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Application No.: 06/01469/C Applicant: Mr J P Heavey Proposal: Retrospective application for the use of part of garage for the operation of a taxi phone dispatch centre Site Address: Corner Filling Station Approach Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1EB ### Considerations Case Officer: Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken: 10/10/06 Site Visit: 10/10/06 Expected Decision Level: Delegation ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consulttee: Chief Fire Officer Notes: Consulttee: Highways Division Notes: Consulttee: Clerk To The Commissioners Notes: Object Consulttee: Notes: Road Transport Licensing Committee The site is an ex filling station which I understand was also used to garage vehicles on the forecourt. The operator currently has no permission to use this site to keep any PPV's, or use it as a taxi radio base, hence the application. The proposed use includes one PPV minibus which has been approved by DLGE, but not as yet by the RTLC. It has been claimed by neighbours that more than one PPV has been kept at the site, but this has been denied by the taxi operator, although he acknowledges that PPV's do visit the site. The operator has made it known that he intends, in the future, to apply to keep more than one PPV at the premises, but currently he is applying to keep just one minibus. The RTLC does not have a problem with the site, other than some of the neighbours have objected to the operator's intention to use the premises as a taxi radio base. In making the application to use the proposed operating centre, the operator is actually planning to relocate his office and maintenance facilities from a residential area in Kirk Michael, to a commercial site in Ramsey. The RTLC is currently considering the application, and in an effort to come to some compromise between the operator and the neighbours, we are seeking an undertaking from the operator that 1) the site will not be used by customers to wait for taxis after say 10pm from Sunday to Thursday inclusive, and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights 2) the illuminated sign will have the bulbs removed, so that the sign is never illuminated. I don't consider that the use needs to be investigated by DLGE. although I am led to believe that Steve Olsen has previously visited the site to advise the operator. Brian Leece 19th Sept 06 email ---
Officer's Report
Site
The application site is the Filling Station, Approach Road, Ramsey, which is located on corner plot with Waterloo Road to the southwest and Approach Road to the southeast.
The site previous use was a petrol filling station.
Land Use Zoning
The site has been zoned under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998 as being within a predominately residential use; the site is not within a Conservation Area.
Planning History
The application is a retrospective application for the erection of advertising signage (06/01468/D) – under consideration.
Proposal
The application is a retrospective application for the use of part of the garage for the operation of a taxi phone dispatch centre.
The Applicant states that it is unlikely that their operation would have a detrimental impact to the visual appearance of the road, as they will be/have taken a previously derelict filing station and transformed it into a clean and tidy, well maintained property.
The fleet consists of eight vehicles, all of which are based at other addresses, and the requirement to visit the Waterloo Road site will be purely for light maintenance such as cleaning, topping up windscreen washers, toilet facilities and general office administration, as vehicles will not be kept/dispatched from this address and will mostly remain out at work for the duration of a drivers shift.
The Applicant also notes that they would not operate a 24 hour service from the Waterloo Road site, there is nobody on site before 7am and in the evenings we close the office at 11pm with the exceptions of Friday and Saturday nights where a base operator stays behind until the pubs and clubs close.
The site does have provisions to take bookings from the office, however the Applicants states that they do not encourage people to come to the office for the purposes of obtaining immediate hire, therefore the majority of bookings would be made over the telephone/fax or email.
The Ramsey Commissioners object on the grounds that:-
The Commissioners consider that the proposed use as a taxi phone dispatch centre is inappropriate and an un-neighbourly intrusion into an area which is predominantly residential.
Highways Division do not oppose subject to the following conditions:-
Ten off street parking spaces must be made available for the operation of this business
The Chief Fire Officer makes no comment on the merit of the proposed development but request that an informative note be attached to any approval decision notice.
The owners and/or occupants of 45 Waterloo Road object to the planning application which can be summarised as concerns that business seems to be open all day and night with numerous taxis parked outside all day awaiting call out, the undesirable business is especially noisy at weekends and if the site is used as call centre and not reliant on passing trade then why does it have to a huge sign.
The owners and/or occupants of 44 Waterloo Road object to the planning application (also on behalf of the owner of 46 Waterloo Road who is in hospital) which can be summarised as concerns that:-
The owners and/or occupants of 50 Waterloo Road object to the planning application, which can be summarised as adverse impacts to the peaceful enjoyment of residential area due to the banging of car doors and loud voices of drivers/customers late at night through to early hours.
As the application site is within an area of predominately residential use, any application for a non-residential use needs careful consideration to ensure the proposal would not cause adverse impacts upon the residential area.
The site was previously used as a petrol filling station and therefore a non-residential use. As the Applicant has stated there are a number of business/non-residential uses along Waterloo Road. I therefore consider that in principle the use of this site as a non-residential use is acceptable during normal business hours, (filling station would appear to close early evening (6pm), whilst the majority of business/non-residential uses along Waterloo Road would operate during normal business hours, with the possible exception of the public house.
In my opinion the main issue of the application is the impact the taxi centre would have upon the residential dwellings, particular the properties along Waterloo Road and Approach Road. The use of the site during the daytime I would consider to be acceptable, however my concern is the operations of the site after 11pm till 7am, especially Friday and Saturday. The Applicant states that the site during these periods the site would only be used by a base operator who would stay behind until the pubs and clubs close, however I have concerns that customers are able to use the site to wait for a taxi, which will therefore introduce people to the area after 11pm increasing the adverse impacts to the residential properties. A second concern is the site being used as a private filling station, which would result in at least eight of the fleet vehicles using the site to fill up with petrol when required, possible during the 11pm till 7am period. A third area of concern during this period would be the drivers of the company visiting the site for light maintenance and to use the toilet facilities again the site could be used during the period of 11pm till 7am, which again would introduce adverse affects due to the associated noise.
As the submission is a retrospective application, the neighbouring objectors have first hand experience of the usage of the site and what currently happens, not what might happen. I therefore add significant weight to their comments, as it is clear that the operation of the site as a taxi centre is causing adverse impacts upon the residential area.
I am of the opinion that the use of this site as proposed would introduce a usage, which does have a significant adverse impact to the detriment of the residential area and would therefore be an un-neighbourly development. For these reasons the proposals would be inappropriate in this location and therefore my recommendation is for a refusal.
I consider that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status:
The Ramsey Commissioners Highways Division 44 Waterloo Road 45 Waterloo Road 50 Waterloo Road
I consider that the following parties that made representations to the planning application do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status:
Chief Fire Officer
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
R 1. The operation of a taxi business as proposed would result in activity, some of which would be at anti-social hours, and cause disturbance and nuisance to local residents.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)
Decision Made : Refused Date: 14/2/07
Signed: [Handwritten signature]
M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control
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