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10 Ballaterson Road, Peel, Isle of Man IM5 1BJ Tel: 426277 email: [email protected]
Existing Site The application site is within the residential curtilage of Crofton Mews, an existing detached two storey property located on the eastern side of The Croft, Castletown. The existing property has a large open plan double garage to the ground floor, capable of accommodating two vehicles. To the first floor there is a one bedroom residential unit, accessed from an external staircase to the side of the property. The building forms part of the Crofton estate and is under the ownership of Crofton, The Crofts, Castletown.
The existing property is set back from the road with a large area of off road hardstanding providing off road parking for up to four vehicles. Crofton Mews has a 12m frontage along the highway and this frontage comprise a stone boundary wall and a 5.4m wide vehicle access.
North of the site is neighbouring property Kenmure, an end terrace dwelling which has a 4.5m wide vehicle access directly adjacent to the site. South of the site and under the ownership of the applicant is Crofton, an existing registered building No.
The site is located within the Castletown Conservation Area however does not form part of the Registered Building Status afforded to Crofton (Registered Building Number 261).
Planning approval was granted in 2023, ref: 23/01237/B, for the conversion of the ground floor Garage space within Crofton Mews to a private gym for use by the owner / occupant of Crofton. It is anticipated the conversion works will commence later this year, once the renovation works at Crofton are complete.
Details of the existing garage conversion as approved under PA 23/01237/B are included on CJ Design drawing numbered 2025/20/02, submitted as part of this planning application.
Planning History Following a search carried out on the Planning Department website it would appear the application site was subject to the following planning applications submitted by the previous owners: -
The following planning application was submitted by the current owners / applicant and forms the basis of this Additional Use planning application: -
The adjoining Registered Property of Crofton has been subject to several planning applications by the current owner and these are listed below for reference: -
The applicant currently has use of a Gym in Douglas which is also relevant to this planning application. Reference should be made to planning approval ref:
Client Statement Our original intention was to move into Crofton as our primary family residence, while retaining 2 Windsor Terrace in Douglas for rental purposes. This arrangement would have allowed my business to continue operating from the garage opposite 4 Windsor Terrace, under planning application 21/01343/C. However, the extensive yet carefully considered renovation and modernisation of Crofton, a listed building, in line with all relevant guidelines, has over time resulted in significant costs. As a result, we have been left with no choice but to sell our property at 2 Windsor Terrace.
In essence, a positive outcome to my application would represent the transfer of my existing, successful planning permission, enabling me to continue operating from the gym located on the ground floor at Crofton Mews. This continuity is vital to ensure the ongoing success of my business, which I have built and maintained over the past 25 years. Throughout this time, I have worked in a self-employed capacity, supporting a diverse range of individuals in achieving their fitness goals across a broad spectrum of needs.
The additional planning permission for the premises would have no impact on neighbouring properties or the surrounding street. At most, it may result in up to five additional vehicle visits per day, consistent with the permission granted for my
Douglas based premises. All sessions are conducted on a one-to-one basis, accompanied only by low-level internal background music. A 15-minute buffer is scheduled between appointments to ensure that one client departs before the next arrives, thereby ensuring no overlap or congestion. Clients make use of the ample offstreet parking available, ensuring that street parking is not affected. Furthermore, the property will retain its residential appearance, with no external signage or visual indication of a change in use.
Since receiving planning approval three years ago, my Douglas-based business has operated smoothly and successfully under those permissions. This stability was especially important in the post-lockdown period, when the fitness industry faced significant challenges and was undergoing considerable adaptation. The current application is simply a continuation of that established and compliant use.
Current Proposals This application seeks full planning approval for the Additional Use of the previously approved gym conversion to the ground floor double garage at Crofton Mews to a gym for use by the owners of Crofton and business use as part of the applicant’s business. The owners of Crofton originally intended to convert the garage space at Crofton Mews to create a home gym that can be exclusively used by them during their residence in Crofton. This would help the applicant maintain a degree of separation between work and home living as the applicant currently operates his gym business from a converted garage adjacent to 4 Windsor Terrace from their previous residential property of 2 Windsor Terrace, Douglas. Planning permission was sought and granted for the garage conversion at Crofton Mews on this basis (see PA 23/01237/B).
The current Planning Approval for the garage space used by the applicant as part of his business at 4 Windsor Terrace has several Planning Conditions relating to the ongoing business use. However, one of these conditions specifically restricts the use of the garage for business purposes as follows: -
Condition 5 The use hereby approved shall only be for the benefit of the applicant while they are resident at 2 Windsor Terrace, Douglas and no staff may be employed and/or work at the premises.
Originally the applicant intended to retain ownership of 2 Windsor Terrance thus allowing the continued use of the garage in Douglas for business purposes whilst residing at Crofton. However, due to unforeseen and mounting expenses involved in the complete renovation of Croton, it has now become apparent the applicant will need to sell 2 Windsor Terrace to generate funding for the works at Crofton. This will result in the loss of the garage in Douglas for business use.
Due to the potential loss of the business facilities in Douglas, the applicant has carried out a review of his business operations and has concluded the business will need to be re-located from Douglas to Castletown or the surrounding area. Whilst this has several benefits, including reduced travel time, reduced fuel costs etc, it also has several drawbacks such as building up a new client base (it is unlikely existing clients will travel from Douglas to Castletown for a one hour gym session), home/work separation etc. On balance, the applicant believes that for the business to survive, use
of the ground floor Gym at Crofton Mews represents a workable solution and therefore would like to explore the possibility of incorporating additional business use into the Gym.
The current business model will be retained and this includes: -
Four off road parking spaces will be retained directly in front of Crofton Mews, allowing for a turning area. This is considered more than adequate to accommodate any guests using the one-bedroom residential unit above (one car), whilst providing adequate off road parking for Clients using the Gym (1 car). There will be no impact on current parking provision along The Crofts. The proposal would attract more traffic to The Crofts by gym clients, amounting to one car per hour during opening times. This increase is minimal and would not create an unreasonable level of additional noise and traffic movement.
As part of this additional use application there are to be no alterations to the external appearance of the building, except for those approved under PA 23/01237/B. The proposed conversion works involve the removal of three garage doors and replacement with new double glazed, timber screens that have the appearance of original doors. This will help the building retain its appearance of a garage at ground floor with residential accommodation above and reduce any potential views / noise from the gym onto the street scene.
There are no showering and changing facilities within the converted Gym space. A WC facility is available in the adjacent Garden store building if required.
The current business attracts new clients by recommendations from current clients. The applicant has carried out research into potential new clients should the business move to Castletown and is satisfied there is sufficient interest to pursue the move. There is no proposal for any external signage or advertising to be added to the external elevation of the building or to the boundary wall facing onto the street.
The application site is within a town centre which consists of a predominantly Residential Area. The Additional Use is of small scale and would be operated on an appointment system. Therefore the proposal will not change the predominantly Residential Use of the application site and surrounding area.
The proposal is for one-to-one training sessions and it is believed that two people working out together on a business basis would not generate any more noise than the applicant using the gym on their own or with their partner. As the gym already has permission for use ancillary to Crofton then there will be no increase in noise and disturbance to neighbours and surrounding properties.
We believe the additional use of the gym within Crofton Mews for business use will not have a negative impact on the registered building of Crofton or the wider Castletown Conservation Area. The approved garage conversion is sensitive to the residential location within Castletown Conservation area, does not have any adverse visual impact on the property or street scene and provides adequate off-road parking for use by the Gym business in addition to Crofton Mews. The additional use for the applicant’s business will have very limited impact on traffic movement around The Crofts.
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