DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 24/00432/B Applicant: Astrea Bioseparations Limited Proposal: Increase the floor space of the previously approved Plant Room Extension, over two storeys by 72.9m2. Site Address: Unit 4 Freeport Balthane Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 2AP Planning Officer: Russell Williams Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.06.2024

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposal is of a suitable scale, siting and appearance and will benefit the ongoing business activity within the site. The proposals will not harm visual amenity or highway safety and therefore comply with General Policy 2 and Business Policies 1 and 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on

• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-01 Rev A Location Plan
• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-02 Rev A Site Plan Showing Drainage
• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-03 Existing Floor Plan
• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-04 Existing Elevations and Section
• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-05 Rev A Proposed Floor Plan
• DrNo P.2295/S&C-PA-06 Rev A Proposed Building Elevations

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is Unit 4, The Freeport, Ballasalla which is located to the western side of The Freeport, to the east of the A5 and to the north west of Ronaldsway Airport. - 1.2 Within the estate there are already a number of industrial buildings /uses. - 1.3 The applicant's web site indicates that the business operates as: "a Biotage company, focused on helping to bring small and large molecule, and advanced therapies to market with industry leading bioseparation adsorbents and resins."

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the erection of an extension to the existing industrial unit in order to facilitate a need for larger plant and machinery to be used in association with the existing biomanufacturing activities within Unit 4. - 2.2 The proposed extension will allow for an increase in the size of the plant room, with an extension covering 72.9m2 over two storeys. The proposals include a new external metal staircase to the north elevation. - 2.3 The extension will measure 9.7m x 3.75m and will have a flat roof that ties into the existing eaves level of the unit. - 2.4 The proposed extension will be finished in painted render to the walls, steel security doors and a fibreglass roof.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY LOCAL PLAN - 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as "Freeport Industry/Business Park" uses. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan is considered applicable, which states: "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."

3.3 Business Policy 1 states: "The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan." - 3.4 Business Policy 5 states: "On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either:

• (a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or
• (b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business; and, in respect of (a) or (b), where it can be demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area."

3.5 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 standard in respect of light industrial requires there to be one parking space per 30 sq m of floor space for light industrial use, one per 50 sq m of industrial floor space and 1 per 100 sq m of storage and distribution floor space.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The application site benefits from the following planning history:

23/01385/B Alterations, extension, formation of car parking spaces and change of use from warehouse to a bio-manufacturing facility, Unit 4 - Permitted - 24 January 2024

5.0 CONSULTATIONS (this report only contain summaries - full reps can be read online) - 5.1 Malew Commissioners - No objection. - 5.2 DoI Highways Services commented - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as the proposals are a relatively modest increase in GFA compared to the previous approved development for the site.

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS (this report only contain summaries - full reps can be read online) - 6.1 No comments have been received.

7.0 ASSESSMENT (this report only contain summaries - full reps can be read online)

7.1 The main issues to be considered in the assessment of this application are the principle of the development, the impact of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area and whether there is sufficient parking provision

Principle

7.2 The application seeks a modest extension to Unit 4 which is in active industrial use. The use of the extension is stated as being in relation to the need for increased plant and machinery space to support the business operations and such is considered to comply with Business Policies 1 and 5, being an industrial use on land zoned for that purpose.

Visual Impact

7.3 The proposed extension and external staircase will be hidden from public view as a result of the dense and high landscape planting along the western boundary of the industrial site. - 7.4 From within the estate the extension will not be widely visible but in any case, its scale and design are in keeping with the immediate setting. The extension is smaller than that previously permitted, which it will be sited alongside. - 7.5 The proposal will not give rise to any material harm to visual amenity and therefore complies with General Policy 2.

Transport

7.6 The proposed extension will be used for light industrial/research and development (application form states warehouse though the primary use of the site is Bio-manufacturing facility). For such uses the IOMSP states: "Light industrial, research and development 1 space per 30 square metres nett floor space". - 7.7 The application does not propose an increase in parking provision over and above that previously secured on the site under the adjoining permission to extend unit 4. The proposals should be required to provide 2 additional parking spaces, but having regard to the site layout, it is likely that achieving this would be difficult. - 7.8 It is noted that the Highway Services do not object and having regard to the absence of additional parking, it is not considered that such a small extension to house plant will give rise to any adverse impact upon parking provision or displace vehicles onto the public highway. The site contains a high level of parking already and the proposals will not give rise to any unacceptable impact upon highway safety.

Other matters

7.9 Regarding other material considerations, the proposed development is limited in scale and is located away from any nearby or neighbouring dwellinghouses. As a consequence, the proposals will not give rise to any material impact upon the amenity of properties in the area. Similarly, the site is not located within a Conservation Area or in proximity to Registered Buildings such that the development would impact upon the setting of protected areas. The design submission makes suitable provision for surface water drainage within the site and is not considered to increase flood risk in the area.

Conclusion

7.10 Accordingly, the proposal is considered to comply with Business Policies 1 and 5 and General Policy 2 and it is recommended that the development be permitted.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

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 above who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 13.06.2024 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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