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1.1 The application is four individual "bays", which together form Unit 1 of the Douglas Head Industrial Estate. Unit 1 represents roughly one third of the size of the building in which it sits. At the time of the site visit, it was vacant. The land edged blue extends to the remainder of the building and also the site access, but excludes the other building on the estate (currently occupied by Magnet).
1.2 The light industrial / warehouse building in which Unit 1 sits is occupied to varying degrees. The industrial estate is fairly small and fairly of its type in that the buildings are rather utilitarian. A large area of parking is provided, some of which is formally laid out.
2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the subdivision of Unit 1 into two identically-sized units (of roughly 290sqm each), along with the installation of a roller shutter door alongside an existing such door. This would result in two roller shutter doors being present across the four bays, and five on the building overall. 12 parking spaces are shown as being associated with Unit 1, albeit that three of these are set out in a line so it would be impossible to independently access each of them.
3.1 Although the application site (and industrial estate as a whole) has been the subject of a number of historical applications, it is considered that only two are worth considering in the assessment of this application. Both of these were submitted in 2005, and the earlier application (PA 05/00774/B) was refused on review for failing to demonstrate clarity of the parking arrangements with respect to the proposed subdivision of Unit 1. The later application (PA 05/01867/C) provided more clarity on the specific parking available to each of the two units that would be created and was subsequently approved. Unit was has, therefore, previously been sub-divided in a broadly similar fashion to that now proposed.
4.1 The site is within an area zoned on the Douglas Local Plan as "Light Industrial". With this in mind, and given the nature of the works proposed, there are two policies relevant for consideration in the Strategic Plan.
4.2 General Policy 2 requires that new development should be appropriate in form and scale and not impact unduly on private or public amenity. Transport Policy 7 requires that new development should ensure parking standards are met. For general industrial, this requires that 1 parking space per 50sqm of floorspace be provided - Unit 1, at just under 600sqm, would therefore require 12 parking spaces, which are identified.
4.3 While the Strategic Plan has no specific policies that relate to planning applications for development of the kind proposed (although there are policies for new retail and office development, policies relating to industrial development all relate to more strategic matters of zoning), there is a clear steer towards enabling new employment-generating development. This is perhaps best underpinned by the extract from Strategic Policy 6: "Major employment-generating development should be located in existing centres on land zoned for such purposes...".
4.4 With this in mind, it is considered that the principle of the proposal is acceptable.
5.1 Douglas Borough Council, in identical correspondence received on both 15th and 21st January 2015, offer no objection to the application.
6.1 As earlier noted, the principle of the proposal is acceptable. In terms of the details, the physical alterations proposed would replicate the general appearance of the building, and while they would result in a loss of rhythm in terms of the number / position of roller shutter doors, the building is not considered especially attractive or worthy of protection in such a way. The physical changes proposed are therefore unobjectionable.
6.2 While specific parking has not been shown for the two individual units (relative to how they are currently provided in respect of the single unit), the overall number of parking spaces will not be altered on the site. It is possible that there would be a slightly higher need for parking spaces from the two independent units than for the one larger unit - two businesses working across the same space as one business would likely have slightly higher workforces as certain tasks might need two employees (i.e. one per unit) to undertake rather than one. However, the site provides sufficient parking overall in terms of Strategic Plan requirements, and it is considered that any objection to the application on this point would be unsustainable.
6.3 Notwithstanding the above, it is considered that a condition requiring the parking spaces shown be used in association with the two units would be appropriate to attach to any approval notice that may be forthcoming.
7.1 In light of the above, it is recommended that the application be approved.
8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application; Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 26.01.2015
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 four 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. The 12 no. parking spaces shown on the approved plan HLK/14/140 3 shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking and turning of vehicles associated with the development and shall remain free of obstruction for such use at all times.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
The approval hereby issued relates to the following plans, date-stamped as having been received 29th December 2014: HLK/14/140 1, HLK/14/140 2, HLK/14/140 3 and HLK/14/140 4.
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 : 26/11/15
| Signed : | Signed : |
| Chris Balmer | Sarah Corlett |
| Senior Planning Officer | Senior Planning Officer |
| Signed : | Signed : |
| Michael Gallagher | Jennifer Chance |
| Director of Planning and Building Control | Head of Development Management |
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