Strand Street (Topshop) which is immediately adjacent to the application site to the north. Permission was granted for a similar contemporary design to the frontage with glazing over two floors as currently proposed with the current scheme. The neighbouring property also included an additional storey. - 6.3 The existing buildings (Nrs 62 to 66) is judged to represent an inefficient use of what is a large site set in the centre of the Island's main shopping street. It mainly covers a single floor and has a wide frontage. The use and its current appearance provides little in the way of vitality to the street, nor is beneficial to the visual appearance of the street scene. The replacement of this building with a two storey retail unit is judged to be in accordance with Strategic Policy 1 and Business Policy 10. - 6.4 The design of the proposed building is very modern adopting what may be best described as a minimalist style with the large glazed frontage being one of the most notable feature of the Strand Street elevation. It is relevant to assess the proposal against General Policy 2, and in particular part (b) which requires new development to respect the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them and part (c)
IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL UPON ANY IMPORTANT VIEWS INTO AND OUT OF THE ADJACENT CONSERVATION AREA
6.8 With regards to impacts upon the adjacent Conservation Area, the proposed building would be lower than the buildings which front onto the promenade. This would prevent views of the development from the promenade and as the building would be of a similar height to a number of others on this side of Strand Street, it is considered that all other views into or out of the Conservation Area would not be detrimentally affected. - 6.9 The current buildings are of very limited architectural interest in the streetscape and its loss could not be considered to be detrimental to the townscape. That proposed is typical of the contemporary retail unit of these times with modern, clean lines 'sympathetic or aligned to the brand statement and personality'. - 6.10 The proposal with a very simplistic masonry box with a glass frontage, the design differentiates between the shopping area with its transparent frontage connecting the shop to the passer-by onto the street and the blank walled storage area over. The two storey glazing will provide a welcome addition to the streetscape, connecting the shopper to the first, as well as ground floor of the building, a relatively unusual approach in Strand Street. This will be particularly welcoming in the darker months of the year. - 6.11 Overall, Given the height and scale of the properties fronting onto the Promenade and its Conservation Area,that proposed is lower and therefore views both into and out of the Conservation Area should not be detrimentally impacted upon and is therefore acceptable. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS - 6.12 A concern has been raised by the owner of the property opposite the site and by Douglas Borough Council regarding disruption during the construction phase of the development. Whilst very valid and understandable concerns; they are matters which cannot be considered when determining the application, as the construction stage is not a material planning consideration. The Planning Department has explained this to the owner of the property opposite the site and both letters from the two parties have been forwarded to the applicant's architects, asking them to notify their clients of these concerns and in the interest of neighbourliness try accommodate the concerns raised during the construction phase.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 The proposal is for the redevelopment of existing sites within Strand Street, the main shopping area of Douglas. The existing sites are judged to be underused when compared to others in the vicinity and appearance does little to attract shoppers to the town centre. The proposed two storey retail unit would represent an improvement in terms of efficient use of the site and the use would complement the predominantly shopping land designation. - 7.2 The height of the building is judged to be acceptable given that others in the close vicinity are of a similar height or taller. The design is bold and modern however whilst the building would likely stand out within this part of Strand Street, it would offer a large active frontage which would add interest and vitality to the street. It is concluded that given the varying style, height and general appearance of buildings in this section of Strand Street, the proposed building would be acceptable. - 7.3 For these reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the Strategic Plan and the Douglas Local Plan and therefore recommended for an approval.
8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 as modified by the Transfer of Planning and Building Control Functions Order 2015, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 In addition to those above, article 6(3) of the Order requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.
In this instance, it is considered that the following persons do not have sufficient interest and should therefore not be awarded the status of an Interested Person, as, although the site they operate their business from is opposite to the site, they raise no material planning considerations:
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 20.01.2016
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.
N 1. The applicants are advised to contact the owner of the property opposite, namely Lexicon Bookshop, to discuss the construction phase of the development and matters raised in their letter dated 6th January 2016 in the interest of neighbourliness and to minimise the potential disruption of business in the vicinity as much as possible.
This approval relates to drawings reference numbers SC1403/P/10-00, SC1403/P/10-01, SC1403/P/10-02, SC1403/P/11-01, SC1403/P/12-01, SC1403/P/12-02, 1510J-01 and 1510J-02 all received on 21st December 2015.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : ……PER…….. Committee Meeting Date:…01.02.2016
Signed :………C BALMER……….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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