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Application No.: 25/90817/B Applicant: Albion Knitting Company Proposal: Erection of two story extension to south west elevation of existing factory to replace existing two story office block Site Address: Albion Knitting Company Barrule House Ronaldsway Industrial Estate Ronaldsway Ballasalla Isle Of Man IM9 2AW Senior Planning Officer: Jason Singleton Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.10.2025 _________________________________________________________________
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.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
Reason: The application sought additional manufacturing space and the use has been considered on this basis only.
N . Applicant should be aware of and demonstrate compliance with the clause above. No surface water run-off to be discharged onto the highway
It is concluded that the planning application would be an acceptable form of development which would be visually acceptable and would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties or the industrial setting here which would comply with Business Policy 1,2,5, General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
This decison relates to drawings and supporting information submitted on 2nd September 2025, referenced;
Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DoI - Highways Services - No Objection Malew Commissioners - No Objection DoI Highways Drainage - No Objection with Condition.
_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Barrule House within the Ronaldsway Industrial Estate as delineated by the red line boundary on the Location Plan. Access to the site is off the access road no.C146 which leads off a roundabout on the A5 close to Ronaldsway Airport. - 1.2 The existing warehouse building has been partially refurbished and currently used as a knitting /fabrication factory for clothing garments. The buildings are industrial in appearance and height with pitched roof and metal profiled sheet cladding to the upper proportions and roof.
1.3 To the front elevation is a single story flat roof section office building with a two story element that sits centrally to its overall length with a shallow pitched roof. The footprint measurers approx. 33.0m x 6.5m with car parking to the front. This building is internally linked via a pedestrian width doorway to the wider and larger warehouse to its rear and is generally laid out as office spaces and subdivided as such. - 1.4 This part of the wider "building" is currently unused and its appearance is dated and weathered with timber framed glass windows to its three elevations and painted render to the remainder. The remainder of the building to its rear has recently been refurbished with new offices central to the factory and its functional area.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the demolition of this single storey flat roofed element to the front elevation and in its place the erection of two story extension that would measure 33m long and 9.7m deep and two stories in height with a mono pitched roof. - 2.2 The proposal is to be built in block cavity walling and a large central glazing section to both floors of the front elevation with a set of patio style doors centrally positioned at ground floor level. Internally the layout is open plan to both floors and is noted as being "factory floor" on the drawings with the retention of the doorway at ground floor level into the wider factory area. - 2.3 The building is proposed to be painted render for its majority to the ground floor with new fenestration throughout with Upvc and profiled cladding sheets to the first floor and roof to match that of the remainder of the building in terms of material and colourings with their corporate colours. - 2.4 Parking would be retained to the front of the building and a dedicated loading bay area with a roller shutter doorway opposite.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being 'Business Park' use (with the No.5 for the development brief) under the Area Plan for the South Map 4. - 3.2 Within the written statement the site is referred to for its land designation, surrounding uses for light industrial and employment options as noted in Employment Policy 3; "It is proposed that the Ronaldsway Industrial Estate will be designated as a Business Park. As such, it would be a suitable location for light industrial purposes, warehousing, new technology companies involved in scientific, commercial, or industrial research or development and office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies having multiple and diverse interests (but excluding financial/professional services to visiting members of the public). Buildings should be set in parkland which should dominate the landscape". - 3.3 The site is not within a conservation area. It is not identified as being in a risk flood area. There are no registered trees / tree areas affected by the proposals. - 3.4 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application; Strategic Policy - 5 Design and visual impact
Spatial Policy;
General Policy 2 General Development Considerations (a-n)
Business Policy
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The previous approved planning applications are deemed relevant to this application;
5.1 Malew Commissioners do not object (01/010/25) "They did however suggest the possibility of installing roof solar panels". - 5.2 Highways Services do not object (08/12/25) "Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the existing access and proposed layout is acceptable for the relatively modest increase in GFA proposed within the site - there is enough marked and unmarked hardstanding on the site to accommodate staff parking." - 5.3 DoI Highways Drainage commented (23/09/25) "Allowing surface water runoff onto a public highway would contravene Section 58 of the Highway Act 1986 and guidance contained in section 11.3.11 of the Manual for Manx Roads. Recommendation: As no details are shown, Applicant should be aware of and demonstrate compliance with the clause above. No surface water run off to be discharged onto the highway."
6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are;
6.2 (i) Principle The proposal would see the demolition of an underused office element to the building and in its place the erection of more factory flooring to expand on the current manufacturing area associated with the property and its use for clothing manufacturing. The proposals would be aligned with the land use designation and seeks compliance with SP5. The proposed improvement and investment into the site would be seen to enhance their visual impact and improve the functionality of the buildings with the opportunity for future use, thus indirectly helping to facilitate more employment opportunities that would align with BP1,2. - 6.3 Given the existing use of the premises is in accordance with the land use designation and the proposals are merely an improved cosmetic extension over an existing footprint, albeit slightly larger in depth and height, ensures the external alterations would not be adding any additional uses or removing areas for storage or manoeuvrability on site.
6.4 As such the principle of the proposals is therefore acceptable and would be read in accordance with business policy 1 and 5 (providing there is no retail), subject to further considerations below.
6.5 The main material alteration to the external appearance is essentially to the front elevation facing the internal access road. It is here where we would see the side elevation when approaching the site and the front elevation when passing. The proposals are of a size and scale that would make effective use of the site area which overlaps an existing footprint that retain access to the property and directly links internally to the wider building. Parking would be retained which would screen the lower proportions and the design incorporating higher level glazing and a roller shutter industrial type entrance ensures this part of the building is read within its commercial context and that of the industrial nature of the site. - 6.6 The design would echo the existing proportions and forms of the larger factory building and the level of finish, material selection and colourings would ensure the proposals would be rear as one unit and the same business use through the use of corporate colours. The central glazing element would give an insight to the internals of the factory and helps to break up the massing with this glazing section being two stories and would echo that of the newer refurbished element of the front elevation. This approach would be seen to align with STP5 for is design and visual impact upon the wider area. - 6.7 Considering the visual impact of the proposals noted above, the level and scale of development proposed within this planning application are considered to be acceptable to suit a specific purpose for improving the general appearance of the property and to reflect the current use for manufacturing which is welcomed. As such this aspect of the proposal is deemed acceptable in accordance with GP2 (b); (c).
6.8 Within the street scene of buildings here, the proposal would not be considered to have any adverse impact on the use of the neighbouring properties and would be compatible with the other industrial type buildings in compliance with GP2g.
6.9 Flooding is noted that the IOM Government flood risk mapping shows the potential for surface water ponding on the roadway adjacent to the entrance to the front elevation of the building. As this is a new built extension to replace a former and the use is to be used as factory flooring, the proposals remain unobjectionable without any risk to life only property. On balance the proposal would align with Gp2l. - 6.10 (v) Highway Safety Highway Services have considered the merits of the proposals, access to and from the
site from the highway, as well as parking and manoeuvrability within the site. As the transport professionals their comments are heavily relied upon and as they do not object, the proposal would be considered to align with the principles of Gp2 h&i.
7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the planning application would be an acceptable form of development which would be visually acceptable and would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties or the industrial setting here which would comply with aforementioned planning policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval. - 8.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE
8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:
8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):
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 and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 07.10.2025 Determining Officer
Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner
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