Planning Officer Report

Case Officer: Mr Jamie Leadbeater Photo Taken: Site Visit: 12.07.2012 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the curtilage of an adjoining two storey Victorian property on Market Hill, Ramsey. It is located on a corner site where Bourne Place and Market Hill converge. The property has two separate shop fronts at ground floor level. One borders Market Hill highway and overlooks the properties on the other side of the street, whilst the other is located on the side elevation facing towards Market Place car park at the end of Market Hill.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the change of use of retail units into offices.

Planning History

1. The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, one of which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

92/00956/B - Conversion of vacant health foods shop to retail sales of gifts & furnishings – Approved.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within a parcel of land designated for Town Centre Mixed Uses, and is located within the Ramsey Conservation Area, on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 South Map. The accompanying written statement, Planning Circular 2/99, includes two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

Policy R/I/P5 'Office development' states:

"New office uses may be located in the Town Centre (reference: Policy R/TC/P4) and the Mooragh Promenade Area (reference: Policy R/I/P6)".

Policy R/TC/P1 'Retail uses' states:

Application No.:	12/00905/C
Applicant:	Mr Martin Webb
Proposal:	Change of use of ground floor from jewellers to an estate agency
Site Address:	5 - 7 Market Hill Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1JT

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"There will be a general presumption in favour of retention of retail uses at ground floor level in the main shopping streets (Peel Street, Bourne Place, Market Hill, Market Place (west), Parliament Street (excluding Auckland Terrace), East Street, Parliament Square, (east side). Office uses (including finance related establishments) at ground floor will not be permitted to occupy more than 30% of the street frontage in any one block between public and vehicular highways in these streets".

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. Business Policy 7 states:

"New office floor space should be located within town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space:

• (a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve dad-to-day callers; or,
• (b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance".

Environment Policy 35 states:

"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".

Representations

1. Ramsey Town Commissioners has no objection to the proposal.
2. The Highways Division are satisfied the proposal meets relevant highway and policies and standards.

Assessment

1. The application site is located within a designated mixed use area. The proposed office use is one of the designated mixed uses in Ramsey Town Centre, and therefore it is considered the proposal is acceptable in land use designation terms. Given no physical alterations are included in the proposal, it is not considered changing the use from retail to office use will be of detriment to the Conservation Area. No existing offices exist on Market Hill, and taking into account the number of street-frontages on that street, the proposal would not result in exceeding the 30% office allowance for the street as provided for in policy R/TC/P1 in the Ramsey Local Plan. As such, it is considered overall the proposal complies with policies R/I/P5 and R/TC/P1 in the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, and Business Policy 7 and Environment Policy 35 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

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The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered “interested persons” and as such should be afforded party status.

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 27.07.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to the change of use of ground floor retail units to offices, as shown in the 1:500 scale Site Plan, 1:2500 scale Location Plan, Proposed and Existing floor plans, all received on 22nd June 2012.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 30.7.12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : Samuel Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

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Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : ...

Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : ...

Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

30 July 2012

Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

30 July 2012