30 July 2015 · Committee
Southern Plumbing & Heating Merchants Ltd, Unit 2 Portside, Balthane Industrial Estate, Balthane, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 2aj
Permission was granted to add a trade counter use to an existing warehouse unit at Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla. The trade counter would sell plumbing, heating materials, and bathroom supplies alongside the existing warehouse function. The site sits within an established industrial estate and is surrounded by similar uses. At the time of the officer's site visit, the unit did not appear to be in active use. The officer considered the proposal unlikely to cause harm given the industrial context. The application was permitted by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, subject to two conditions.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture permitted the application, subject to two conditions. The officer recommended approval on the basis that the proposal was unlikely to cause harm, given the site's existing industrial character and surroundings.
Isle of Man Strategic Plan
Business Policy 5: On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either: (a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature; or (b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be severed from the overall business; and, in respect of (a) or (b), where it can be demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viabil ity of the appropriate town centre shopping area. 9.2.7 Where industrial development is proposed, it is essential that all parking and manoeuvring by vehicles which will be generated by the use of the site can be accommodated within the site and off the highway. This is particularly important within industrial estates where lack of parking and manoeuvring space can create significant difficulties for other estate users, particularly where the use of large and articulated vehicles is involved. Where mezzani ne levels are proposed after a building has been completed, the Department may require more parking space to accommodate the additional traffic which would be generated. The standards of parking provision which will be required are set out in Appendix 7. 9.2.8 Local requirements for industrial development of a particular sort will be identified during the preparation of Area Plans. The Department is aware that, within some parts of the Island, there is a demand for small "starter units".
Area Plan for the South 2013
The site lies within an area zoned as Industrial
Condition 1
- 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.
Condition 2
- 2. Any retailing undertaken from within the application site shall relate only to the sale of plumbing equipment, heating equipment and / or bathroom equipment, and the retailing undertaken from the site shall remain ancillary to the main use of the site for storage and distribution (as defined under Schedule 3, Class 6 of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification). Reason: The site is within an area zoned as Industrial and the application has proposed a specific form of retailing related to the business that would be carried on there. The Department has assessed the impact of the proposal on the basis of that specific use, and any alternative uses within the same Use Class will require further consideration.
