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SITE CONSTRAINTS There are no specific constraints that would prevent the alternative uses of the space as proposed. The site has good vehicle and pedestrian links.
Planning Policies contained within the Strategic Plan against which consideration may be given are:-
The Policies aim at guidance for the provision of new retail. As can be seen, the proposal for the Oddbins requirement is neither fully 'retail' nor 'major' in the context of the Policies. It is a bulk use and a warehouse facility. Furthermore, it is a use that is occurring within an existing warehouse building and makes good sustainable use of a space no longer required for its original purpose.
The Applicant also has an Approval for twice the size elsewhere, however because of phasing issues this wine warehouse is to be located here until other approved locations are available. The retail element 'Wine Shop' is located and approved at Ballafletcher.
In terms of sales, whilst holding a Full Licence, these are aimed at bulk buyers with a case minimum of twelve bottles.
There is a variety of existing retail uses nearby, from petrol sales/plumbing/car showrooms/fast food, as well as light industrial and offices. This would support a café use also in this location.
The Policies are also non-prescriptive and the proposed changes occur as part of well-defined retail and semi-retail uses.
The site is located on Peel Road.
It has vehicular and pedestrian access, providing safe access for all.
Vehicles on site have a main access point off Peel Road and there is on-site car parking and a goods delivery bay. As indicated in the photographs in Appendix A, the car park on site is existing and under-utilised.
The existing site has a proven record of accommodating goods traffic and access to the site is all as originally provided.
The site is near to bus stops and is on a major bus route out of Douglas and therefore has sustainable transport support.
Adjacent to the site, off Grove Road, is a large public car park operated on a 'pay & display' basis. This public car park is a very short walk to the site's corner access, which is noted on the Location Plan.
Therefore, both vehicle and pedestrian access provision is existing and well-known and used.
In total there are 21 external parking spaces on-site. The 'Oddbins Wine Warehouse' will have 4 dedicated 'Oddbins Customers Only' parking spaces, and the office will have 3 dedicated spaces. The Warehouse will share an additional 5 reserved customers parking spaces with office visitors. All reserved and designated parking spaces will be clearly signposted, as presently approved and to be included.
In addition, there are a further 5 spaces designated to overflow parking which are highly unlikely to be used, especially to full capacity.
Photographs have been taken at various times on different days of the week as evidence of current usage (those included in Appendix A were taken at 16.15h on Friday 2nd May 2014).
All staff parking is located in the basement parking facility (50 spaces), which is currently at less than 50% capacity on average.
Previously, as a printing production facility, the building had approximately 3 bulk deliveries per week and arising from this had approximately 20 distribution vehicle movements per week. This revised use envisages 2 main deliveries of warehouse stock and from this 20 to 30 customer deliveries per week.
The printing business had, in the hall area, 6 full-time staff plus 20 casual staff working there. The change of use to Oddbins wine warehouse envisages 6 full-time staff and 6 part-time staff.
The use of the print warehouse in traffic terms is effectively, at worst, like for like and, in effect, would be slightly better relative to any traffic impact.
For the café – the area of 260m² approx. had occupancy of around 32 staff previously when it was an office. The café will have around 3 full-time staff and 8 part-time staff with split hours. The on-site parking is more than adequate for this reduced number and therefore remains unchanged. Visitors/customers coming to the café by car will be directed by approved signage to the ‘pay & display’ car park to the rear of the site along Grove Road. In fact, this arrangement may even discourage users from coming by car.
At its peak, Publishing House (now European House) had just under 100 people employed on site. Now there are approx. 50 on site over 3 floors. The vacant ground floor is effectively empty (1 receptionist remains) and to be converted to café use. With the print warehouse at the rear converted to a wine warehouse/distribution use the combined full-time occupancy will be only a little over half its original number.
The site is provided with all utilities as existing, namely water, gas, electricity and telecommunications, to meet the needs of the building as originally designed and as now proposed.
Therefore, no changes to the current requirement of the utilities are envisaged by this change of use.
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