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1.1 The application site is a parcel of land adjacent to and north east of Cool Road but accessed from within the Business Park. The land, which measures approximately 0.26 hectares and is currently an open area. To the north east of the site are the workshops associated with the Manx Utilities Authority (electricity). Opposite this are the premises of Securicor and DHL couriers. To the south east of the site are new industrial buildings which have recently been completed and which are owned by the applicant in the current case. These buildings are modern and angular and finished in an array of white and shades of grey.
1.2 The site is cleared and level and there are kerbs around the edge. The site excludes a section of the site which is shown as being laid out for 18 car parking spaces. This is associated with the development of the adjacent site, approved under PA 11/00169/B and the subject of the current application, PA 14/1442/B for the variation of condition 1.
2.1 Proposed is the variation of the condition of an earlier approval, PA 11/00170/B which required that the development is completed within four years of the date of that approval resulting in a requirement for the development to be commenced prior to 23.03.2015. The applicant seeks permission for a further two years in which the development may be commenced.
2.2 The applicant explains that whilst planning permission has been granted for a new office building for Canada Life elsewhere in the Business Park which is almost complete it is hoped that the economic climate will strengthen the demand for such buildings and as such it is important that there are in place planning approvals which may be implemented without the delay and uncertainty of having to apply for a renewed planning approval.
3.1 PA 11/00170/B proposed the erection of an office building which was approved subject to the following conditions:
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 drawing no.s APL/00 rev. A, APL/02 rev. A, APL/03 rev. A and APL/06 rev. A date stamped the 10th February 2011.
C 3. Prior to the occupation of the building the car parking provision must be set out and capable of use in accordance with drawing no. APL/00 rev. A date stamped the 10th February 2011.
3.2 The approval granted was for the erection of an office building for use as corporate headquarters with associated drainage, car parking and landscaping. The proposal comprises a three-storey building containing approximately 405 square metres of nett office space with 27 on-site car parking spaces. The proposed building is two-storey in height and of a design that is similar in style to that approved on adjoining sites under planning applications PA 10/00749/B and 10/01676/B. Proposed was a modern design considered to be an attractive and imaginative approach and a design appropriate for the business park location and its visible position adjacent to the public highway. The proposal included appropriate levels of landscaping that reinforce the boundary planting and provided some internal planting. In terms of highway safety and car parking the proposal connects to the existing Business Park estate network and provides parking provision in accordance with the relevant requirements of the appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007. As required by Energy Policy 5 the submitted planning application includes an energy impact assessment.
3.3 Planning approval was also granted for the development of an office building alongside to the north west under PA 11/00169/B.
4.1 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 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 25% of the business park.
4.2 The Business Park has existing occupants including Royal London 360 mutual life insurance which sits on the corner of the business park and Cool 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.
4.3 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."
4.4 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains six policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
i) General Policy 2 states:
"Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
ii) Business Policy 7 states:
"New office floor space should be located with town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space
iii) Business Policy 8 states:
"New office buildings should, in terms of height and mass, respect the scale and character of adjoining and nearby buildings and should accommodate parking space in accordance with the standards specified in Appendix 7 of the Plan."
iv) Transport Policy 7 states:
"The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards."
NB. Appendix 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 sets a parking standard for out of town offices of 1 space for every 15 square metres of nett floor space and 1 space per 100 square metres for storage and distribution. In terms of the current proposal this is calculated as equating to a minimum requirement of 20 car parking spaces. The proposal provides 24 car parking spaces.
v) Transport Policy 8 states:
"The Department will require all applications for major development to be accompanied by a Transport Assessment."
vi) Energy Policy 5 states:
"The Department will prepare a Planning Policy Statement on Energy Efficiency. Pending the preparation and adoption of that PPS the Department will require proposal for more than 5 dwellings or 100 square metres of other development to be accompanied by an Energy Impact Assessment."
5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application 16th January, 2015.
6.1 In terms of principle, the proposed development accords with the land use designation of the land and thereby accords with Business Policy 7. The building is proposed as corporate headquarters intended for use by a specific end-user whose business would not normally attract visiting members of the public. Given this, the principle of development is concluded to be acceptable. The design and massing of the buildings remains as acceptable as it was in 2011, perhaps more so given that Celton Manx and the industrial buildings on both sides have now been implemented.
6.2 As such, it is considered that the development is acceptable, still complies with the various policies and the condition should be varied so as to allow a further 2 years for the commencement of the development.
7.1 The local authority is, 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 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services is granted interested party status under the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 paragraph 6 (4) d.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 19.01.2015
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1.
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of two years from the date of this decision notice.
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2.
Prior to the occupation of the building the car parking provision must be set out and capable of use in accordance with drawing no. APL/00 rev. A date stamped 12th December, 2014.
This approval relates to drawings APL/00 A, APL/02 A, APL/03 A and APL/06 A all received on 18th December, 2014.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 22/11/15
Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed : _________________________ Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
Signed : _________________________ Michael Gallagher
Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed : _________________________ Jennifer Chance
Head of Development Management
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