Officer Report

Application No.: 25/91014/C Applicant: Mr John Dunning Proposal: Change of use from store to home office Site Address: Grianane Groves Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1JD Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.02.2026 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 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.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Business Policy 1 and Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 11th November 2025;

• o Site Plan
• o Location Plan
• o Drawing No. JD/2/04
• o Drawing No. JD/1/03A _________________________________________________________________

Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: Douglas City Council - No objection

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of "Grianane," Groves Road, Douglas, which is a detached bungalow with rooms in the roof space situated within a corner plot. To the South of the dwelling is a driveway and parking area for several cars. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the change of use of the existing store room to a home office.

2.2 No clients will be coming to the property. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is one previous application which is relevant to the assessment of this application PA25/90722/B which was for the "Conversion of attached garage to utility and store; replacement of garage door with door and windows (retrospective), which was Permitted. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Predominantly Residential" on the Area Plan for the East, Map 4 - Douglas. The site is not within a Conservation Area, Flood Zone, nor an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.

4.2 In terms of the Strategic Plan (2016) the following Strategic Policies are the most relevant.

• - Strategic Policy 9 and Business Policy 10 set out that retail provisions are only to be permitted in established town and village centres.
• - Business Policy 1 which sets out that the growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged.

4.3 The following Strategic Policies are also relevant;

• - General Policy 2 which sets out general 'Development Control' considerations which are arguably relevant even where a proposal is not in accordance with the land-use designation, the wider impact (the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality) and parking/access/highway safety.
• - Community Policy 2 sets out that new community facilities should be located to serve the local population and be accessible to non-car users, and should where possible re-use existing vacant or underused buildings.
• - Transport Policy 7 in connection with Appendix 7.6 which sets out the requirement for parking standards.

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas City Council have considered the proposal and state, No Objections. (25.11.25)

5.2 DOI Highway Services and DEFA Forestry were consulted on the 11th November 2025 of which no consultation has been received at the time of writing this report. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 In the first instance, when looking at the principle of having a home office, it should be noted that there is currently Permitted Development in place, Class 5 under the Town and Country Planning (Change of Use)(Development)(No.2) Order 2019 states, "The change of use of a building from use as a dwellinghouse (class 3.3) to combined use as a dwellinghouse and by the householder as an office for conducting any business." With the two caveats of no other persons working in or calling into the building and no signage to be visible from outside of the building.

6.2 The proposal within this application will meet both of the above caveats, as stated by the applicant. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The applicant as stated that the proposal will meet the requirements as per Class 5 under the Town and Country Planning (Change of Use)(Development)(No.2) Order 2019, as such

noting that the proposal is not going to have members of staff nor clients coming to the property, and when noting the proposed use of the office its unlikely that there would be an impact to neighbouring amenity above and beyond what is currently in place.

7.2 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Business Policy 1 and Business Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable. RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE - 8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases);
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 03.02.2026 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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