Loading document...
Application No.: 15/00100/C Applicant: Tours Isle of Man Proposal: Change of use of premises from industrial to commercial coach parking Site Address: The Dome Balthane Industrial Estate Ballasalla Isle of Man IM9 2AH Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Site Visit: 17.02.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of The Dome, a dome shaped metal clad building located to the south eastern side of Balthane Road within Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla. - 1.2 To the south of the application site is JCK Depot and immediately to the north/north west of the site are a row of warehouse and office units.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the change of use of The Dome from industrial to commercial coach parking. At present there are three coaches that are parked alongside the north western elevation of The Dome. - 2.2 The Dome would accommodate the parking of six vehicles with three additional parking spaces along the north western elevation of the building and a further two spaces the southern corner of the site; with three staff parking spaces The applicant also owns Unit 4 Akerman Court, located 50+ metres northwest of the application site, and the submitted drawing shows that this unit accommodates the parking of two vehicles with four staff parking spaces. - 2.3 No. 4 Akerman Court is currently undergoing internal alterations to construct office space. Once completed, this will provide working space and toilet facilities for administrative staff and a rest area for drivers and maintenance staff. Akerman Court will also provide the space for the day-to-day minor maintenance required for the vehicles.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site, and land immediately to the north west of the site, has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications in the 1990's relating to the change of use of land, erection of buildings for office use, use of land for builders yard, industrial, storage and a film studio.
4.2 In terms of local plan policy, the application site lies within an area zoned as Industrial under the Area Plan for the South 2013. - 4.3 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains one policy that is considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
Business Policy 5 states: "On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial or for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either:
5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners do not object to the current planning application (06/02/2015). - 5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application (23/02/2015).
6.1 Tours Isle of Man was created three years ago following the planned demise of ProTours. On creation, the company initially operated out of Pro-Tours site at Airport Garage in Ballasalla. However, over the past two years, as trading conditions have continued to become more difficult, there has been a reduction in the fleet size and an outsourcing of the maintenance work, to the extent that the Airport Garage site became too big and expensive to operate. - 6.2 Tours Isle of Man has a mixture of contracts encompassing private hire and off island holidays and both leisure and commercial operations. Clients include local and national government, local companies, UK and international companies, and private individuals. - 6.3 Tours Isle of Man will operate from The Dome and 4 Akerman Court. The fleet consists of 2 x 49 seat coaches; 2 x 53 seat coaches, one of which is accident damaged and will be scrapped in July or August; 3 x 68 seat coaches; 1 x 35 seat coach; 2 x Bedford OB and 3 minibuses, one of which will be taken out of service on 1st April. It is understood that Tours Isle of Man will shortly be purchasing an additional 49 seat coach and a 31 seat coach and in total, 13 vehicles will be in service. - 6.4 In terms of considering the specifics of the proposal it has to be recognised that the applicant has sought finding an appropriate secure storage depot for their current needs and the need for a building and site that can provide ample space and secure storage of coaches is understandable. It is therefore more appropriate to assess the specific impact of the use of the site. In terms of specific impacts it is considered the key issues to consider are the acceptability of the use within this location, the visual impact of the parking of the coaches and the impact upon the highway and flow of traffic.
6.5 Although the proposed intended use would not be industrial, it is evident that there is a mix of uses within Balthane Industrial Estate. As previously mentioned, immediately to the south of the application is JCK Depot where there are a large number of HGV vehicles parked and stored and further south is Airport Secure Parking where there is a large quantity of vehciles parked and valet services also provided for. - 6.6 It is apparent from a number of previous planning applications relating to other units within Balthane Industrial Estate that a deviation away from industrial use would not be rare within this estate. Within the estate are car sales and garages, a scrap depot, a café, offices and storage units so in principle the use of The Dome for the parking and storage of coaches is judged acceptable. - 6.7 The building is currently unused and provides ample space both inside and within the land around the building for the needs of the parking of vehicles for Tours Isle of Man. The Dome is not readily visible in its entirety from within the estate, there are however partial views of the roof of The Dome from Balthane Road. The additional parking of coaches in this location is unlikely to cause harm to public amenity. Furthermore, the coaches would be viewed with the backdrop of other HGV's and would therefore not be completely at odds within the locality. - 6.8 Although there would be an increase in vehicles within this part of the estate, the vehicle movements of Tours Isle of Man would not be constant throughout the day. It is understood that once away from the site in the morning for example, it is unlikely that the vehicles will return to The Dome during the day. In addition to this, during the summer months at least two of the vehicles will spend much of their time off Island. It is understood from the applicant that there will also be some late night vehicles movements which again would be minimal, however the majority of Balthane Industrial Estate would be closed during these movements. On assessment, it is not judged that the vehicle movements made from Tours Isle of Man to and from The Dome would not adversely affect the highway flow of Balthane Industrial Estate. It is also important to acknowledge that Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application. - 6.9 On assessment, for the reasons set out above it is considered that the use of The Dome for the parking of coaches in the manners as submitted and explained is appropriate in this location. Furthermore, given that such buildings and land available for the intended use would most commonly be found in industrial estates, the use The Dome is deemed acceptable and provides a clear solution to the needs and requirements of Tours Isle of Man.
7.1 It is recommended that the planning application is recommended for approval. - 8.0 PARTY STATUS
8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application, Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.
Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:
04.03.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
This approval relates to DWG. No. 2015/02/01 and 2015/02/02 date stamped as received on 30th January 2015 and 2015/02/03 Rev A date stamped received on 17th March 2015.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 22.04.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed :…………………………………….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal
View as Markdown