Change of Use Planning Statement

Change of use of redundant Public House car park to JD Landscapes storage yard and works parking.

This application is for the change of use of the redundant Station Hotel car park to provide an area for JD Landscapes to store their vehicles, materials and equipment in association with their landscape gardening business.

JD Landscapes has grown into a successful business, one of the few based in Port St Mary, employing local staff and focusing on contracts within the South of the Island including Port St Mary Commissioners. The expansion of the company has led to a requirement for additional land for storage of materials and parking of company vehicles and plant. The redundant Hotel car park being adjacent to Mr and Mrs Drivers home is ideal for the above and gives added security and ease of access.

The car park has not been used by the Station Hotel for a considerable time and is not readily visible to Hotel patrons. The access lane has a poor, pot holed surface and is badly lit making it unsuitable for use by the Hotel's clientele. The police have also raised concerns about the remote location of the car park and the lack of supervision of its use. The Hotel has 45 covers on its entertainment license and relies on parking on Station Road where there are no yellow lines, for larger events they have an agreement with the local bowls club to allow them to use their parking area.

The car park is prone to occasional flooding (ref attached photos) making it unsuitable for use by the hotel patrons however it is still adequate for J D Landscapes to use for storage of landscaping materials and works parking.

JD Landscapes are keen to recycle so tend to use the parking area as temporary storage while processing rubble, green waste etc.

Access to the proposed storage area is along a privately owned lane, Mr and Mrs Driver have a right of way and the lane is shared with the Gas works vehicles and service vehicles for the Hotel. The nature of the surrounding area is industrial rather than residential and we believe Port St Mary Commissioners have previously considered light industrial units in this area. We therefore believe that the vehicles accessing the storage area and the nature of its use would have little impact on the surrounding properties.

There are no other suitable alternative premises in the South of the island that could accommodate the expanded landscape business.

It is proposed that the land usage agreement should be with JD Landscapes only which would be revoked should Mr and Mrs Driver sell Ballaghreiney.