22 July 2019 · Delegated
Peel Group Practice, Albany Road, Peel, Isle Of Man, IM5 1hu
This application sought permission to alter and extend the existing Peel GP Surgery and Medical Centre, and to demolish the four sheltered housing units at 1–4 Westlands on the opposite side of the access road. The demolition was intended to provide additional parking for the medical centre. The site comprises the curtilage of the medical centre to the north of an access road, and the curtilage of 1–4 Westlands to the south. The two areas were previously separated by a grass strip and fence, with pedestrian access between them. The application was submitted by the Department of Health and Social Care and was approved on 22 July 2019 under delegated authority, subject to six conditions.
The application was approved by the Head of Development Management under delegated authority. Permission was granted to extend the medical centre and demolish four sheltered housing units at 1–4 Westlands to create additional parking. The officer recommended approval and the decision matched that recommendation.
General Policy 2
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
General Policy 2: 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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. 6.3 Development outside of areas zoned for development
Community Policy 6
Community Policy 6: New community health care facilities and extensions to existing facilities will be permitted provided that they: a) would not result in an over concentration of such uses in a particular area; b) would not have an unacceptable effect on the residential or prevailing character or amenity of the area; c) would be easily accessible; and d) would not have an unacceptable impact on the local highway network. Regard should be had also to the parking standards set out in Appendix 7. 10.12 Police Service 10.12.1 Government is improving community safety through reducing the incidence of crime. The Isle of Man Constabulary is the principal agency for crime reduction and the Department works closely with the Constabulary to ensure that crime reduction is considered as part of the assessment of planning applications and new building by the Department. The Department has adopted the principles of Secured by Design (SBD) in the design of its own schemes and through the planning process. The Constabulary have suggested that this should be extended to incorporate the principles of Designing Out Crime. This includes SBD but also incorporates the principles of Defensible Space, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design and Situational Crime Prevention(1). Accordingly: (1) See www.securedbydesign.com for further details
Transport Policy 7
requires that all development must be provided with the appropriate amount of parking
Transport Policy 7: The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards. The current standards are set out in Appendix 7. 11.5.4 New development can have a significant impact in terms of the traffic generated by it and the impact on the various modes of travel. The Department considers that proposals which are likely to be significant traffic generators should be accompanied by a Transport Assessment(1) which should look at all modes of transport including access by public transport, cycling and on foot.
Housing Policy 18
Applications which would involve the loss of existing housing which is fit for habitation or which could be made fit at reasonable cost will not usually be approved unless accompanied by firm proposals for replacement housing
Housing Policy 18: Applications which would involve the loss of existing housing which is fit for habitation or which could be made fit at reasonable cost will not usually be approved unless accompanied by firm proposals for replacement housing. CHAPTER 9 BUSINESS & TOURISM CONTENTS 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Industry, Storage and Distribution 9.3 Commerce 9.4 Retailing 9.5 Tourism CHAPTER 9 BUSINESS AND TOURISM 9.1 Introduction 9.1.1 The Government's central policies include the pursuance of "manageable and sustainable growth based on a diversified economy" and ensuring that "the Island has a population which is sufficient in skills to serve the needs of the community and the economy". These policies have enabled the Department to formulate the Strategic Economic Objectives set out in Chapter 3 (at paragraph 3.4). 9.1.2 Having regard to these Objectives, the Department has proposed Strategic Economic Policies in Chapter 4 (at paragraph 4.4). In terms of their impact on employment, these policies may be combined to produce the following single general policy:-
Condition 1
1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Condition 2
2. Prior to the commencement of the car park construction, the applicant must have had approved by the Department details of all new planting proposed to mitigate the loss of those trees and landscape features to be lost as part of the approved works and the development must be undertaken in accordance with these details. These details must include species, size, their number and position together with provisions for how they will be planted, and details of root barriers and watering systems where trees will be planted under proposed hard surfaces. In particular the new car parking area in place of the sheltered bungalows shall be contained within a planted boundary details of which must be approved and the development undertaken in accordance with these details.
Condition 3
3. Prior to the proposed development being brought into use, the proposed new car park must be hard surfaced and marked out as shown in the submitted drawings, with parking spaces 10-19 being allocated to staff only and other spaces being available as nonallocated spaces for use by staff or patients/visitors.
Condition 4
4. The proposed car park barrier must be left open during the operational hours of the surgery.
Condition 5
5. Prior to the operation of the new surgery as proposed, there must be motorcycle and secure bicycle parking spaces provided within the overall, enlarged site, details of which must be approved by the Department and the development undertaken in accordance with these details.
Condition 6
6. Prior to the development hereby approved becoming operational, details of the following works must be approved by the Department and the development undertaken in accordance with these details: visibility for vehicles emerging from the site onto the public highway traffic calming measures vehicle swept path analysis pedestrian routing from the car park to the surgery any proposed site changes from the plans hereby approved and the timing of the undertaking of these works.
