25 August 2020 · Committee
Land Adjoining Far End, King Edward Road, Onchan, Isle Of Man, IM3 2au
This reserved matters application sought approval for the detailed design and layout of an 80-bed care home at Far End, King Edward Road, Onchan. It followed an earlier outline planning permission (ref 17/00684/A) and addressed the remaining details: internal layout, external appearance, siting, means of access, and landscaping. The site is described as partially open coastal heath land that slopes downwards from north to south towards the sea, with a new access and driveway already installed from King Edward Road. The officer report identified drainage and the amenities available to future occupants as the principal planning issues to be resolved. The application was approved by committee on 25 August 2020, with 14 conditions attached. The officer had also recommended approval.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture approved the reserved matters application on 25 August 2020. The decision addressed the detailed aspects of the care home including its layout, design, appearance, siting, access, and landscaping. Key planning considerations included drainage and the amenities that would be available to future occupants. Fourteen conditions were attached to the approval.
Policy O/RES/P/9 of Planning Circular 1/2000 (Onchan Local Plan)
The site, adjacent to 'Far End' will be considered suitable for the development of a maximum of three new dwellings.
residential development in other parts of Onchan
The erection of new residential properties may be permitted within areas designated for residential use where these would fit in with the density, massing, design and character of existing adjacent dwellings.
Development should make the best use of resources
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
Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning
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
needs of pedestrians
Transport Policy 6: In the design of new development and transport facilities the needs of pedestrians will be given similar weight to the needs of other road users. 11.5. Car Parking 11.5.1 The level of car parking provided in new development is critical to creating more sustainable development. Too little and the traffic generated can create problems on adjacent streets. Too much can increase congestion and delay public transport. The problem is most severe in existing settlements and at its worst in the Douglas area. 11.5.2 In respect of town centre office development, it has been the Department's usual practice to require the provision of one parking space per 50sq metres of nett office floor space, such parking spaces to be provided preferably on site but otherwise conveniently close to the site. The standard of 1 space per 50sq metres is based on: 1/3 staff walking or cycling: 1/3 travelling by public transport and 1/3 by private car. This provision is very often rather less than the demand created by the development. In the case of office developments outside of the town centre, the requirement is usually one parking space per 15sq metres of nett office floor space, a ratio which reflects more accurately the actual demand for parking space arising from the office use. The Douglas Local Plan did in fact invite consideration of other options whereby either the requirement should be increased such as to meet fully the demand for parking space, or the requirement should be reduced so that, with proper enforcement of on-street parking restrictions, fewer workers would come into town by car. 11.5.3 The long term target is to reduce the level of car parking required for town centre developments and seek to develop more sustainable staff and visitor transport plans including improved public transport, staff buses, shared and pooled cars, cycling and walking. Consideration should be given to the provision of cycle parking for staff and customers in non -residential development and to the provision of secure cycle stores in apartments. In the shorter term, the Department proposes the following general policy in respect of parking provision.
parking provision
The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.
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.
New development in existing settlements
pment. 8.13.2 The extent of formal open space with in settlement boundaries in the South is identified on the Proposals Map (Map 3) and Inset Maps (Maps 4-7). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 42) seeks to protect these open spaces and indicates that: 8.13.3 "Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a partic ular area will not be permitted.''
New community health care facilities
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
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. The visibility splay(s) identified on plan SK93 REV A; shall be constructed in accordance with the approved plans and thereafter kept permanently clear of any obstruction exceeding 1M in height above adjoining carriageway level.
Condition 3
3. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied or operated until the parking and turning areas have been provided in accordance with the approved plans.
Condition 4
Such areas shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Condition 4
4. No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including roofs, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department.
Condition 6
The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Condition 5
5. No development shall commence until details of the colour and texture of the render have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department.
Condition 8
The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Condition 6
6. Prior to the occupation of the development hereby approved, the refuse store(s) shall be provided in accordance with the approved plans and shall be permanently retained thereafter and solely for the purpose of refuse storage.
Condition 7
7. The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the recommendations and requirements of the "Common Lizard Mitigation Report dated February 2020" submitted with the planning application.
Condition 11
The exception to this is that within paragraph 4.2 of this report which refers that 'all vegetation within the operational footprint, is to be cleared to a maximum height of 50mm', the word 'cleared' shall be replaced by 'cut'.
Condition 8
8. Notwithstanding the requirements of Condition 7, a detailed scheme shall be submitted to and approved by the Department which details how the areas of areas of heathland (as highlighted within Figure 5 of the Mitigation Report ) the that are to be retained, protected from working practices for the development of the building and the storage of materials and how the site will be treated post construction.
Condition 9
9. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development or the occupation of the shed, whichever is the sooner.
Condition 14
Any trees or plants which die or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.
Approval in Principle for the erection of a 80 bed Care Home
alterations and erection of extensions to dwelling (Far End)
Erection of a dwelling on Plot 1
erection of a detached dwelling (Plot 1 - replacing the existing dwelling Far Point)
single dwelling on plot 2
erection of a dwelling on plot 4
residential development to provide plots for four detached dwellings
creation of a layout for six residential dwellings and garages
erection of four apartment blocks
demolition of existing dwelling and creation of four apartment buildings housing 42 apartments
demolition of existing dwelling and creation of four two storey blocks, housing 30 apartments