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Application No.: 15/00694/C Applicant: Culture Vannin (formerly Manx Heritage Foundation) Proposal: Change of use from residential to office, temporary exhibition space and retail point Site Address: Fairfield House Main Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3NA Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSAL IS CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND DOES NOT MAKE PROVISION FOR PARKING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN BUT IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
1.1 The site is the curtilage of Fairfield House, an existing dwelling situated in the heart of St. John's village facing Tynwald Fairfield and the Hill and the A1 Peel Road. The property is detached and sits between a public toilet building to the east and a dwelling, Tynwald View which is attached to the former Tynwald Hill public house, now Greens cafe/restaurant to the west. - 1.2 The dwelling is a traditional two storey property with a more modern annex to the side which incorporates living accommodation above a garage. This annex extends to beyond the rear elevation of the main house. The property has a small area to the front and a reasonably sized rear garden which abuts an informal path which leads from the car parking area to the south of the general stores and post office, to the rear of the properties which front onto the eastern side of Station Road, to the main road. - 1.3 The property has a garage which is not the full recommended length to comfortably accommodate a vehicle (it is 4.5m long) and there are two spaces in front of the garage which could just accommodate a full sized vehicle (the space is 5m wide and 4.9m long) but vehicles would have to reverse in or out as there is no space for turning a vehicle within the site. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Proposed is the conversion of the building from a dwelling to the premises of Culture Vannin and use as office and exhibition space with some ancillary retailing. Culture Vannin, formerly the Manx Heritage Foundation are currently accommodated within the Nunnery estate but are soon to move out due to that site being passed out of Government control and no provision being made for the retention of Culture Vannin on the site. The hours of use would be 0930 to 1800hrs all week. - 2.2 Taken from their website, "Culture Vannin is the new name for the Manx Heritage Foundation. As a key funder for the Island of Culture celebrations throughout 2014, the
Recent projects include: Manx language - Producing two highly acclaimed Manx Language apps, Translating the world-renowned Gruffalo and Gruffalo's Child books into Manx, Developing a first class Manx language adult education programme, Manx music and dance, Developing future rising stars through the Bree Manx traditional music movement, Showcasing the fresh inspiration that is the Manx traditional trio Barrule to the Island's schools, UK universities and the world, Linking traditions from our shared heritage through the Norwegian Manx Project, a bright new musical collaboration People and Places, Re-telling and re-presenting the remarkable story of Illiam Dhone, a key figure in the Island's history Connecting with our Island's stories by funding the Mona's Queen Memorial, Developing a systematic oral history programme Celebrating our cultural icons through the national cultural award, the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan Culture Vannin will continue to develop and encourage innovative and exciting projects that enable us all to engage meaningfully in our Island life. This, we believe, makes the Island a more attractive place to live, adds to a sense of community and distinguishes us from our international competitors by reinforcing an inclusive national identity. A strong and vibrant language, exciting traditional music scene and growing sense of identity sends out a message to the world of a confident, innovative and proud island nation.
2.4 No physical changes are being made to the outside of the building. Internally, the ground floor will be used as exhibition space with staff facilities, a retail point and toilets. Upstairs the space will be office space (47 sq m). The attic will be used as a toilet facility with audio visual suite next door. - 2.5 The applicant believes that the proposal will enhance this existing focal point for the community by adding a positive presence whose function is to promote Manx culture and heritage, close to the Tynwald Hill and Fairfield site, St. John's Chapel, the Bunnscooil Ghaelgagh and the arboretum and Cooil ny Ree park. They explain that the dwelling has been on the market for sale since September 2013 and is presently unoccupied although prior to it being a dwelling it was a police station and an antique shop with accommodation above. Visitors to the new premises are anticipated as already being in the village visiting the various existing historical and cultural facilities and attractions. - 2.6 They consider that the site is well placed to be accessible to public transport and on a main principal traffic route. They describe the site as providing parking for three vehicles with safe access for pedestrians to footpaths, public transport and car parks. The required
3.1 The site is within an area designated as Residential which includes the site, Tynwald View to the west and the residential properties on both sides of Station Road. As such, the site is not designated for the proposed use. It should be noted that General Policy 3 which would often be considered as the appropriate policy where a proposed development was not in accordance with the designated land use, that policy applies to development which is outside of those areas designated for development - ie any form of development. As such, it is not considered appropriate to apply the tests of General Policy 3 but to consider the other relevant policies in the Strategic Plan and the St. John's Local Plan. - 3.2 The Strategic Plan promotes sustainability at its core, and the best use of existing built up land in the Strategic Aim, Strategic Policies 1 and 2 and the Plan also promotes local culture in the Strategic Aim. The Plan also promotes the safeguarding of historically important sites in Strategic Policy 4 and tourism-related development is encouraged to be provided in existing built fabric in Strategic Policy 8 with retail development is directed towards existing towns and villages (Strategic Policy 9). - 3.3 The Strategic Plan recommends a more integrated approach to transport in new development (Strategic Policy 10) which minimises the use of the private motor car and maximises the use of public transport and which encourages pedestrian movement. - 3.4 St. John's is identified as a service village in Spatial Policy 3 where appropriate employment opportunities should be increased. Business Policy 7 encourages the provision of new office space within existing towns and villages on land which is zoned for this purpose and Business Policy 8 supports new retail provision at a scale appropriate to the existing area and within existing towns and village centres (Business Policy 10). Tourism development should be subject to the same tests of sustainability and sensitivity as other developments (Business Policy 11) - 3.5 Transport Policy 4 requires that development must have available to it adequate highways and such that vehicle and pedestrian movements generated can be accommodates in a safe an appropriate manner and that all development must be in accordance with the standards of car parking set out in its Appendix Seven. - 3.6 The St. John's Local Plan adopted in 1999 places emphasis on the importance of Tynwald Hill to the village and its setting including the Church and Fair Field to the Island as a whole, describing St. John's as "arguably the Island's most historically important settlement" (paragraph 1.9). The plan specifies the need for a heritage centre (paragraph 4.2) and refers to the Manx Heritage Foundation with a recommendation that this is accommodated in the primary school when a new primary school was up and running. Failing that, provision should be made in an alternative building within close proximity of Tynwald Hill, preferably within the Conservation Area and in the interests of preserving the historic setting of the Hill, it was felt more appropriate to provide this in an existing building rather than in a new build. Two policies were included specifically relating to the Tynwald Heritage Centre (and one also refers to a transport museum), reiterating the reference to the primary school and the other, TYNWALD/P/2 requires that "care should be taken to select a site which can be appropriately accessed and where adequate car parking is available".
3.7 The Local Plan recommends that a Conservation Area is adopted in the village, which would include the application site. This, as with other Conservation Areas in Local Plans of this era, has not been progressed. The application building is not listed as one which is worthy of consideration for Registration in the Plan. PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 Planning approval was granted for alterations including conversion to an antique shop with accommodation above under PAs 85/01147/A, 86/00088/B and 94/01351/B. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they do not object to the application and note that St Johns village receives large numbers of visitors each year. Parking within the village is becoming an issue which may require highways to consider parking management in the future. There is currently public parking to the rear of the site which should facilitate any additional visitors to the village (10.07.15).
5.2 German Parish Commissioners indicate that they have no objections and are supportive to this application in principle and feel such an application should be encouraged (17.07.15). - 6.3 The owner of Sundance Cottage which lies some 250m to the south of the junction of Station Road and the main A1, expresses concern at the lack of parking and the already stretched parking provision within the village, caused by the success of the Tynwald Tea Rooms and whilst there are parking spaces available in the arboretum and Tynwald Inn car parking, in reality people will choose to park as close as possible to their intended destination and they will try and park on the main road, exacerbating the existing parking and traffic issues for the village (03.07.15).
6.1 If it is accepted that the building can be used for retail and other mixed uses despite its designation in the Local Plan, which officers believe is appropriate given that it is located within the heart of St John's and the proposal is compatible with the historic nature of St John's, the remaining issue in this case is the lack of on site parking to accommodate all of the vehicles which will be generated by the proposed use. As it is, the current use is catered for in accordance with the Strategic Plan requirements, although the garage space is not as long as it should ideally be. What is proposed will attract more people to the site at any one time, in terms of staff and visitors. However, the visitors may well also be visiting other features of interest in the village (Cooil ny Ree, Tynwald Hill, St. John's Chapel) and may well have come to see them regardless of the Culture Vannin presence there.
6.2 The comments of Department of Infrastructure Highway Services are interesting in that they advocate a village-wide approach to parking issues rather than dealing with each proposed facility and development individually. This appears sensible as each feature of interest which attracts visitors will, in most cases not be the sole reason for people visiting the village. It is also relevant that there are parking facilities available even if they are not right alongside this particular site. It is also critical to remember that St. John's is historically one of the most important areas of the Island and as stated in the local plan, was identified as a candidate for consideration for UNESCO protection status. As such, it is also important that the village character is not adversely affected by the over provision of car parks, signage and lines on the road to control parking. - 6.3 As such, there needs to be a balance between ensuring that there is no increased danger from increased numbers of people visiting and parking within the village and providing a home for Culture Vannin and an additional feature of interest for the village. The parking issues for the village and particularly around Station Road are real and justifiable reasons for concern. However given that the new use for the building will complement the other visitor
facilities in the village, it is considered that the increased demand for parking is not such as to warrant refusal in this case and that any difficulties in this respect are outweighed by the benefit of having Culture Vannin within the village.
7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
7.2 In addition to those above, article 6(3) of the Order requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.
In this instance, it is recommended that the owner of Sundance Cottage does not have sufficient interest to be awarded the status of an interested person in accordance with Government Circular 0046/13 as they are not directly affected by the proposal but as a user of Station Road and the main road.
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:
20.07.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This approval relates to drawings 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 and 06 all received on 19th June, 2015.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : Permitted Committee Meeting Date:…27.07.2015 Signed : Sarah Corlett Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph). Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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