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Application No.: 25/90219/C Applicant: Miss Fenella Tracey Eugenie Logan Proposal: Change of use from office to mixed use (office and dwellinghouse) Site Address: 2 Mount Pleasant Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2PU Senior Planning Officer: Jason Singleton Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.04.2025 _________________________________________________________________
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 proposed change of use to office and residential would be acceptable and in compliance with Housing Policy 17 and General Policy 2 of the IoM Strategic Plan 2016.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings and supporting information submitted on 28th February 2025. _________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal
It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DoI Highways - No Objection Douglas City Council - No Objection
_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 2 Mount Pleasant, Douglas. The property is characterised as a mid-terrace, three storey with a bay window to all floors and a flat roof
above leading to a pitched roof above the main part of the building / terrace. The property / terrace is accessed through an open alley way that serves the fronts of No's 1-5 and is opposite St. Andrews House (offices).
2.1 The application seeks to change the use from offices to all floors to offices to the basement and ground floor and the two floors and the attic / roof space above to residential with five bedrooms, one bathroom, study, dressing room, storage and kitchen (on the ground floor).
2.2 The proposals do not seek to alter the internal layout or the external elevations. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 No.8 Mount Pleasant gained consent for conversion under - 20/00873/C - Change of use from an office (class 2.1) to a residential dwelling (class 3.3). DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES - 4.1 The site is within Mixed Use Proposal Area 4. St George's on Proposals Map 5 of the Area Plan for the East. The site is not in an area at risk of flooding and is not within a defined conservation area.
4.5 Strategic Policy The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application; Spatial Policy
Housing Policy 17 - Conversion of buildings into flats
4.6 Residential Design Guide (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction.
CONSULTATIONS
5.1 Douglas Corporation; no objection (17/03/25) "Although the Council is not raising an objection against the proposed development, we would kindly ask that the applicant demonstrates that there is satisfactory space available for the storage of both waste and recycling receptacles within the curtilage of the property".
5.2 Highway Services; no objection (07/03/25) "HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the site is in a sustainable location in Douglas centre" - 6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 The following issues are relevant in the determination of this application;
6.2 As stated earlier in this report, the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as mixed use. The Department is currently aware that a significant level of office accommodation of various types and sizes is available to rent or buy in Douglas Town Centre currently. Further, the Area Plan for the East supports the use of residential use above ground floor shops in Douglas Town Centre and especially above existing shops/offices to try to reinvigorate the town centre during evening periods. - 6.3 Accordingly the loss of the office accommodation in this case is acceptable and the use as residential to the upper floors, would be an acceptable alternative subject to further assessment below. It is further noted there are no material alterations to the external appearance and the use of the upper floors as one dwelling house would be acceptable. POTENTIAL IMPACT UPON HIGHWAY SAFETY/PARKING PROVISION - 6.4 The creation of residential would technically require one parking space. However, there is no off road parking associated with this application. However, the site is also within walking distance of the town centre where shops and employment are located, as the site is very close to major bus routes (bus stops directly opposite the site). Furthermore, the existing office use would likely generate a similar amount of traffic generation. POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE WORKS TO THE STREET SCENE - 6.5 In this case as there are no material alterations to the external elevations, there would not be any adverse impact upon the character of the area or on the visual appearance of this building, nor would the residential use of the upper floors have an adverse impact upon its appearance and would be seen to respect the character of the streetscene. POTENTIAL PRIVATE AMENITY FOR FUTURE OCCUPANTS
6.7 As outlined within Housing Policy 17 the conversion will need to have a "pleasant clear outlook, particularly from the principal rooms". Internally the proposals do not seek to alter any of the existing internal layout and would utilise the space on the upper floors as bedrooms, with one bathroom and a kitchen and living room. In this instance, the property being one residential unit and their principal rooms (lounge) would have views out over Mount Pleasant from a bay window which ensures there is adequate natural light entering the room. The outlook would be towards St.Andrew s House that is offices. The outlooks from the residential floors raises no concerns and are considered acceptable in accordance with HP17. - 6.8 Regarding to bin provision and the comments from DBC, there is no room within the existing building to accommodate bins, However, there is currently access to the rear of the property and an external yard area and a dedicated space for the bins that serves the terrace. The applicants have demonstrated with pictures and annotations (within planning statement) on this matter and it appears the bins are currently stored to the rear of the property which appears to be a historical arrangement. Douglas Borough Council and Highway Services raise no objection on this matter. It is considered this new proposal will not alter this situation.
7.1 Overall, the use of the upper floors for residential in a town centre location and within a very sustainable position would comply with Housing Policy 17, General Policy 2 of the IOMSP 2016 and the Area Plan for the East 2020. 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 the 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, and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 25.04.2025 Determining Officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
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