DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 18/01322/C Applicant: Kelproperties Ltd Proposal: Change of use of first floor office (class 4) to a residential apartment Site Address: Kermode House 74 Parliament Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AQ Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.02.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 18th and 20th December 2018. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is Kermode House, 74 Parliament Street, Ramsey; a modern three storey end terrace building, located on a corner plot with Parliament Street to the south and Christian Street to the east. The ground floor of this property is used as a coffee shop and the second floor as a apartment.

1.2 The property is located along Parliament Street which accommodates the main retail area for Ramsey. The area is characterised by a number of different retail uses, shops, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, hardware shops, estate agents and takeaways etc. - 1.3 There is no off-street parking associated with this site, as is the case with the majority of properties along Parliament Street. Parking is provided by on-street parking along Parliament Street as well as parking on the Quay side and a number of public car parks nearby.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the change of use of first floor office (class

• 4) to a residential apartment.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has been the subject of the following previous planning applications which are considered relevant in the determination of this submission: - 3.2 Conversion of ground floor opticians to a hot food and drink establishment (Class 3) 18/00141/B - APPROVED - 3.3 Conversion of existing office accommodation into an apartment (2nd floor) 16/00039/B - APPROVED - 3.4 Change of use of first floor of existing Opticians to a self-contained office suite 12/00752/C - APPROVED - 3.5 Internal alterations to form examination rooms, display areas and workshop 89/01416/B - APPROVED

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site falls within an area designated for Town Centre, mixed-uses in the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. There are two policies within Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application which state: Policy R/TC/P3 'Upper floors' states:

''The use of upper floors as retail units, offices and apartments shall be encouraged particularly where premises are currently vacant (see also Policy R/R/P4)''.

Ramsey Local Plan Policy R/R/P4 "The upper floors above shops are often under-used. Use of this space for residential purposes will be encouraged, subject to compliance with the Housing (Flats) Regulations."

4.2 Housing Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 states:

'New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(1) of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances:

• (a) essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10;
• (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and
• (c) the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14.'

4.3 Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 is relevant:

'The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.'

4.4 Whilst not directly relevant as the site is in a mixed use area rather than a residential area it is considered entirely reasonable to have regard to Housing Policy 17 inasmuch as it sets clear parameters for the creation of flats; "The conversion of buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential areas provided that:

• (a) adequate space can be provided for clothes-drying, refuse storage, general amenity, and, if practical, car-parking;
• (b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principal rooms and
• (c) if possible, this involves the creation of parking on site or as part of an overall traffic management strategy for the area."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Ramsey Town Commissions (23.01.2019) have no objection but noted lack of a wheelie bin location. - 5.2 DOI Highway Services (06.02.19) do not oppose the application.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key issues to consider in the assessment of the application are the suitability of the location for residential purposes, residential amenity for future occupiers, and parking. Suitability of location for residential accommodation - 6.2 The site is situated in a central location in Ramsey. The Local Plan zones the area as being in Mixed Use, other uses such as residential taking place on the upper floors. The site is within easy reach of shops, services, amenities and jobs and is therefore in a sustainable location for new residential development. The proposal would make effective use of previously developed land, and would also add to the vitality of the town centre. The location of the site is sustainable and raises no strategic concerns. The site is considered to be an acceptable location in principle for residential accommodation. Residential amenity for future occupants - 6.3 Housing Policy 17 is clear that new residential units should provide adequate amenity space for future occupiers. While it is noted that this policy refers to "residential areas", and the site itself is zoned for "Mixed Use", it is considered reasonable to have regard to this policy as what is being proposed is residential development. - 6.4 There are three elements to HP17; converting buildings into flats will generally be permitted in residential areas provided that: (a) adequate space can be provided for clothesdrying, refuse storage, general amenity, and, if practical, car-parking; (b) the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principal rooms, and (c) if possible, this involves the creation of parking on site or as part of an overall traffic management strategy for the area. - 6.5 In respect of "a", it is noted that the flat is generously-proportioned and as a town centre development no outdoor amenity space is provided, however they do have access to public amenity spaces, such as Mooragh Lake and the Promenade and Beach. With regards to space for clothes drying there is adequate space and ventilation in the bathroom. Refuse storage will continue on the same basis as the current arrangements for the office use,

• adequate wheelie/euro bins will be provided in a bin store on the landing/ground floor internal bin store.
• 6.6 It is noted that the internal layout has been designed so that the living space and the bedrooms all have windows and outlook, however the kitchen area and in particular the bathroom have no natural light. Policy requires that the flats created will have a pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principal rooms, which the proposed layout would comply with. Access and parking
• 6.7 There is no specific parking to be allocated for the development. Whilst there is undoubtedly pressure on kerbside parking in the vicinity, Highways have confirmed that they have no objection and that the local disc zone permits on road parking during the evening, when occupiers are most likely to be home.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Overall it is concluded that the planning application accords to the provisions set out in the Strategic Plan, in particular Housing Policy 17, General Policy 2, and Transport Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and as such the application is recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), 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) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 08.02.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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