Change of Use Justification Letter
Richard Green Associates
architectural services
OCEAN HOUSE 87 CIRCULAR
tel: 01624 676202
your ref
The Secretary The Planning Committee Department of Local Government and the Environment Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas
Dear Sir / Madam,
Re: Proposed Change of use of Unit 1 of New Industrial Building from Light Industrial to the Sale and Display of Graded Bulky Electrical Goods at Hills Meadow Industrial Estate, Douglas for H M Enterprises Ltd.
Our client has recently completed construction of a new industrial building at Hills Meadow Industrial Estate, replacing the unsightly building previously occupied by Island Fixings and Fittings Ltd.
The building is divided into four units. Our client has a prospective tenant for unit 1 of that building who wishes to store and display for sale graded bulky electrical items.
The prospective tenant does not wish to be named at this stage for reasons of confidentiality, however we can divulge that it is a long standing Manx business.
Business Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan states that "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 viability of the appropriate town centre shopping area."
The prospective tenant has a town centre location for the display and sale of new electrical goods, and that location will continue. The storage, display and sale of graded bulky electrical items would be an extension to their present business which cannot be accommodated at their existing premises.
principal JR Green registered in the Isle of Man no. 0105598
We would expand on the type of business involved at the new premises. The goods are bulky large electrical appliances such as washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, cookers and televisions and the like. Because of their size and weight they require vehicular transport close by to enable customers to take them away, as they could not be carried home or taken on public transport.
The goods are graded in that they may be damaged in some way and a customer would need to examine each item before making a purchase, unlike new goods where only a limited display would be required of a typical example. Hence a large display area is required.
The site at Hills Meadow is better suited for bulk deliveries from large vehicles than a town centre location.
The subject of increased parking requirements for customers to the premises is covered by a separate Planning application submitted concurrently with this application, as recommended by your Planning Officer.
We understand that the prospective tenant has examined other premises in Douglas town centre but has not found any sites suitable in size or availability of nearby customer parking.
The type of goods to be displayed and sold are not available in Douglas town centre although there are numerous examples of "out of town" businesses selling similar goods. A very similar operation has recently been approved on Middle River Industrial Estate
It is not expected that locating this type of business out of the town centre would affect the vitality or viability of the town centre as it is not considered to be window or impulse shopping but shopping for a specific need.
We trust the above will prove helpful when your Committee consider the application. Yours faithfully,
J RICHARD GREEN
RECEIVED 01 SEP 2008
