9 January 2017 · Committee
Bill'S, 17, Malew Street, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 1ab
The application sought to convert ground floor retail units at 17 and 19 Malew Street, Castletown into two residential units for both permanent and tourist use. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused the application on 9 January 2017, in line with the officer's recommendation. The first reason for refusal was that removing the retail accommodation would reduce the overall commercial floorspace available in the town, weakening the range and interest of commercial activity in Castletown's town centre, contrary to the Government's Retail Strategy and relevant planning policies. The second reason concerned the living conditions of future occupants. The proposed units would have their only windows immediately adjacent to a main pedestrian route, with some also facing a road. This would result in very little privacy, and vehicle headlights at night were considered likely to shine directly into the front windows, making the units unsuitable for comfortable occupation.
The application was refused on two grounds. First, converting the ground floor retail units to residential use would reduce the amount of commercial floorspace in Castletown, diluting the range of commercial activity in the town centre. Second, the proposed residential units would offer very little privacy, with windows directly facing a busy pedestrian route and some also adjacent to a road, where vehicle headlights at night would shine directly into the properties.
Refusal Reasons
Area Plan for the South
Strategic Plan
Community Policy 4: Development (including the change of use of existing premises) which involves the loss of local shops and local public houses, will only be permitted if it can be demonstrated that the use is no longer commercially viable, or cannot be made commercially viable. 10.9 Hospitals 10.9.1 The new hospital located in Braddan is now operational, and any further land-use requirements arising therefrom are dealt with in the re levant Area Plan. Likewise, any land - use requirements arising from regional facilities will be addressed by the appropriate Area Plans. 10.10 School Sites 10.10.1 Schools play an important role as a focus for community activity, providing not only schooling for children but also adult education, sports facilities, and cultural and social opportunities. This is especially true in our smaller villages. The continued viability and accessibility of village schools will therefore be one of the more important criteria to which the Department has regard when preparing new Area Plans. In the preparation of Area Plans, the Department will consult with the Education Departm ent on such criteria . Also, an increasing population, and changes in the profile and distribution of the population, are leading to demand for new and extended schools. Accordingly, the following policy is appropriate:
Strategic Plan
Environment Policy 35: Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development. 7.30 Development adjacent to Conservation Areas 7.30.1 It is often the case that important views into and out of a Conservation Area can contribute significantly to its character. It is necessary to assess the impact any development adjacent to conservation areas may have on such views.
Strategic Plan
utilising under-used land and buildings
Strategic Policy 1: Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under -used land and buildings, and re - using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space (1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services. 4.2.2 In pursuance of (c) abo ve, the Department will, when formulating its programme for the preparation of new Area Plans, have particular regard to: (a) the availability of mains drainage connected to IRIS or other mains systems; (b) securing the future viability of rural primary schools; (c) the public investment in the Island's highway, bus, railway and tramway networks; (d) the provision and availability of water; and (e) community facilities. 4.3 Environment 4.3.1
Strategic Plan
Strategic Policy 12: Favourable consideration will generally be given to proposals for improving the quality and condition of the existing housing stock and for the creation of flats by conversion of redundant boarding houses, and vacant or under -used space above commercial premises subject to compliance with detailed standards (see section 8.13). CHAPTER 5 ISLAND SPATIAL STRATEGY 5.1 Implementation of the Government's core purpose "to maintain and build on the high quality of life enjoyed by the Island's community" as set out in Chapter 2 requires many policy measures including, from the Department, a new Development Plan with this Strategic Plan as the over arching policy framework. To guide the physical development of the Island up to 2016 requires an Island Spat ial Strategy (ISS) (1). The ISS provides a framework for strategic choices in relation to development and infrastructure investment. It will also assist private sector investment decisions. It provides a degree of continuity with existing policy but sets new directions to achieve a more sustainable pattern of development in the interests of future generations. It will also assist in the setting of priorities for future investment. 5.2 The starting point of any spatial strategy has to be a review of the e xisting settlement and development pattern of the Island. The very fact that we are an Island nation sets us apart from most of the regions of the British Isles which share physical boundaries with other regions and jurisdictions. The Island comprises a number of distinctive areas which have evolved from the natural landscape and the settlement of the Island. Generally, each area is based on a principal town which supports a range of employment and service provision serving a rural catchment area including smaller villages or hamlets. 5.3 The four areas are: Douglas and the East. Focused on Douglas (population 26,000 (2)) the wider area encompasses Douglas, Onchan, Braddan, Marown, Santon, Laxey and Lonan with a total population of 45,000 comprising over 55% of the Island's population. At the time of the 2001 Census some 23,000 (nearly 60%) of the Island's 39,000 employed population worked in Douglas. A further 2200 (5.7%) worked in Braddan and some 1400 (3.6%) in Onchan. Ramsey and the North. Focused on Ramsey (population 7,300) the rural catchment area encompasses Andreas, Ballaugh, Bride, Jurby, Lezayre and Maughold with a combined population of just under 13,000. In 2001 nearly 2500 (6.4%) of the employed population worked in Ramsey. Peel and the West. Focused on Peel (population 4,200) the rural catchment area encompasses Patrick, German and Michael which, although including the villages of St John's, Kirk Michael, Dalby, Glen Maye and Foxdale, only creates a combined population of some 8,200. In 2001 just over 1000 (2.7%) of the employed population worked in Peel. The South. This is made up of a network of settlements, with Castletown, Port Erin and Port St Mary having populations of between 2,000 and 3,500 and Ballasalla, Colby and Ballabeg, giving a total population of some 14,200. Castletown provides the major business centre and the Ballasalla Industrial Area, the Airport and Freeport is one of the major strategic employment centres for the Island. (1) Island Spatial Strategy is defined in Appendix 1 (2) Isle of Man 2006 Census In 2001 some 2300 (6.1%) of the employ ed population worked in Malew. Some 1400 (2.7%) worked in Castletown. 5.4 This area framework is supported by a strategic transport network which comprises a radial pattern of roads converging on Douglas with links between the main towns and villages around the coast. 5.5 Thus the current spatial framework is characterised by four areas each with a main centre or, in the case of the south, a series of smaller centres, with the strategic transport network providing the links between all parts of the Island. These form a family of settlements which provide a hierarchy of employment and service centres across the Island. The size of some of these settlements presents challenges in terms of maintaining the current level of services in the future. Over the years this area framework has been supported by Government in terms of public service provision of education, healthcare and leisure. Area Plans for each of the four defined areas will be prepared during the next 4 to 5 years. 5.6 The Consultation Draft ( 2000) introduced the concept of a new settlement as a means of accommodating new housing provision but this idea was rejected by the Department in the Draft Strategic Plan (2001) in favour of a policy of containment around existing urban areas (see Appendix 3 ). The Strategic Aim, Objectives and Policies provide the framework to develop the existing spatial framework into a Spatial Strategy. Spatial Vision 5.7 The Strategic Objectives and Strategic Policies direct that the focus of new development should be within existing towns and villages or in sustainable urban extensions, avoiding coalescence of settlements and maintaining their local identity. This translates into a Spatial Vision that by 2016 the Island's communities will have become more sustai nable, prosperous, safe, healthy and vibrant. People from all sections of society will have been provided with better access to a range and choice of homes, jobs and services. This will have been achieved in ways that reduce the impact of society on the environment, improve the quality of design and the built environment and enhance the Island's natural environment and heritage assets. 5.8 In order to achieve this 'Spatial Vision', a framework is required as part of the Island Spatial Strategy for the future development of the Island based on service CENTRES, key transport LINKS and the main GATEWAYS of ports and Ronaldsway Airport (see Key Diagram). The CENTRES comprise a hierarchy of service provision with Douglas, the capital of the Island, seat of Government and headquarters for most of the Island principal businesses and retail stores, as the MAIN CENTRE. Ramsey, Peel, Onchan, Castletown and Port Erin act as SERVICE CENTRES for their respective hinterlands. Below these are a series of SERVICE VILLAGES made up of Laxey, Jurby, Andreas, Kirk Michael, St Johns, Foxdale, Port St Mary, Ballasalla and Union Mills. Finally, there are a number of smaller settlements with little or no service provision which rely on the other centres for various services. These comprise: Bride Glen Maye Sulby Dalby Ballaugh Ballafesson Glen Mona Colby Baldrine Ballabeg Crosby Newtown Glen Vine Strang The only major employment area outside the CENTRES is that based on the Ronaldsway and Ballasalla Industrial Estates and the Freeport but these are adjacent to Ballasalla and Castletown. The aim of the CENTRES, LINKS and GATEWAY approach is to give a strategic focus to future development and achieve balanced growth on the Island by developing: the key transport links as the skeletal framework for future physical development and the primary links to and between the gateway ports and the airport; a compact and dynamic eastern area centred on Douglas, the major gateway and the focus of the strategic transport network; area service centres in the north and west based on Ramsey and Peel using regeneration opportunities to strengthen their employment and service base; and a network of local centres in the south with new development focused on the regeneration of existing centres but recognising the growth potential around Ballasalla and the Airport Gateway. 5.9 In the Douglas and the East Area the focus of development will continue to be in and around D
