19 July 2022 · Committee
Isle Of Man Government, Department Of Infrastructure, Vehicle Testing Centre, Ballafletcher Road, Cronkbourne, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM4 4qj
Permission was granted for Swagelok Ltd to replace the former vehicle test centre at Ballafletcher Road, Cronkbourne, Douglas, with a new industrial building. The application was decided by committee and approved on 19 July 2022. The site sits within an existing industrial estate, is relatively flat, and is accessed from both Ballafletcher Road and Ballafletcher Farm Road. There is significant tree cover along the road boundaries and the western boundary of the site. The site is not within a Conservation Area and does not contain any Registered Buildings. The approval was subject to 12 conditions.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture approved the application on 19 July 2022. The proposal to replace the existing vehicle test centre with a new industrial building was found acceptable, with 12 conditions attached to the permission.
Vehicle Test Centre at Ballafletcher
identified as having potential for redevelopment in the longer term
making best use of resources including previously developed land and redundant buildings
proposal is in accordance with the land use and facilitates the reuse of previously developed land
Strategic Policy 1: Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under -used land and buildings, and re - using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space (1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services. 4.2.2 In pursuance of (c) abo ve, the Department will, when formulating its programme for the preparation of new Area Plans, have particular regard to: (a) the availability of mains drainage connected to IRIS or other mains systems; (b) securing the future viability of rural primary schools; (c) the public investment in the Island's highway, bus, railway and tramway networks; (d) the provision and availability of water; and (e) community facilities. 4.3 Environment 4.3.1
development directed to existing settlements
reuses previously developed land/building within the existing settlement boundary of Douglas
Strategic Policy 2: New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(2) of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in the exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3. (1) Open Space is defined in Appendix 1. (2) Sustainable Urban Extensions are defined in Appendix 1 4.3.2 Appendix 3 to the Plan identifies the towns and villages, and also explains why the Department has rejected the idea of a new settlement, which was mooted in the Consultation Draft published in May 2000. 4.3.3 Each of our towns and villages has an ind ividual character arising not only from its geographical position and existing fabric, but also from its historical, cultural, and social background. This character should be protected and enhanced. Accordingly:
Promotion of employment opportunities
operational and economic benefits
Business Policy 1: The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan. 9.1.3 This chapter concent rates on the land use implications of business activity, including industry, storage and distribution, office and commercial development, retailing and tourism. 9.1.4 In respect of employment land availability, the Department has undertaken and published an Employment Land Availability Study (1). A summary of this is included in Appendix 9. Across the Island there are some 118 hectares of land allocated for industrial development. Much of this is concentrated around Ballasalla and the Airport. There is, however, a spread of land available across the Island to support employment and regeneration opportunities in each area. Such land will be important to support the regeneration of the Service Centres and the Gateway and Employment role of the Airport area. 9.1.5 The Douglas area has seen by far the bulk of the industrial land take up in recent decades and much of the land allocated for such purposes has been taken up. This is why the Department has resolved to proceed with a Development Order for the development of some 20 hectares of employment land to the south of Cooil Road. A recent report on the take up of industrial land in the Douglas area indicates that it has been faster than anticipated and at current rates that all the land will be required by 2015. While the situation will be subject to detailed assessment in the preparation of the Plan for the East, the Department is satisfied that the release of additional land is both necessary and appropriate at this stage. 9.1.6 The Department has also reviewed planning permissions for office development. The majority of these are focused in the Douglas area. Take up has been low in recent years with the exception of certain relocations to corporate headquarters, such as Skandia. There are a number o f sites still available for new office development, in addition to the existing stock. Of note is the recent trend for sites with office consents to subsequently secure planning permission for residential use. The most notable example being the final pha se of the Villiers development, which now has a residential permission in addition to its partly - implemented office consent. 9.1.7 The following information has been extracted from the Review of Economic Strategy (Treasury 2003) which formed part of the background to the Economic Strategy 2004 approved by Tynwald in October that year. (1) Employment Land Availability Study DLGE 2007 9.1.8 The Isle of Man has enjoyed unprecedented economic success in the last ten years. Over this period annual gross domestic product, or GDP (the value of the economy' s output of all goods and services), has more than doubled in real terms (both absolute and per capita) such that from a deficit of around one quarter, per capita GDP in the Isle of Man now exceeds that of the UK by 7% and the average for the European Union (EU 15) by 10%. 9.1.9 The period 1993 - 2000 saw the economy not only expanding but doing so at an accelerating rate, before slowing in 2000/01. Since 2001 the economy has continued to grow at around 5% per annum (the latest national income accounts revealed growth of 5.9% in 2002/03), meaning that, after the recession in the early 1980's the Isle of Man economy has recorded economic growth in each of the last twenty years. 9.1.10 This economic performance has been led by the financial and related se rvices sectors. The finance industry grew by over 80% between 1996 and 2001 alone. But the table below illustrates that probably all areas of Manx economy are today generating more income in real terms than a decade ago, even it the relative importance o f some, most noticeably manufacturing, has declined. Table One - Sectoral Contributions to National Income 1992/93 v 2000/01 (at 2000/01 prices) Contributions to National Income (£) Real Increase in income generated (%) 1992/93 % 2000/01 % Manufacturing 72.0 11 76.7 6 6.5 Finance 229.7 35 505.4 41 120.0 Tourism 41.0 6 67.7 6 65.1 Agriculture/Fishing 11.7 2 15.8 1 35.0 Construction 46.7 7 89.6 7 91.9 Professional Services 96.7 15 186.1 15 92.4 Utilities, Distribution and Miscellaneous Services 133.1 20 223.8 18 68.1 Pubic Administration 34.6 5 53.6 4 54.9 Total 665.5 100 1,218.7 100 83.1 9.1.11 National income data aside, the clearest indication of the economic success enjoyed by the Island in recent times comes from the labour market. Census results show that the workforce increased from 33,189 in 1991 to 39,685 by 2001, an increase almost identical to that in the total resident population over the period. But the number seeking emp loyment but who were unemployed at the time halved from 1,360 to 635. 9.1.12 Changes in the underlying structure of the economy reflected in the national income accounts are further depicted in the Census statistics below showing the distribution of labour between the different sectors of the economy. Table Two - Employment by Sector 1991 v 1996 1991 1996 2001 No. % No. % No. % Agriculture and Fishing 1,240 3.9 938 2.8 543 1.4 Manufacturing 3,348 10.5 3,562 10.6 3,185 8.2 Construction 3,404 10.7 3,372 10.0 2,512 6.4 Utilities1 513 1.6 462 1.4 515 1.3 Transport and Communications 2,437 7.7 2,688 8.0 2,970 7.6 Wholesaling and Retailing 3,844 12.1 3,692 11.0 4,372 11.2 Finance 4,353 13.7 5,942 17.7 8,959 22.9 ICT2 n.a n.a n.a n.a 361 0.9 Professional Services 5,438 17.1 6,081 18.1 7,296 18.7 Tourist Accommodation 856 2.7 765 2.3 743 1.9 Entertainment and Catering 1,403 4.4 1,156 3.4 2,116 5.4 Miscellaneous Services 2,849 9.0 2,768 8.2 2,373 6.1 Public Administration 2,144 6.7 2,146 6.4 3,105 8.0 Total 31,829 100.0 33,5773 100.0 39,050 100.0 Notes: 1 Electricity, gas and water 2 Not separated out from other sectors until 2001 3 Includes 5 where occupation not recorded 9.2 Industry and Storage and Distribution 9.2.1 The nature of industrial activity on the Island changed very considerably during the last century. The previously dominant primary industries of fishing and agriculture now contribute only 1% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide only 1.4% of our total employment, whereas manufacturing contributes 6% to the GDP and provides 8.2% of our employment, and the construction industry contributes 6% to the GDP and provides 6.4% of our employment. Storage and distribution has also become a more important activity, particularly in terms of the demands it makes on land, buildings, and access requirements. 9.2.2 Most of the Island's industry is located close to major transportation links, particularly in the case of Douglas, Braddan and Ballasalla, which all have convenient access to Ronaldsway airport and Douglas harbour. Ramsey and Peel harbours are used for the importation and exportation of large scale good s (fuel, building supplies etc). All of these are conveniently accessible to significant pools of labour. In order to minimise excessive transportation of goods and travel for employees, and to promote sustainable development, much of the Island's future industrial development should continue to be concentrated in these locations, and appropriate areas of land should be made available for such uses in the Area Plans for these parts of the Island. It will also be appropriate, when formulating Area Plans for our smaller settlements, to make provision for the continued operation of small -scale family businesses, particu
Condition 1
- 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice. Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Condition 2
- 2. The development hereby approved may be used for Class 2.2 (Light industry and Research & Development) as set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 (or any order amending or replacing that order). Reason: for the avoidance of doubt.
Condition 3
- 3. Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, samples of the proposed external finishes shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall take place in accordance with the approved details and be retained as such thereafter. Reason: in the interests of visual amenity.
Condition 4
- 4. There shall be no external storage of waste Reason: in the interests of visual and local amenity.
Condition 5
- 5. Prior to being brought into use, the access, turning and parking areas shall be laid out as show on the approved plans (Site Plan as Proposed; Drawing No: P205 rev F and Site Access Junction to Drawing No: ITB 17166-GA-103 Rev A) and retained as such thereafter. Reason: in the interests of highway safety and to ensure sufficient parking is provided.
Condition 6
- 6. Prior to the development being brought into use the showers as shown on the approved plans shall be provided and retained as such thereafter. Reason: to ensure the development takes place in accordance with the approved plans and to facilitate active travel.
Condition 7
- 7. Prior to being brought into use the measures set out in the following documents shall be implemented and retained as such thereafter: - - Planning Statement in relation to Drainage - - Flood Risk Assessment - - Transport Statement and Road Safety Audit Reason: to ensure the development takes place in accordance with the approved plans and measures relating to drainage, flooding and transport safety are implemented.
Condition 8
- 8. Prior to the commencement of development a details shall be submitted to and approved in writing of the proposed ecological mitigation outlined in the Technical Note: Ecological Mitigation Plan) (including the specifications and locations of bat and bird boxes, bug hotels, the bike shelter and the butterfly garden, as well as Schedule 8 plant eradication plans and details about the sensitive grassland management regimes), timescales for implementation and proposed maintenance measures. The development shall take place in accordance with the approved details and be retained as such thereafter. Reason: to ensure that the mitigation measures are implemented in the interests of biodiversity and trees.
Condition 9
- 9. Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved a tree planting plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The plan shall include the removal and planting of the existing access onto Ballafletcher Road. The plan shall adhere to the recommendations of BS8545:2014 (Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape - recommendations) and in all cases shall include the following details: - a) the exact location, species, nursery specification and planting specification of each tree to be planted. - b) the approximate date when they are to be planted - c) how they will be maintained until successfully established. The tree planting shall take place as agreed and any trees which, within a period of 5 years from their first planting, are removed, or, in the opinion of the Department, become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Department gives written consent to any variation. Reason: to ensure that, within the site, the potential to mitigate the approved tree removal is maximised.
Condition 10
- 10. Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved a tree and habitat protection plan and arboricultural methods statement, adhering to the recommendations of BS5837:2012 (Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - recommendations), shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The agreed protection measures and construction methods shall adhered to in full and no alterations or variations to the approved tree and habitat protection scheme or working methods shall be made without prior written consent of the Department. Reason: required prior to commencement to ensure that all trees to be retained are adequately protected from damage.
Condition 11
- 11. No tree shall be removed from the site unless it is marked for removal on the approved plans or authorised by a specific application under the Tree Preservation Act. Reason: for the avoidance of doubt and for the protection of trees.
Condition 12
- 12. No site lighting to be installed until a detailed external low level lighting scheme, which is in accordance with the recommendations outlined in the BCT and ILP Guidance Note 8 Bats and Artificial Lighting (12th September 2018), has been submitted to and approved in writing by Planning. The development shall then be undertaken in accordance with these details and be retained as such thereafter. Reason: to prevent the installation of lighting which would negatively impact on protected species.