08/01012/BApproved
Erection of a building to provide retail and office space and seven residential apartments with associated parking
Planning permission was granted for the previous scheme, which included the same uses as this proposal.
1 October 2009 · Committee
Warehouse Office & Showroom, 26a, West Quay, Ramsey, Isle Of Man, IM8 1dg
Permission was granted for the erection of a new building on the former Barry Curran Motor Dealership Site at West Quay, Ramsey. The proposal involved retail and office space at ground level alongside six residential apartments, with associated parking. The site previously contained a large garage and workshop building ranging from single to three storeys in height. The Planning Committee considered a range of issues including the principle of redeveloping the site, effects on neighbouring residents, parking and road standards, the visual impact on the street scene and a nearby registered building, amenity for future apartment occupiers, affordable housing provision, and tidal flooding risk. The officer recommended approval and the Planning Committee formally approved the application on 1 October 2009, subject to seven conditions.
The Planning Committee approved the application. Key issues considered included the principle of development on this former motor dealership site, the impact on neighbouring residential amenity, parking provision, visual impact on the street scene and an adjacent registered building, amenity for future residents, affordable housing, and tidal flooding.
Development should make the best use of resources
Strategic
New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages
Strategic
Proposals for development must ensure that the individual character of our towns and villages is protected or enhanced
Strategic
Major employment-generating development should be located in existing centres on land zoned for such purposes
Strategic
Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan
General
General Policy 2: 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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. 6.3 Development outside of areas zoned for development
New development in existing settlements must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity
Environment
The Department will generally support proposals which seek to regenerate run-down urban and rural areas
Environment
New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages
Housing
Housing Policy 4: New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions (1) of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10; (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and (c) the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14. 8.5.6 The anticipated increase in the total number of dwellings on the Island over the Plan period is approximately 14%. By administering the programme of Area Plan preparation, the Department will ensure that there is sufficient land zoned for residential development to meet the overall housing requirement figure required by Housing Policy 1. The Department has resolved to prepare under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 four Area Plans which will concentrate upon larger areas of the Island. These will focus on the North, West, East and South of the Island and correspond with those areas discussed at paragraph 5.9 of the Spatial Strategy Chapter. 8.6 Affordable Housing 8.6.1 The Department is concerned about the increasing difficulties of securing the provision of affordable housing across the Island. The Department can, and does as a Housing Authority, intervene financially to provide financial support to local Authorities; financial support to prospective owner occupiers (through the House Purchase Assistance Scheme 2002) and by direct provision of new houses to rent. The provision of affordable housin g is a material consideration in the preparation of the development plan. In the current situation the Department considers that, to secure an adequate provision of affordable housing, it is appropriate to require that any area of land identified for hous ing purposes should include a contribution towards the provision of affordable housing. 8.6.2 There are currently around 1,584 (as at 31 st March 2007) households on the General Housing Waiting List. In addition, there are some 690 (as at 31 st March 2007) households registered with the Department under the House Purchase Assistance Scheme (HPAS). This indicates a total current need of some 2,274 households for affordable housing. (1) Sustainable Urban Extensions are defined in Appendix 1 8.6.3 In the current circumstances the Department considers that approximately 25 % of new housing provision should take the form of affordable housing. In assessing the appropriate percentage in each instance, the Department will have regard to the fact that the figure is a target over the Plan Period as a whole; to evidence of local housing need; to the nature of the land and viability of the scheme; and to the nature of existing adjacent housing. The 25% provision will be monitored and reviewed as part of any review of the Strategic Plan.
developments of 8 or more dwellings a provision of affordable housing is required
Housing
Housing Policy 5: In granting planning permission on land zoned for residential development or in predominantly residential areas the Department will normally require that 25% of provision should be made up of affordable housing. This policy will apply to developments of 8 dwellings or more. The term affordable housing is defined by the Department as housing which is either: directly provided by the Department; or directly provided by Local Authorities; or meets the criteria for the Department's House Purchase Assistance Scheme 2004 (and any successor schemes approved by Tynwald). 8.7 New Housing in Existing Settlements 8.7.1 Recent Local Plans and Area Plans have included development briefs guiding the design and layout of land which is zoned for residential use. Such briefs should not needlessly prescribe design, but should indicate site-specific constraints, the need for provision of public facilities or amenities (such as play areas, neighbourhood shops, or land for schooling, open space, or road improvements), and, if appropriate, the maximum or minimum density and the need for the inclusion of an element of affordable housing. Where these briefs state that an optimum density should be achieved this should not be used as an argument for higher density development which has an adverse effect on the residential amenity of adjoining properties or the character of the area.
New office floor space should be located within town and village centres
Business
Business Policy 7: New office floor space should be located within 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 (a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers; or (b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance.
New office buildings should, in terms of height and mass, respect the scale and character
Business
Business Policy 8: 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. 9.4 Retailing 9.4.1 As with office accommodation, and for similar reasons, retailing is largely concentrated in our town and village centres. Of these, Douglas is the largest and includes branches of many of the shops which are familiarly found in high streets around the UK. However, locally based retailers add variety and interest to our shopping streets, and this is particularly noticeable in Ramsey, Peel, and Castletown. It is interesting to note that in Ramsey and Peel, locally based furniture shops operate successfully from within the town centres, whereas Douglas town centre has now largely lost its furniture shops to edge-of-town or out-of-town sites. 9.4.2 The reasons for directing retail development to town centre sites are essentially those set out in paragraph 9.3.3 in respect of offices, but to these must be added the nee d for there to be a sufficient range and choice of goods available in the one shopping trip, without the need to travel between sites. Experience in the UK illustrates the impact which out -of-town retail development has on the traditional town centre high street and on small village shops, and it is pertinent to note the reversal of policy by the UK Government. The Department therefore proposes to adhere to the established policy which was embodied in the Tynwald resolution of 1987 (see paragraph 9.2.5). 9.4.3 Exceptions to this general policy have been identified in paragraph 9.2.6. In addition, there are community benefits associated with neighbourhood shops (see paragraph 10.6.1). The following general policy is therefore appropriate:
Office Development
Ramsey Local Plan
uch development should include provision for on site parking. The design approach should be sympathetic to adjacent Victorian structures in terms of architecture, scale and massing (reference: Policy R/I/P5). ## Public Utilities
Condition 1
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
Condition 2
This approval relates to the erection of a building to provide retail and office space and six residential apartments with associated parking as proposed in the submitted documents and drawings $1540 / 06-01 \mathrm{~A}, 1540 / 06-50 \mathrm{C}, 1540 / 06-100 \mathrm{C}, 1540 / 06-101 \mathrm{C}, 1540 / 06-102 \mathrm{C}$, $1540 / 06-103 \mathrm{C}, 1540 / 06-104 \mathrm{C}$ and $1540 / 06-40-42$ all received on 2nd June 2009.
Condition 3
Prior to their use within the development, there must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority, samples of the external finishes of the building. The building shall not be finished externally except in accordance with the details so approved.
Condition 4
No development may commence on site until the Planning Authority has agreed in writing a method statement for the construction of the proposed development. Such method statement should include details of the hours of operation, the construction traffic and parking arrangements and the operation of any building compound. Development shall not proceed except in accordance with the method statement so agreed.
Condition 5
Prior to the occupation of any part of the building, the accesses onto West Quay and Auckland Lane are to be completed to the required standard of the Department of Transport Highway Division and all the hard standing to the rear of the building is to be completed to allow the required parking provisions to be used. The parking spaces shall not be used other than for car parking.
Condition 6
Prior to the commencement of any works, there must be submitted to and approved by the Planning Authority a proposed scheme indicating flood prevention measures which would be implemented in the event of flooding of the area.
Condition 7
Notwithstanding the submitted plan, a further plan of a revised parking layout shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority prior to the commencement of any works. The plan shall include: Disabled person's parking provision; and The bin storage area relocated adjacent to Auckland Lane, in a position to be agreed in consultation with Ramsey Commissioners.
Erection of a building to provide retail and office space and seven residential apartments with associated parking
Planning permission was granted for the previous scheme, which included the same uses as this proposal.
Conversion of existing covered coal yard/wool shed to car parking and display area in relation to adjacent Barry Curran Motors, with installation of new vehicular entrance doors and signage
Change of use of agricultural repair shop to motor vehicle repair shop (to be used in conjunction with adjoining showroom)
Alterations and conversions to form sales area and associated offices, No. 27 and warehouse premises, Corner of West Quay and Christian Street, Ramsey