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THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THERE ARE CONCERNS RAISED BY BOTH THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE HIGHWAY AUTHORITY AND THE APPLICATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The site represents the curtilage of a large warehouse building situated on the corner of Lime Street and Loch Road. The building is stone faced, four storeys high with regularly positioned windows presently timber framed casements painted blue. The north and eastern elevations both have a central rendered section with wider windows. Pedestrian access is available on the northern elevation and vehicular access on the eastern elevation.
To the south of the main building is a more modern addition which has much less interest, is finished in a dashed render with a large vehicular entrance onto Lime Street.
The main building is referred to in the draft Southern Area Plan published on 23rd October, 2009 as the former Hampson Box Factory and is listed as a building of interest for potential Registration. On the top floor of the building the lifting apparatus is still in place.
The site lies within an area of what looks to be Industrial use on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982. On the draft Plan the site is identified as Mixed Use. Within such areas office use is generally permissible on upper floors but not on the ground floor unless it can be demonstrated that this would not detract from the vitality and viability of the village centre. Residential, community and retail uses are also permissible and light industrial uses where these are not detrimental to the amenities of local residential properties.
The draft Plan also includes the site within a potential Conservation Area and lists the building as being worthy of consideration for Registration.
No planning applications have been submitted in respect of this property.
Proposed here is the conversion of the building to residential in the form of a single four bedroomed property. The plans are not particularly clear but seem to indicate that the ground floor will be used for parking although how it will be accessed is not clear, with further spaces in the attached building to the south. The floors above will be used for bedrooms and the top floor for a lounge, kitchen, dining room and bathroom. No indication of the retention of the apparatus has been given.
The applicant has indicated verbally that there is no intention to open up the windows which are closed off.
Port St. Mary Commissioners suggest that the drawings may not be accurate and that as no further drawings would be required for the conversion of the building, it is important that the drawings now being considered are correct and capable of being implemented. It is not clear from the drawings whether ground floor windows are to be re-opened, pillars on the ground floor are not shown, which may inhibit access and parking, some sort of structure is shown on the ground floor which would inhibit parking and access and that no details of drainage are shown.
Highways and Traffic Division request further drawings which illustrate visibility splays and that the parking spaces do not accord with Manx Roads which refers to 5.5 m by 2.5 m . This document refers to edge of settlement sites and not those within a built up town centre - spaces of 2.4 m by 4.8 m would be acceptable, although there is space to provide the more generous parking spaces.
Port St. Mary Commissioners acting as the drainage authority indicate that there is no information relating to drainage and recommend refusal on this basis.
The occupants of 6, Lime Street express concern at potential loss of privacy from the proposed change of use as their property is less than 9 m from the front and the additional traffic resulting from the change of use will be detrimental to their amenities.
The occupant of 9, The Quay does not object to the change of use but notes that the building has been used by swifts and their protection should be built into any works. He also notes that parking is scarce in the area and if the garage could be used for parking, this would be beneficial.
The assessment of the application should take account not only of the land use designation of the site and the required parking standards and provision, but also the proposal to consider the building for Registration and the potential Conservation Area status of the site.
The proposed use is compatible with not only the land use of the site but also the surrounding uses which are mostly residential. The proposed change of use does not involve any building or engineering operations and no substantial changes would be required - no new openings or blocking up any existing apertures. Vehicular access to the building is already available and there is also parking alongside in the flat roofed rendered structure. The internal layout shows a lack of imagination and perhaps not the best use of the space (the inclusion of a bathroom on the top floor when all of the bedrooms have en-suite facilities seems unnecessary). The windows and doors are not in the best of condition and may need to be replaced although this is not part of the application.
The applicant has confirmed that there is an existing toilet within the premises, which is connected to the main foul sewer and as such there would not appear to be an issue in respect of the disposal of foul sewage. There would be no change in the disposal or amount of surface water collected.
As indicated by the Reporting Officer, this building, the former Hampson Box Factory, was referred to in the Southern Area Plan published on 23rd October 2009 a being worthy of inclusion on the protected Buildings Register. In addition to this, the warehouse is located within the recent proposals currently being considered for Conservation Area status within the draft Plan for the South.
The building is clearly a remnant of the former industry in Port St Mary, possibly as a warehousing associated with the fishing industry. The four storey building built in the local limestone, benefits from a profusion of windows which would suggest that any scheme for conversion would enjoy sufficient light penetration and views out.
The top floor still houses elements of the lifting gear necessary for the former commercial use of the building. There seems little reason why this could not be readily incorporated within any proposed scheme.
The Planning Officer has dealt with the Planning Policy issues as to whether Office Use is acceptable within their report. Looking at the proposals on plan, it is immediately obvious that the car parking as drawn, will not work. In particular, the parking layout indicated beneath the main body of the building is not at all feasible as there is insufficient manoeuvring room to allow access to the spaces indicated. In addition to this and bearing in mind the suggestion of Registration, the internal layout is poor and does not make efficient use of the space within the floor plans.
The applicant wishes to establish the principle of whether the building could be used as a residence and will sell the building off rather than implementing what is proposed. Whilst the plans are not ideal, it is clear that there is sufficient space within the building to accommodate a permanent living unit without physically needing to change the exterior of the building and adequate parking is available in the area alongside the property - at least one space is available within the main body of the building. If this space is used as a garage then some of the space alongside could be used as a garden or amenity space.
The plans are not particularly detailed but demonstrate that the building can be used for residential purposes without adverse impact on the neighbourhood. In fact, it could be argued that the residential use of the property would be better than the industrial use which is its authorised use, which could generate significant amounts of traffic and the potential for noise and nuisance. It is likely that any future owner of the site would wish to alter the site - either to create amenity space or possibly to replace the windows which are in poor repair. The building is an important and attractive one within the village and within a proposed Conservation Area and is identified as a structure worthy of consideration for Registration.
The principle of the change of use and conversion to residential is acceptable and could bring about an improvement in the appearance of the building with little impact on existing residential amenity given that there would be no new window openings. Whilst some of the parking shown on the ground floor would not work, there is still adequate parking shown. Although the proposed layout is ill-thought out and makes poor use of the building, this is to a certain extent a matter for the owners and does not result in a negative external impact.
The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.
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.
6, Lime Street and 9, The Quay are both directly opposite the site and as such are directly affected by the proposal and the occupants of these properties should be afforded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 16.08.2010
C 1. The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.
C 2. This permission relates to the change of use of the building defined in the plans received on 2nd June, 2010 to a single unit of residential accommodation with car parking within the building and in the space alongside within the defined site.
The applicant is recommended to engage the services of a chartered architect in order to make full use of this unusual and historically interesting building. The conversion should retain the appartus within the building, which represents part of its history and interest and to consider the redevelopment of the dashed rendered extension on the southern side of the building, to create a more attractive structure and either parking facilities or a garden, or both.
N K2. The application does not propose nor does this approval relate to the replacement of any windows, nor the re-opening of any windows which are presently blocked up. Any proposal to install replacement windows must be the subject of a planning application in detail and any new windows must match the appearance and details of the existing windows in the property.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Authority in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the Town and Country (Development Procedure) 2005 Decision Made : Authority Meeting Date : Signed : Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Authority an additional report/condition reason is required. Signing Officer to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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