Planning Officer Report Recommendations

29th November, 2012 Mr. A. Johnstone, Planning Appeals Secretary, Chief Secretary's Office, Government Offices, Buck's Road, Douglas, IM1 3PN. Dear Mr. Johnstone, Re: PA 12/01032 – conversion of existing retail unit to provide residential accommodation, The Longhouse Shop, Viking Longhouse, East Quay, Peel Please find attached a statement on behalf of the Planning Authority in respect of the above application. The statement takes the form of the Planning

Officer’s report which was accepted by the Senior Planning Officer.

The Planning Authority is content for the appeal to be dealt with on the basis of written representations.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Application No.:	12/01032/B
Applicant:	Mrs Isabel Marion Lawrence
Proposal:	Conversion of existing retail unit to provide residential accommodation
Site Address:	The Longhouse Shop Viking Longhouse East Quay Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1AR
Case Officer:	Miss S E Corlett
Photo Taken:	15.08.2012
Site Visit:	15.08.2012
Expected Decision Level:	Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Site

1. The site is the ground floor of part of the relatively recent redevelopment of the Viking Long House situated on East Quay in Peel. The building as a whole is five storeys tall and accommodates commercial uses at the ground floor level and apartments above. The ground floor area was approved as a retail unit under PA 06/1029. The unit has double doors onto East Quay and three windows on the northern elevation looking out onto a small planted area and behind that, a car parking area.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the conversion of the property from a shop to a dwelling. External alterations include the removal of the double doors and their replacement by a window to match the two the left, the enlargement of an existing door on the side (southern) elevation and the replacement of an existing door in the northern elevation with a single pane large window.

1. There are no parking spaces allocated to this unit. The property has been advertised for sale and rent since December 2011 with no interest expressed. The shop alongside is also available and has been for a longer period than the application site.

Planning Status And Policy

1. The site lies within an area of Mixed Use on the Peel Local Plan of 1989.

1. The Local Plan does not contain any policies which suggest that the ground floor of existing properties in Mixed Use areas should be retained for retail or commercial uses.

1. As such, the critical issues are whether the unit is suitable for residential use in terms of outlook, privacy and car parking provision and considering the activity taking place in adjacent buildings. As approved the adjacent buildings on the ground floor accommodate a shop to the south and a cafe across the planted area to the north. The living accommodation is generally on the first floor and above within this development. Elsewhere along The Quay there are residential properties as well as garaging and public houses.

Planning History

1. The Viking Longhouse was originally approved for redevelopment under PA 05/1363 after which there was a proposed amended scheme, approved under PAs 05/92428, 06/1029 and PA 08/0186. Various alterations have been proposed since then none of which are relevant to the consideration of this current application.

Representations

1. Peel Town Commissioners and Highways Division indicate that they do not oppose the application.

1. A resident of 6, The Net Loft, in Mariner’s Wharf is concerned that the escape route from the property is directly above the car parking space and he suggests that there is a proposal for a cover over the car park area after which a store cupboard will be placed against the wall which will prohibit the use of the window as a means of escape.

1. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority seek a flood risk assessment. Further information has been sought in this respect and the undated information provided, entitled “Flood Risk Assessment” has been considered by The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority who find these details satisfactory.

Assessment

1. There is no policy objection to the proposed use and bearing in mind the other retail properties available for rent/purchase in the town, it is important that properties such as this, which are prominent in the streetsce, are utilised if possible. The property is close to the street but this is characteristic of many properties in Peel, - Queen Street, Charles Street for example. There is no parking dedicated to this unit. However, again this is not unusual in an historic environment such as Peel. There is parking available along the Quay although at times this can be of limited availability. It is likely that the requirement for parking spaces associated with a dwelling will be complementary to the need for space associated with commercial use which could generate a need for a greater number of spaces than a dwelling, at certain times.

1. Additional dwellings in the town centre could add to the support of local services and amenities (shops, tradespeople, churches etc) and is not considered in this case to have an adverse impact on the town. It may be that the operation of the retail units close by could have the potential of causing nuisance to the residents of this unit, being so close and at ground floor level, but there are other dwellings on the Quay and dwelling units above the commercial units in this development which appear to exist alongside one another quite happily.

1. Whilst there is a concern that the escape window may interfere with his use of his car parking space, the parking space should be used for just that and any structure which would interfere with this use is not likely to be considered acceptable.

1. The proposal for a cover over the parking area will not interfere with the proposed access window as its height is above this. Those plans are prepared by the same agent as is the agent for this current application for the change of use.

Party Status

1. The local authority, Peel Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an “interested person” and as such should be afforded party status.

1. The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

1. The resident of 6, Net Loft is adjacent to the site and should be afforded party status in this case.

1. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority raise material planning concerns and should be afforded party status in this case.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 05.11.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

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

C 1. This permission relates to the conversion of the retail unit to a dwelling, as shown in drawings 100 and 01 both received on 20th July, 2012.

C 2. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: ...

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed: ... Signed: ...

Anthony Holmes Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer Senior Planning Officer

Signed: ... Signed: ...

Michael Gallagher Jennifer Chance

Director of Planning and Building Control Development Control Manager