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Application No.: 24/00852/B Applicant: Mr Richard Quayle Proposal: Change of use of first floor to provide additional office space and installation of windows to ground & first floor elevation Site Address: Unit 2 Braddan Bridge Industrial Estate Braddan Douglas Isle Of Man IM4 4LF Planning Officer: Hamish Laird Photo Taken: 22.08.2024 Site Visit: 22.08.2024 Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 27.08.2024
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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 proposed change of use of part of the first floor to provide additional office space of approx. 39m2 and the installation of 2 windows, 1 each to both the ground and first floor, front elevation at Unit 2, as proposed by this planning application, would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties or the highway network and would comply with aforementioned planning policies outline in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. The application is recommended for approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the submitted documents and Drawing Nos. 01 and 03 all received on 25.07.2024. _______________________________________________________________
Additional Persons
None. _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site lies to the east of the Peel Road Highway, and comprises a range of 17 industrial units with 43 communal parking spaces & 17 spaces allocated - one to each unit. The development is nearing completion at the time of the Case Officers site visit on 22/8/24. The site sits at a lower level than the highway and adjoining office building and was previously used as a builders yard (former Parkinson's Yard) with general building materials stored in the open, stacked storage containers, mobile site offices, various construction equipment and site protection fencing. - 1.2 To the north east of the site is the River Dhoo with a band of mature trees following the river on each side of the banks. The nearest residential properties are located to the south of the application site (Ballafletcher Cottage) and to the North east of the River Dhoo of; River Vale and River Walk and the public right of way No.360 / Heritage Trail.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application proposes the "Change of use of first floor to provide additional office space and installation of windows to ground & first floor elevation at Unit". The application forms advise:
"Change of Use of First Floor to provide additional Office Space and installation of a ground & first floor windows to front elevation."
2.2 The appearance of the units would remain as green insulated wall cladding panels to the upper sections of the buildings, rendered block walls to the lower portions and a grey insulated roof with transparent roof lights.
3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area designated as Predominantly Industrial under the Braddan Local Plan of 1991 - 3.2 Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application: - 3.3 General Policy 2 (GP2) (in part) 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:
3.12 Environment Policy 22 (in part) Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of: iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution. - 3.13 Business Policy 1 The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan. - 3.14 Business Policy 2 Land for industrial development should be designated in all parts of the Island, having regard to: (a) scale, which should be appropriate to the area; (b) the availability of public transport links; (c) the proximity of labour; and (d) the availability of water, sewerage and other utilities - 3.15 Business Policy 5 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. - 3.16 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. General industrial 1 space per 50 square metres gross floor space.
4.1 23/00943/C - Additional use of general industrial units for garaging and storage of vehicles and small plant and general business storage (Class 2.4)" for Units 2 & 3 which are located close to the centre of the site. Permitted - 05.10.2023.
19/01448/B - Erection of 17 general industrial units with associated parking and drainage, and alterations to vehicular access. Permitted - 30.09.2020.
4.2 16/01402/A - Approval in principle for the erection of residential accommodation for older people for up to 25 units addressing means of access. Refused. - 4.3 13/00386/B - Erection of seventeen general industrial units with associated external works including storm and foul drainage systems, to include modifications to site entrance off Peel Road. Approved. - 4.4 12/00413/B - Erection of 19 industrial units for a mixed use of general industrial and storage / distribution with associated external works and drainage. Approved. - 4.5 11/01365/B - Erection of 19 light industrial units with associated external works and drainage. Refused.
4.6 93/01466/A - Approval in principle for construction of light industrial unit, land adjacent to Parkinson offices, Peel Road, Braddan.
5.1 Braddan Commissioners commented (14/8/24) with no objection. - 5.2 Highways Services have commented (2/8/24) with no objection advising: "24/00852/B - 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 site has suitable hardstanding space to accommodate any potential increase in staff parking demand." - 5.3 No individual representations from third parties had been received by the Report drafting stage.
6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are;
6.2 The land use designation of the site is zoned as industrial, and the units are almost complete. The previously approved PA 23/00943/C proposed an additional use of these general industrial units for the garaging and storage of vehicles and small plant and general business storage (Class 2.4), which was considered to be acceptable and in accordance with the provisions of Policies SP1,6,7 & BP1,2,5 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. The development also benefits from planning permission for Use Class 2.3 - see PA 23/00943/C which is a general industrial use. It was approved on 5/10/23. The 24/00852/B application proposes the "Change of use of first floor to provide additional office space and installation of windows to ground & first floor elevation at Unit". The area of floorspace subject to the change of use to an office is limited in area (approx. 39.0m2) and this proposal too, is considered to be acceptable in principle.
6.3 The wider application site would be retained for industrial use, and the changes to the external appearance of the units would be limited to the installation of one window to ground floor and one window to the first floor front elevation. This is considered to be acceptable and accords with the provisions of Policies GP2b), and c); and, SP5 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
6.4 The site is located in an Industrial Estate. The neighbouring properties are all industrial units. There would be no adverse impact on the amenities of occupants of any adjoining or nearby residential properties arising from the proposed change of use. No representations have been received, and occupants of adjoining units would be unaffected. This accords with the provisions of Policy GP2g in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
6.5 There would be no adverse impact on parking or turning arising from the proposed development. DoI Highways has reviewed the application and has raised no objection. This accords with the provisions of Policies T4 and T7 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
6.6 Any issues of flooding on site have been previously considered and as the site sits above the areas at risk of flooding as identified on the MUA fold map of Douglas Map 2, 2017, no flood risk assessment is required as indicated in EP10 and the development of the site has be in compliance with GP2(l) as it is not at risk of flooding. There would be no adverse impact on the character of the wider environment.
6.7 With regard to the previous PA 19/01448/B approval which covers the site in respect of its development for 17 general industrial units, condition 5 of this approval which reads:
"No industrial process shall be operated at these premises such as prescribed under the UK 'The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991, namely:
6.8 This is now covered by updated legislation, namely the "TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (USE CLASSES) ORDER 2019", and it would be unreasonable to rehearse such a condition for this proposal given that it is for a small office extension on the first floor of the existing building.
7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the change of use of part of the first floor to provide additional office space and the installation of 2 windows, 1 each to both the ground and first floor, front elevation at Unit 2, as proposed by this planning application would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties or the highway network and would comply with aforementioned planning policies outline in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016,. The application is recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Acting Head of Development Management 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 : 29.08.2024 Determining officer
Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Acting Head of Development Management
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