Planning Officer Statement

PA 12/00015 - ERECTION OF FACTORY UNIT, PLOT 1, JURBY INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, JURBY

The Site

1. The site is a presently undeveloped piece of land which lies within Jurby Industrial estate, within the village of Jurby and on the south western side of the A14 and to the south east of the A10 Jurby coast road. The site has to its north an industrial unit occupied by Jurby Junk - a second hand and military artefact outlet, to the east is Applecraft, a manufacturing unit and to the west are workshops. Between the site and Jurby Junk and Applecraft is a belt of trees which are not within the site nor affected by the proposed development.

1. Access to the site is via the existing industrial estate road which serves the workshops and leads south west to the A10.

1. The site is relatively flat. Mains drainage is available within the estate.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the erection of a new building with two floors which will be used for manufacturing purposes: part of the building is one floor with the upper area open. The building will be 16m by 26.6m and will be 7.8m high to the ridge. The building will be constructed 2m from the tree belt and with car parking to the front (south west) in the form of nineteen spaces including one suitable for disabled persons and a bicycle and motorcycle parking area.

1. The building has a shallow pitched roof and will be finished in Goosewing grey sheeting. A feature projection at the front will visually break up the frontage which otherwise has a large roller shutter door to the left of the projecting gable and two floors of horizontally proportioned windows on each side.

1. The building will provide 941 sq m of floor space (gross).

Policy Framework

1. The site lies within an area designated on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 as Airfield although only a part of this area is now used as such, and largely for leisure aircraft, micro lights etc: whilst there is a control tower, this is not operational and there is no aircraft lighting systems. The Airfield is within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. The Island's prison lies within this Airfield area, to the south west of the application site and the industrial area. The airfield is also used by the Isle of Man Kart Racing Association and Andreas Racing Association for racing kart and motorcycle racing on a regular basis - the Kart Racing Association having their own dedicated and recently constructed facilities and Andreas Racing currently using a storage unit within the industrial estate for their storage purposes.

1. As such, the development is not in accordance with the designated use on the adopted Development Plan. The industrial estate has been in place for a significant time and only recently, planning permission was granted for the erection of an industrial building on this site. The Inspector considering that application states, "The designation of the area including this site as having high landscape value and scenic significance seems either to have been a mistake or to have become out of date. It is difficult to see how this parcel of land, which is in an undistinguished landscape setting, is in effect surrounded by industrial premises and is close to development such as a go-kart track, can sensibly be regarded as justifying its landscape policy designation. As a matter of common sense, I judge that this aspect of policy should be given little weight. More up to date and realistic policy is contained in the adopted Strategic Plan, in which Jurby is designated as a "major employment area". One of the aims of the plan is evidently to promote regeneration at Jurby. A previous proposal for an industrial unit on this site was approved (evidently in about 2005). Other industrial development has been permitted and at least partly built close by" (paragraphs 9 and 10 of his report). He goes on to recommend approval of the application which was permitted by COMIN on 2nd August, 2010.

1. Jurby is identified in the Strategic Plan Island Spatial Strategy as a Service Village where appropriate increases in employment opportunities should be identified in Area Plans and housing should be provided to meet local needs and in appropriate cases to broaden the choice of location of housing (Spatial Policy 3).

1. The Strategic Plan requires a parking provision of 1 space per 50 sq. m gross floor space.

Planning History

1. The site has been the subject of the following applications for the erection of an industrial building on this site: PA 10/0587, 05/0243 and 89/1937 - all permitted.

Representations

1. Jurby Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application.

Assessment

1. The unit is 0.4m taller than that which was the subject of PA 10/0587 and twice as long and with significantly more industrial space as opposed to office and support floorspace. The unit has been designed as functional but with a projecting glazed feature to add interest to the building. The parking provision is in accordance with the requirements of the Strategic Plan and the development would be compatible in land use and visual terms with its environment.

1. There is advertising shown at the front of the site although no details are provided. This should be the subject of a further application under the Advertisements Regulations 2005.

1. If the application is considered for approval, the following conditions are recommended:

a) The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

b) This permission relates to the erection of an industrial building and associated landscaping and parking, as shown in drawings 01, 02, 03, 04 and 11TS019-01 all received on 6th January, 2012.

Party Status

1. The local authority, Jurby Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.