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| Application No.: | 13/91058/B |
| Applicant: | Dandara Commercial Limited |
| Proposal: | Erection of office building for use as corporate headquarters with car parking and landscaping |
| Site Address: | Site Adjacent To Buchanan BMW & Dandara Head Office Vicarage Rise Isle Of Man Business Park Douglas Isle Of Man |
1.1 The site is a parcel of undeveloped land which abuts the estate road through the Isle of Man Business Park. To the north is Dandara/Heritage Homes' headquarters, to the north east is a car sales outlet (Caledonian Toyota and Lexus dealership). The land rises gently from south to north by around 1.2m over 52m.
1.2 The style of development in the area is mixed - modern stylish buildings to the north and south and smaller simpler forms to the east including the Horse and Plough public house, the garage, nursery and offices. The development to the south is in a Business Park character, reflecting the requirements of the original planning approval. The development to the north is less so with a higher density of development, significantly less landscaping and plainer smaller buildings.
2.1 Proposed is the erection of a corporate headquarters building and associated access and car parking (109 spaces). The building will be three storied and provide 1663 sq m of floor space (1150 sq m nett).
2.2 The building will be 13m tall and finished in stone cladding for the ground floor and white and grey render above, dark coloured windows and doors.
2.3 Drainage will be provided into the existing surface water and main foul sewerage in the adjacent highway. The applicant has now clarified that the land into which the surface water will drain – the estate drain is still in their ownership as the highway and drainage are not adopted. This in turn feeds into a pond which was designed to accommodate the surface water drainage from the estate and was intended to be handed over to Braddan Parish Commissioners on completion, which has not yet happened.
2.4 Planting is proposed around the periphery of the site.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Braddan Local Plan of 1991as "Master Plan to be prepared which will include areas of Industrial Use, Science Based Industries, High
| Case Officer: | Miss S E Corlett |
| Photo Taken: | |
| Site Visit: | |
| Expected Decision Level: | Officer Delegation |
Density Residential Use, Landscaping and Secondary School of approximately 16 acres". This succeeded a planning application in principle for the development of a business park of 40 acres, which was approved on appeal under PA 89/04166. This required, inter alia that the business park comprise light industrial use, warehousing, development associated with new technology companies predominantly involved in scientific, commercial or industrial research and development or electronic systems, micro-engineering, biotechnology, office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies which utilise the new information technologies and service other park users but specifically excluding financial and professional services to visiting members of the public, including banks, building societies, estate agencies and betting offices. The approval also required that buildings should cover no more than of the business park. 3.2 The Business Park has existing occupants including Royal London 360 mutual life insurance which sits on the corner of the business park and Cooil Road, Manx Telecom who have a corporate headquarters and operating centre, the MEA who have similar accommodation. There are also training facilities, vehicle repair and servicing, parcel distribution facilities within the park. 3.3 Business Parks are defined in the Strategic Plan as "development encompassing land 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."
4.1 Planning permission was granted for the development of the business park as a whole under PAs 89/04166 and 90/04155. Subsequent to that, planning permission was granted for offices on the site under PA 99/02059 and 04/00790. The latter was approved subject to a condition which stated, "The proposed building may be used for office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of a single company which utilises the new information technologies and services other users of the Ballacottier Business Park (but specifically excluding users offering financial and professional services to visiting members of the public, such as banks, building societies, estate agencies, and betting offices). 4.2 Also of relevance is an application relating to the site which is now occupied by Dandara's headquarters, alongside the application site. This was the subject of an appeal which sought to remove part of the condition of use which related to the corporate headquarters of a company which utilises the new information and technologies and serves other users of the business park on the basis that this constrains the marketing and take up of the development opportunities. This was refused at appeal on the basis that the wording would prevent the loss of the vitality and viability of town centre commercial areas through the migration of offices to business park locations (PA 00/01996). As the owner of the remaining undeveloped part of the Business Park, it could be said that Dandara serves the Business Park and has indeed been responsible for the design and applications for the development of the Manx Telecom Headquarters and then now Royal London 360 headquarters buildings as well as other, smaller buildings to the east - Island House and Conister House.
5.1 MEA make comments regarding the provision of an electricity supply and existing services. These are not material planning considerations and as such should not be included in the decision notice. 5.2 The owners of Eden Park on the southern side of Cooil Road raise concerns about drainage and land ownership, suggesting that the applicant owns more land than is shown on the plans, including land under which drainage passes. The pond which is intended to accept
the surface water from the estate lies alongside this objector's land and they are concerned that if it is not operating effectively, which they say it is not, then additional surface water discharge could result in flooding of their property. 5.3 Following these comments, the applicant has met with the objectors and the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority and have identified that the pond is not draining effectively as little maintenance has been carried out. the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority has confirmed that they do not object to the application but that the surface water detention basin serving the development is cleaned prior to any additional surface water discharges being connected. 5.4 Braddan Parish Commissioners initially objected to the application on the basis that the means of disposing of the surface water from the site and the estate more generally, was not working as it should be. However, having discussed the issue with the applicant and the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority and have noted the work which the applicant has undertaken in respect of the balancing lake and the road surface and would like their concerns about the management of the roads and drainage infrastructure be referred to in any decision notice. They acknowledge that the adoption of the roads is a long term issue but they hope that until this time the applicant company will adequately maintain the infrastructure.
6.1 The critical issues in this case are whether the development complies with the business park concept in terms of use, density and style of development and the landscaped context and whether the car parking provided accords with the required standards set out in the Strategic Plan. It is also relevant that the land is designated for business park development, it remains vacant along with a further area of around 6 acres to the south west. 6.2 The proposed building is to be used as a corporate headquarters for a financial services company which does not attract day to day callers. Whilst the original concept of the Business Park here clearly intended the companies locating here to have an association with the new technologies which would be being developed elsewhere on the estate. However, in practice, this has not occurred, other than perhaps a tenuous link between the information technology being developed by Manx Telecom although there is no evidence that new companies would have to be situated on the Business Park to take advantage of these. Indeed, since the original approvals which referred to this phraseology, there have been approvals for new corporate headquarters and offices within the Business Park which have not referred to this link to "new technologies". For example, Conister House and Island House were both approved for simply "offices" (PA 05/1686) and Celton Manx was approved as a corporate headquarters under PA 11/00381 and two further office buildings were approved alongside with no constraints on their use - PAs 11/00169 and 11/00170. 6.3 As such, it is considered that the principle of corporate headquarters development, such as is proposed here is acceptable and in line with other approvals which have been granted more recently within the Business Park than the original approvals which referred to the new technologies and the appeal for PA 00/01996 where this reference was retained within the condition. 6.4 The building is designed to be unashamedly modern and not dissimilar in design and finish to Island House. It is different in shape to Dandara's headquarters, which is to be encouraged as this is an unusual building which should not be lost within a sea of other similar designs. This building is also set at a higher level than the application proposal. As such, its appearance and size are considered to be acceptable within its context. 6.5 The parking to be provided exceeds that required by the Strategic Plan: 109 spaces are provided where only 77 are required. This reflects the specific requirements of the applicant's
client. It is important that the Business Park character is not undermined by the proliferation of car parking on the adjacent roads and the main spine road accommodates a significant amount of traffic - not only that associated with the Business Park but also through traffic much of which is seeking to travel north or south but avoiding the Quarterbridge roundabout and the congestion which can occur there. 6.6 As such it is considered that the parking is acceptable. 6.7 The final issue to consider is whether the proposal falls in with the Business Park concept of a landscaped setting. It's fair to say that as shown the peripheral landscaping is less than one might usually expect for a landscaped setting. However, this must be seen in the context of the surrounding area. The Dandara headquarters are set within a very sparsely landscaped site, far less than is proposed here although this planting does provide colour and interest around that site. The Manx Telecom building has a decorative lawn with statue in front of the main entrance and hedges around parts of the perimeter. Royal London 360 has lawns, a pond and planting around it. The proposed development will have tree planting around the perimeter with slightly larger areas in each corner where Scots pine, Common Alder, Silver Birch, Ash and Sessile Oak will be planted as well as around the perimeter. 6.8 It is considered that the proposals are generally in keeping with the theme and character of the Business Park and will provide a complimentary style of building in an area which is designated for development and which will provide a form of development which complies with the land use designation and will provide employment opportunities in a sustainable location within close proximity to areas of residential accommodation and the public transport network. 6.9 The application has highlighted an issue with the current drainage arrangements. As the estate drainage feeds into this, it is important that any lack of maintenance is resolved, not only for this application, but to properly serve the rest of the development. It is understood that the applicant has this matter in hand and the last correspondence from the local authority appears to support this in that they no longer recommend that the application is refused. Ideally the infrastructure should be adopted which will hopefully occur at some point. Addressing any deficiencies in the infrastructure in this current application is difficult in that the drainage and roads already serve a much greater amount of building and traffic than will be generated by this proposed development. However, the development should be served by roads and drains which are fit for purpose. It is, as such, suggested that this application should not seek to remedy any such problems, but that reference is made in the application to this as a note.
7.1 The local authority, Braddan Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4) (e), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status. 7.2 The Highway Authority is granted interested party status under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 paragraph 6 (4) d. 7.3 MEA does not raise material planning considerations and as such should not be afforded party status. 7.4 The owners of Eden Park own land which is adjacent to the final discharge point of the private sewerage system and as such could be affected by the proposal and as such should be afforded party status in this case. 7.5 The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority is granted party status by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order paragraph 6 (4) c.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of 15.11.2013 Recommendation:
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This approval relates to the erection of a corporate headquarters office building and associated drainage, access and landscaping all as shown in drawings 100, 101.01, 101.02, 101.03, 101.04 and 102 all received on 6th September, 2013.
C 3. The accommodation hereby approved must be only office accommodation as the corporate headquarters of companies having multiple and diverse interests (but excluding financial/professional services to visiting members of the public) as defined in the Strategic Plan.
C 4. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development or the occupation of the dwellings, whichever is the sooner. Any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.
N 1. Concerns have been raised regarding the effective operation of the existing surface water discharge system due to possible lack of maintenance of the landscaping around the pond. The system must operate effectively in compliance with the original development approvals in order to properly serve the proposed development, as well as other existing property which is connected to this system. It is considered however that this is not a specific matter for this current application as the design of the surface water system is effective and it is the maintenance thereof which appears to be the issue.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed : Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed : Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed : Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager
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