A site plan showing the application site outlined in red at the junction of Princes Street Lane and Circular Road, displaying internal room layouts and adjacent properties.
1.1. Site Location
Address: Capital House Circular Road Douglas
1.2. Existing condition of the property:
The property consists of 4 floors, currently the ground floor is used as a restaurant and coffee shop and the 1st – 3rd floors as offices for Capital International Group. In addition there is a roof terrace, plant room and staff lounge on the 4th floor, used by Capital International Group.
Image A: Photograph of façade facing Capital Road
Image B: Photograph of existing ground floor restaurant interior
A street-level photograph of a cream-colored commercial building with large ground-floor windows and a sign reading 'The Mailbox'.Interior photograph of a restaurant or café with tables set for dining and large windows overlooking a street.
Image C (Below): Photograph of existing ground floor restaurant interior
Image D (Below): Photograph of existing ground floor restaurant interior
This photograph shows the interior of a restaurant or café with tables set for dining, booth seating, and a stone feature wall displaying motorcycle racing imagery.The image displays the interior of a restaurant or dining area featuring extensive wood paneling, patterned carpet, and tables set with yellow tablecloths and light blue chairs.
Image E (Below): Photograph of existing coffee shop interior
Image F (Below): Photograph of existing coffee shop interior
Interior photograph of a cafe or restaurant counter area featuring menu boards and service equipment.Interior photograph of a cafe or restaurant showing the service counter, menu boards, and refrigerated display units.
Image G (Below): Photograph of rear external parking bays
2. Planning History
1. 1999 Aug – 99/00293/B: (Refused) Creation of penthouse suite at rooftop level to replace air conditioning plant.
2. 2003 Mar – 02/02400/C: (Permitted) Change of use of building to create a health club.
3. 2003 Jul – 03/00889/B : (Permitted) Conversion of existing redundant office building to a 40 en-suite bedroom commercial hotel including restaurant, bar, conference facilities and 20 parking spaces.
4. 2006 Dec – 06/02138/B: (Permitted) Installation of pole mounted antennas and two dishes with associated equipment cabinets.
5. 2010 March – 10/00382/B: (Permitted) Alterations and extensions to building o provide café bar, restaurant and additional office space.
6. 2010 May – 10/00380/D: (Permitted) Erection of signage.
7. 2010 May – 10/00382/B: (Permitted) Alterations and extensions to building to provide cage bar, restaurant and additional office accommodation.
8. 2010 Dec – 10/01784/B: (Permitted) Alterations, erection of extension and creation of a sandwich bar and deli.
9. 2011 Mar – 11/00295/D: (Permitted) installation of awnings.
Exterior street-level photograph of a building featuring a covered parking area with a blue car parked underneath.
10. 2012 Aug – 12/01107/B: (Permitted) Creation of raised decking area with fencing to provide an outdoor seating area (Retrospective)
11. 2015 Jun – 15/00570/D: (Permitted) Installation of illuminated advertising signage to replace existing.
12. 2015 Jan – 15/00051/B: (Permitted) Reconstruction of gable wall with render finish.
13. 2019 Mar – 19/00339/B: (Permitted) Installation of an extractor flue.
3. Design Proposal
This application is for a Change of Use of the Ground Floor from a restaurant and coffee shop to office space. The Ground Floor will form part of Capital International Group’s office space and will consist of a reception, staff coffee station and meeting spaces, both formal and informal. Shower cubicles and lockers will also be provided to support cycling to work and exercise during lunch breaks.
As the proposal is for additional support spaces and for meeting with external visitors, it would not be creating additional permanent desks and would therefore not increase the number of occupants in the building. It would therefore not be necessary to increase parking provision.
At present there are 19 vehicle parking bays dedicated to the office users of Capital House and these would remain in place. The parking spaces are located on the mezzanine level of the building as well as open parking spaces along Princes Street Lane. Please see drawing no. PA 001 Rev A for further information.
External visitors can make use of public transport or taxi services with the existing drop off which will remain in place.
There is an existing secure bicycle storage on the mezzanine level which will remain in place.
4. Planning Consultation
The IOM Planning Department advised that, as the site is located just outside of the defined red line of The Town and Country Planning (Change of Use) Order 2019 Douglas map the proposed change of use would require full planning permission.
(Email correspondence 01 December 2023 with Janet Caley, Planning Assistant, Planning & Building Control Directorate and meeting on 22 January 2024 with Vanessa Porter, Planning Officer)
5. Planning Policies
A black and white location map of Douglas showing street layouts, the coastline, and specific areas highlighted with red outlines.
Town and Country Planning (Change of use) (Development) Order 2019 was consulted. This site does not fall in an area defined as Specified Land in Douglas and therefore the change of use requires a planning application.
In the Area Plan for the East the site is located in the St George’s Mixed Use Area.
5. Summary
This application requests approval for Change of Use of the Ground Floor of Capital House, Circular Road, Douglas from a restaurant & coffee shop to office space. We have included in the application the following drawings:
PA 001 Site Location Plan and Existing Site/Ground Floor Plan
PA 002 Proposed Ground Floor Plan 23MB001-01-ISOA1-L Survey of Existing Ground Floor Plan
We trust that the above meets your requirements but would be happy to provide any further information, should this be needed.
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Source & Provenance
Official reference
24/00142/C
Source authority
Isle of Man Government Planning & Building Control
