Planning Statement

Planning Statement In Support Of An Application For The Installation Of A Generator At Manx Utilities Headquarters, Isle Of Man Business Park, Braddan Im2 2Qz

• 1.0 INTRODUCTION
• 1.1 The site is part of the headquarters of Manx Utilities, situated in the Isle of Man Business Park, to the south west of Cycle 360, the south of Manx Telecom, the north of Celton Manx and associated car park and to the east of Ballacottier Crescent.
• 1.2 The site accommodates both the office and administrative headquarters of Manx Utilities as well as stores and workshop facilities which are accommodate in the western building.
• 1.3 There is car parking arranged throughout the site surrounding the buildings.
• 1.4 The stores/workshop building has an area to the south which is used for the storage of materials. This area has to the south an established hedge and there is a green fence separating this from the car parking area to the west.

1.5 This area is some distance from the estate road.

• 2.0 THE PROPOSAL
• 2.1 Proposed is the installation of a generator to the rear of the stores/workshop building, behind the green fence. The generator, shown on the proposed side elevation view from the car park, is slightly higher than the fence but lower than the hedge.
• 2.2 The generator will be relocated from its current site in Lord Street which is the subject of a concurrent application.
• 2.3 The generator will provide additional support for the continuation of service provision by the applicant in the event of disruptions to the existing supply of electricity.
• 2.4 The existing generator has been operated and the noise levels measured at 1100hrs on 30.10.24.The background noise level was 50db and when stood right night to the generator on start up the noise level increased to 88db at peak. At 10m away this reduced to 80db. The proposed generator at Ballacottier will be started up once a month for 60 minutes for routine maintenance and during emergencies if power is lost to the Ballacottier site. This backup supply is of national importance because the electricity network control room for the Island is located in the Ballacottier HQ building.

• 3.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

Area Plan for the East (2020)

• 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East as Industrial Use with “BP” annotated which is consistent with its planning approval together with the land around it, is for a Business Park (see Planning History below).
• 3.2 There are no policies within the Area Plan for the East which specifically relate to this existing Business Park which are considered relevant to the current application.
• 3.3 The Plan confirms the importance of a consistent supply of services including electricity, stating, “In terms of identifying and addressing network capacity, new development requires water and sewer services, electricity, telecommunications and legal access connection to the road network. These are reasonable expectations of modern society and ensure a basis of healthy and connected communities for all” (paragraph 7.8.9).

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

• 3.4 Like the Area Plan, the Strategic Plan has few, if any policies which relate to the proposed works. There are policies which protect the amenities of neighbouring properties in respect of noise nuisance (Environment Policy 22).

• 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY
• 4.1 The existing headquarters and store/workshop were approved initially under 91/01863/ B.
• 4.2 Subsequent to this, alterations and additional facilities were added under the following applications:

97/00028/B - external refrigeration units 97/00512/B - erection of flagpole 03/01982/B - erection of additional flagpole 08/01388/B - erection of substation/switch room and extension of access road and parking area 14/01375/B - Construction of additional roads, car parking spaces, hard standing area and alterations to security fence and gate 14/01450/B - Conversion of existing appliance store to changing room/showers and offices including window and door alterations

• 17/00622/B - erection of two smoking shelters
• 18/00328/B - erection of cycle shelter 20/00612/B - installation of ramp

• 4.3 The car park to the south is a temporary facility which was approved under 16/00016/C and 17/00878/B but is still in use. Previously planning approval had been granted but not implement for office developments on this site (11/00169/B, 14/01442/B).

• 5.0 CONCLUSION
• 5.1 The installation of the generator will have limited if any visual impact on the appearance of the area as it will be sited behind an existing green screen and in an area which is used to store cabling and equipment. Additionally, the area immediately to the west of the green fencing is used for car parking which provides further screening of the generator.
• 5.2 The generator will be tested monthly but only operational for prolonged periods in the event of a loss of power to the site. This represents a strategic supply to the Island as a whole and the proposed generator will be a critical element in the continuity of electricity supplies to the nation.
• 5.3 The siting is in an area of industrial use where the immediately adjacent building and area is a workshop used for industrial processes. The nearest dwelling is 115m away Ballacottier Cottage which is adjacent to Cooil Road (A24) - with the intervening area used for car parking and part of the Manx Utilities Headquarters building.
• 5.4 The proposal reuses an existing generator which is no longer needed for its original purpose.
• 5.5 We believe that the proposal satisfies the relevant planning policies and will provide additional security to the Island’s electricity network and supply.

Sarah Corlett 05.11.24