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Application No.: 21/00621/C Applicant: Gecko Investments Limited Proposal: Change of use of vacant site to a temporary car park Site Address: Land To The East Of Co Op Albert Road Ramsey Isle Of Man Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Refused Date of Recommendation: 28.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________ Reasons for Refusal R : Reasons for Refusal O : Notes attached to reasons - R 1. The proposed temporary use would reduce the likelihood of a prominent brownfield/undeveloped site being brought forward and this would be contrary to Strategic Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan (2016), the policy on car parks as set out in "Reform of the Planning System - Programme for Government 2016 - 2021" and the recommendations of the Report of the Select Committee of Tynwald on the Development of Unoccupied Urban Sites (2017-2018). - R 2. The proposed use is not in accordance with the land use zoning as set out within the Ramsey Local Plan. - R 3. The proposal would be contrary to General Policy 2 as the proposal would detrimentally affect the visual appearance of the street scene and the site itself.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
It is recommended that the following persons should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):
relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Policy and as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. _____________________________________________________________________________
THIS APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
0.0 PREAMBLE - 0.1 The planning application was deferred by the Planning Committee to seek amended plans in line of comments in relation to Highway Services and to give the applicants the opportunity to provide additional comments. The applicants have made the following comments: "Also in regards to clarifying other items, please see below:
0.2 It should also be noted that one purpose of “The Action Plan" approved by the Council of Ministers to continue to incentivise and support site redevelopment and the associated economic development by not allowing brownfield sites to be used as temporary car parks. This is a significant material planning consideration and is a clearer direction from The Council of Ministers. Further, allowing such development has the potential to have significant impacts upon the area as whole, as temporary car parks not only look unattractive. But they adversely affect the site and the street scene they form part of. Finally, and arguably a significant consideration is that they have a neglected appearance and may result in the potential for areas surrounding the site being invested in or as much. Accordingly, an outcome of allowing such development may impact other sites as well. - 0.3 Should the Planning Committee approve the application it is recommended that a soft and hard landscaping scheme should be submitted.
0.4 No further changes have been made to this report.
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is a vacant parcel of land to the East of Co Op, Albert Road, Ramsey and west of Ramsey Garden Centre. To the north of the site is a car park (within applicant's ownership) which current has a parking disc zone.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning approval is sought for the change of use of vacant site to a temporary car park. The applicant's state:
" 1.1 Planning Approval is sought for the temporary use of the vacant site in question as a car park.
1.2 This car park would be an extension of the existing car park off of Christian Street that currently has circa 73 spaces. - 1.3 The vacant plot is currently being reviewed by the applicant for development and wishes to utilise it as a car park whilst this development proposal is created and passed on to the Planning Department. - 1.4 The site is currently bare and there is high demand for parking within Ramsey Town Centre. These additional 30 spaces would help alleviate that demand. A minimum of 3 spaces are proposed to be disabled in size. - 1.5 Access would be directly from the existing car park and as such no new access from the highway is required."
3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within an area of "Mixed Use - Town Centre" under the Ramsey Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016) contains a number of relevant policies.
4.1 The Council of Ministers have approved an Action Plan to Reform the Planning System (hereafter "The Action Plan"). The document "Reform of the Planning System - Programme for Government 2016 - 2021" GD2018/0031 was laid before Tynwald on 15th May 2018. One of the actions set out within this is that, "Council of Ministers have agreed the following Policy with immediate effect: In order to continue to incentivise and support site redevelopment and the associated economic development, Planning Approval should not normally be given for brownfield sites to be used as temporary car parks" and that this is important, "To ensure faster brownfield site redevelopment and encourage socio-economic development". - 4.2 Report of the Select Committee of Tynwald on the Development of Unoccupied urban sites (2017-2018) (hereafter "The Select Committee Report" recommended that,
"Tynwald calls upon the Council of Ministers and all Departments to use every means at their disposal to encourage and prioritise the development of unoccupied or previously developed urban sites ahead of building on greenfield sites in the Manx countryside; and in particular that Tynwald is of the opinion that urgent action should be taken … (iv) to use the planning system, taxation and other potential incentives to discourage greenfield development; (v) to use the planning system, taxation and other potential incentives to encourage brownfield development in Development Zones in Douglas and in other urban areas".
4.3 The Manual for Manx Roads (published by the Department of Infrastructure) sets out detailed guidance on highways matters.
5.1 The following planning application is considered relevant in the consideration of this application: - 5.2 Erection of two storey unit retail area / 178 seat cinema / lecture theatre, 80 seat restaurant with associated services and erection of 2 &3 storey unit for retail / office area and
6.1 Highway Services make the following comments (01.07.2021): "The proposal seeks to provide a 30 space temporary car park served from the adjoining car park, including three disabled bays. This is contrary to Ministerial policy on the Action Plan to Reform of the Planning System - Programme for Government 2016 - 2021 where there should not be grant of planning approval for brownfield sites for use as temporary car parks to ensure faster brownfield site redevelopment and encourage socio-economic development. It is noted that there is no recent proposal for this site and a temporary consent may be appropriate.
Nonetheless, no evidence has been submitted to indicate that the purpose and amount of car parking is necessary by way of a car park assessment, incorporating an accumulation exercise of the adjoining car park. The intended users should be identified, such as commuters or shoppers. If the latter, a time restriction on duration of stay should be considered to prevent commuter parking. Additional details of such are required.
As proposed, the number of disabled bays exceeds the standards of 6% of the actual provision (two) which is welcomed.
In terms of layout, vehicle access and egress to and from the public road would remain from Christian Street. This would be acceptable for the increase in the quantity of movements. A
Within the proposed car park, the 6m aisle widths meet car park guidelines. Standard bays are slightly narrower at 5 x 2.4m instead of 5 x 2.5m. As drawn, bays of such dimensions would fit most cars.
The proposed disabled bays meet the required dimensions at 6 x 3.6m. Notwithstanding, the positioning of the disabled bays should be reconsidered moving these closer to the building entrance, such as to the east side of the proposed opening for the car park.
The maintenance path / strip along side the western side of the co-op building should be retained.
Highway Services has assumed that the proposal is to function as a shopper car park with a greater turnover of spaces and, in such circumstances, a clockwise one way circulation would be more appropriate in keeping with the arrangements in the adjoining car park and helping to reduce search times requiring the removal of bays and 19. Alternatively, there should be a reversing area provided at the aisle ends, bays 9, 19 and 30. 3m is desirable, requiring the three identified end bays to be removed. As mentioned, there should be a clear pathway to the Albert Street controlled crossing to reduce risks of conflicts.
Consideration should be given to installation of clear signage, electric vehicle charging points at
The proposal does not raise significant road safety or highway network efficiency issues. Yet, it is contrary to policy. If this circumstance justifies a temporary consent, then the rationale and the amount of car parking should be provided. Additionally, the layout should be improved upon to provide a more practical arrangement for circulation, disabled access and greater clarity for pedestrians. Signage, evcp's and bicycle parking should be added.
Recommendation: Additional information and revisions."
6.2 Ramsey Commissioners have no objection (01.07.2021).
6.3 The owner/occupier of 9 Westbourne Close, Ramsey (02.07.2021) makes the following comments; "In my opinion, the minimum 6 metre gap between parking space rows indicated on the Proposed Site Plan causes a number of issues (i) it is not clear what the process is for the driver of the vehicle, should they enter a row to find there is no parking space available; (ii) vehicles do not have sufficient space to complete a 360 ???degree u-turn in their vehicle, should they proceed into a row and find there is no parking space available; (iii) a driver may choose to reverse their vehicle out of the parking row instead of completing a u-turn, potentially causing accidents with pedestrians or vehicles behind them or within an existing parking space; (iv) some drivers could potentially choose to wait in their vehicles within a parking row until a space became available, potentially causing an obstruction and/or reducing sightlines for both pedestrians and other vehicles. (v) simultaneous vehicle u-turns, reversals and waiting in vehicles in both proposed parking rows could cause bottlenecks and traffic jams; (vi) driver frustration in navigating the parking rows could result in some drivers making use of the disabled parking bays in haste when they are not permitted to do so, therefore resulting in disabled badge holders and their carers (like me) - being unable to find a suitable parking space. Appropriate and clear signage supported by follow-up action by the property owner could alleviate the above issues.
However, in my view, all points could be clearly and best addressed by removing parking spaces 18 and 19 and creating a one-way clockwise seamless flow of traffic around the parking area in the same way as within the existing parking area. This would create continuity of approach and potentially reduce potential and actual incidents involving vehicles and pedestrians."
7.1 The principle issues with the application are the land use zoning and whether the use of the site on a temporary basis for car parking is acceptable, the potential visual impact and Highway Safety issues.
The land use zoning / use of site
7.2 The proposed use, does it fit with the uses outlined within the Ramsey Local Plan. It is therefore not in accordance with the land use designation of the Ramsey Local Plan.
7.3 The use of brownfield/undevelopment sites for temporary uses raises various questions
7.4 The applicants have had permission for a development in 2004; however, this was not undertaken and has since expired. There are no other approvals on this site. The applicants have not given any clear reasons for why the site has not been developed or the plans/timescale for its development. The applicant has not provided justification in relation to need for car parking, other than indicating there is a need. No evidence has been provided to support this view.
7.5 Further, the site is within a few minutes' walk of other public car parks. Further the site is within a town centre location with good public transport links. The Strategic Plan sets out a broad long term direction of travel, by the promotion of other travel methods. - 7.6 It is therefore considered that the proposal would be contrary to the Council of Ministers Policy and Strategic Policy 10 of the IOMSP 2016. - 7.7 Furthermore, while if the site is used as a temporary car park; this would have a detrimental visual impact to the street scene/area. Currently the main public view is from Albert Road and Queens Pier Road which are the primary routes into Ramsey. Further, the site currently appears clearly as a "gap site" between neighbouring properties. The size of the site coupled with the neighbouring properties only highlight the gap in the street scene which adverse effects the character and appearance of the street scene. Accordingly, further allowing the site as a temporary car park would reduce the likelihood of a prominent brownfield/undeveloped site being brought forward and this would be contrary to Strategic Plan Strategic Policy 1, The Action Plan and the recommendations of the Select Committee Report. Furthermore, the proposal would be contrary to General Policy 2.
8.1 Overall; for the reasons indicated within this report it is considered the proposal would be contrary to the Council of Ministers Policy; Strategic Policy 10, General Policy 2 Environment Policy 43 and Transport Policy 4 & 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and the Area Plan for the East . Accordingly, the application is recommended for a refusal. - 9.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
9.2 The decision maker must determine:
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : …Refused……….... Committee Meeting Date:…23.08.2021
Signed :………C BALMER…………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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