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8 Ravens Wharf South Quay Douglas Isle of Man IM1 5BT
Project: Change of Use application for levels 2 and 3, Victory House, Douglas from Class 2 (office) to Class 1 (retail).
Project no: 1903-VH Date: July 2019
Planning and Design Statement
Contents 1.0 Site and Surroundings 2.0 Planning History and Policy 3.0 Services 4.0 Parking 5.0 The Proposal 6.0 Summary
1.1 Victory House is 7 storey office building built in two stages between the late 1970s early 1980s. The whole building is currently use class 2, office. 1.2 The entrance level at the front (Prospect Hill) elevation is level 3 with the flat area to the rear being at level 1. The areas concerned are levels 2 and 3 to the north of the main entrance. 1.3 The areas covered by this planning application have a floor area of 405 sqm upper floor and 270sqm lower floor including the WCs. 1.4 The areas subject to the change of use application are currently vacant since the tenant, Royal Bank of Scotland, relocated their office to the Villiers Building at the bottom of Victoria Street.
2.1 There are currently 19 planning applications listed on the government's website for Victory House.
The most relevant is $18 / 00431 / \mathrm{B}$ for the formation of an additional doorway from Prospect Hill into the level 3 unit which forma part of this application.
2.2 The buildings are not registered, and the area is not a conservation area. 2.3 The proposal would be subject to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and, until the adoption of the Eastern Area Plan, the 1982 development plan and the 1998 Douglas Local Plan. 2.4 The area is zoned under the 1998 Douglas Local Plan as predominantly office and in the draft Eastern Area Plan as mixed use. 2.5 The application will be subject of Strategic Policy 1(a) which requires development to make best use of unused buildings. 2.6 The application will also be subject to the provisions of General Policy 2. 2.7 Figure 6 in the 2014 Town Centre Masterplan shows Victory house as potentially retail. The Government's website says that "the Master plan is not a statutory document. However, the format of its preparation will allow it to be a material consideration in planning applications." 2.8 Victory House is located within the proposed town centre area as covered by the proposed Town \& Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019. Should this order be approved the proposal would not need a planning application.
3.1 WCs are located on both floors as part of the central service tower which includes the lift, vertical utilities and fire escape. 3.2 There is a soil pipe at the northern end of level 3 which could be used by a kitchen, staff shower or additional WCs. 3.3 Waste is currently managed within the building by the management company. Waste is taken from the individual tenants to the waste store located at the rear of level 1. Waste is then brought down by the management company to the wheelie bin in the rear car park for collection by the waste contractor.
4.1 There is parking to the rear of Victory House for 25 cars, however, these are already occupied by the current tenants. 4.2 The part of the building concerned has a floor area of approximately 570 sqm (excluding circulation space and WCs). According to the strategic plan the expected parking demand of such an office would be 11-12 car parking spaces, based on $1 / 3$ of the staff driving to work. 4.3 It is unlikely that any retail function would employ around 35 staff, and therefore the
proposed all day parking will be substantially lower than if the space were to be let as offices.
4.4 For customers there is the Drumgold Street multi Storey car park to the rear.
4.5 For those who wish to travel to work by walking or bicycle the applicant is willing to accept a condition that changing facilities, with lockers and a shower, be included as part of the change of use. The position of such as facility would need to be in accordance with the tenant's final design for the space.
4.6 Bicycle Parking is difficult to provide on site for the following reasons.
The only possible place to store bicycles would be in the former oil tank next to the electric substation at the lower car park level. This
store measures $3.8 \mathrm{~m} \times 6.5 \mathrm{~m}$ and could potentially accommodate around 15 bicycles in a mix of semi vertical and horizontal positions. The applicant is prepared to convert this space to a bicycle store for the use of all Victory House tenants, however, this will result in the loss of the parking space in front of the door.
5.1 The proposal is to change the use of level 2 and/or level 3 to the north of the entrance from Class 2 (office) to Class 1 (retail). 5.2 Waste will be managed in the same way as at present by the building's management company. 5.3 Fire escape will be provided through the existing escapes, there are 3 escapes at level 3 and 1 at level 2. 5.4 The space is already equipped with WCs which will be retained. 5.5 Access will be through either the existing door and/or through a new door as per PA18/00431/B 5.6 There will be no car parking provided as part of the application as there is none available within the site.
6.1 The proposal is in accordance with Strategic Policy 1 which requires best use to be made of existing unused space. 6.2 The proposal will create less all-day parking demand than if the space were to be let in accordance with its existing use class, office. 6.3 Active Travel is facilitated by the allowing for the inclusion of a shower and lockers in the developed design and the potential conversion of the car park level store into a bicycle store. 6.4 The proposed change of use is in accordance with the land use envisioned in the 2014 Town Centre Masterplan and the draft Eastern Area Plan.
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