Planning Committee Agenda Officer Report

Application No.: 06/00391/B Case Officer : Mr Ian Brooks ### Consultations {{table:286956}} {{table:286957}} {{table:286958}} {{table:286959}} ### Private representations {{table:286954}} {{table:286953}} ### Planning Applicant: Mr P McCann Proposal: Conversion of existing Snooker Hall / Bar into self contained apartments and the erection of an extension to rear elevation to create an additional two apartments Site Address: Victoria Snooker Club Victoria Buildings Parliament Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AX **

Officer's Report

Description Of Application Site

• The application site comprises of a three half storey building with a three storey rear extension set on the southern side of Parliament Street within Ramsey Town Centre.
• The first floor of the building comprises of the snooker club and an ancillary flat.
• The second floor of the original building is used as two flats which extend into the third floor of the building.
• The second floor of the rear extension comprises of the snooker hall and a flat.
• The building currently comprises of 4 flats in total.

Proposal

• The application is seeking permission to convert the existing snooker hall/bar into self contained apartments and the erection of an extension to rear elevation which will create two additional apartments.
• The first floor of the building will create 2 flats with a communal games room.

• The second floor of the rear extension will create an additional flat and retain an existing flat.
• The second floor of the building of the original building will be retained as two flats.
• A third floor extension to the existing rear extension will be built to provide an additional two flats with patios.

Relevant Planning History

• 98/2234 - Change of use to pizza parlour - granted 13.05.1999
• 96/1581 - Creation of pitched roof from flat roof and creation of two flats - granted 19/3/97
• 96/43 - Change of use to create accommodation ancillary to snooker club - granted 17.05.1996
• 95/676 - Conversion of upper floors to office, snooker club and 3 self contained flats - granted 15/5/96
• 95/20 - Approval in principle for conversion into retail and office accommodation and flat - granted 11/5/95
• 89/04027 - Conversion of upper floors into two self contained flats.

Development Plan Policies

• Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) Order 1998

Statutory Consultation Responses

• Ramsey Town Commissioners - no objection
• Highways Division of the DoT - object to the application on the grounds that the extended converted building will increase the demand for long stay on street parking at a location where current demand is high for retail use.

Public Responses

• Press notice were posted on 16/3/06
• Representations have been received from a resident of Port Soderick, Disability Access Office, Environmental Protection Unit of DoLGE, IoMWA and the IoM Fire and Rescue Service.
• A resident of Port Soderick has made the following comments:

I understand that the site falls within area zoned as mixed use within the Ramsey Local Plan so I have no objection to the principle of the application. The proposal would also appear to be in general conformity with the policies contained in the local plan and would appear to be an appropriate use for a possibly underutilised site without creating an excessive adverse impact on the amenity of the surrounding area.

• The Disability Access Office has commented that disabled facilities should be provided.
• Environmental Protection Unit has commented that the flats must be registered and comply with the provisions of the Housing (Flats) Regulations 1982.

PC Agenda 10.08.2006

• The IoMWA has advised that the applicant should contact them with regard to the connection and change of water supply to the flats.

• The IoM Fire and Rescue Service have advised that the applicant should consult with the Fire Safety Department as this property will fall within the scope of the Fire Precautions (Flats) Regulations 1996.

Issues

• Policy R/R/P4 of the Ramsey Local Plan states that "The upper floors above shops are often under-used. Use of this space for residential purposes will be encouraged, subject to compliance with the Housing (Flats) Regulations".

• Policy R/TC/P3 of the Local Plan states that "The use of upper floors as retail units, offices and apartments shall be encouraged particularly where premises are currently vacant".

• The applicant has verbally indicated that the building has not been used as a snooker club in the last 2 years and is currently zero rated. The applicant wishes to bring this part of the building back into use for a beneficial purpose such as the provision of flats.

• The principle of converting the snooker club into two flats would appear to be in accordance with the local plan.

• In 1996, a planning application for the creation of pitched roof from flat roof and creation of two flats was submitted to the department for consideration. This application was granted planning permission on the 19th March 1997. This permission was not implemented. The applicant is proposing a similar extension (albeit with some minor changes) along with the creation of two self contained flats with patios. I can not see any reason to withhold planning permission for the extension considering it has already been approved back in 1997.

• The Highways Division of the DoT have objected to the application in that the extended converted building will increase the demand for long-stay on-street parking at a location where current demand is high for retail use.

• The application site has no provision for on-site parking. The only parking provision is on the public highway of Parliament Street. The parking bays are adjacent to the application site and have restrictions on the length of time a vehicle can park within the bays. The current restriction is that waiting is limited to 1 hour and return is prohibited within 2 hours. These restrictions are between 8am and 6pm. Furthermore, there is also a disabled parking bay outside the building.

• The opposite side of Parliament Street has double yellow lines to prevent parking from occurring so as to allow traffic to flow without any hindrance.

• I agree to some degree with the DoT in that the proposal will increase the demand for parking. However, the proposal has to be considered in the context of its location, its lawful use as a snooker club and policies with the local plan.

• The building is located in a Town Centre where the existing policy is to encourage upper floors to be used for residential purposes. In these locations off street parking provision is often non-existent and making any provision impossible. The building already has four flats and the creation of an additional four (2 of which have already been granted planning permission back in 1997) should not in my mind be discouraged.

PC Agenda 10.08.2006

Furthermore, the properties would be situated in a sustainable location i.e. a town centre where the need for a car would be limited as local facilities are within walking distance of the application site.

• Policy R/TC/P3 also encourages retail and office uses at upper floor and these uses would create a higher demand for parking than the proposed residential development in this current application. Furthermore, the existing use of the building as a snooker club would generate more visitors to the site than the proposed residential use.

• On balance I would consider the proposed residential development to be less intensive than the lawful use or the other uses suggested in Policy R/TC/P3.

Conclusion

I therefore recommend that planning permission be granted subject to conditions in the attached schedule.

Party Status

I consider that the following should be granted party status due to them being Statutory Consultees:

• Ramsey Town Commissioners
• Highways Division of the Department of Transport
• IoMWA and
• The IoM Fire and Rescue Service.

I consider that the following do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status:

• The resident of Port Soderick

Recommendation

Decision Recommended by the Director of Planning and Building Control: Permitted

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This permission relates to the conversion of existing snooker hall/bar into self contained apartments and the erection of a rear extension to create two additional apartments as shown in drawing numbers 5228/1, 5228/2, 5228/3, 5228/4, 5228/5, 5228/6, 5228/7, 5228/8 and 5228/9 date stamped 7th March 2006.

C 3. No facing and roofing materials shall be used other than materials similar to those used on the existing building.