Heron and Brearley Planning Letter

14th September 2004

Secretary of The Planning Committee, Department of Local Government and The Environment, Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas I.O.M.

Re: Heron and Brearley Dear Ms Callow, Regarding: Planning Application for Kewaigue Site.

Since it was brought to our attention by the planning enforcement officer that we needed to submit in part a retrospective planning application for the Kewaigue site we have, with logistics consultants, extensively reviewed our operating practices, recognising the need for regulatory compliance and modern working practices for operations carried on at site. May we assure the Planning Committee that it has never been our intention to breach any planning conditions and detailed below you will see the outcome of our review that regularises working practices and supports the application.

1. Due to the changes in legislation, trading and supplier conditions and the improvement in supply chain management through just in time ordering, the bonded warehouse became obsolete. This area is 5000 sq. ft. and fully racked for up to 500 pallets. (see drawing no. 2004/06/03&06). Due to the referred reasons the company had no alternative drinks use for this area threatening job losses if alternative utilisation was not found.

1. In 2000 a commercial decision was made to find an alternative use for the un-used space within the warehouse. Several local customers including Tesco, MEA, Marown T.V. and Coca Cola where approached to store product within this space. The success of these local working partnerships resulted in these customers asking for more logistic related services. Long term contracts where granted by these customers that allowed them to concentrate on their own core business, in the knowledge that logistics, which has always been a customer service provided by Heron and Brearley would be carried out to the high standards they demand. Due to the success of these new operations, existing jobs have been preserved as well as the creation of 11 new positions.

1. Since relocating from the centre of Douglas in 1998, Heron and Brearley has embarked on major tree planting projects which have screened the site and landscape maintenance is carried out all year round. A planning application (no. 04/01533/B) has been lodged to provide a New Entrance Wall and Gates, which will provide a shielding effect between the major link road, a project for which Heron and Brearley co-operated fully on, and the yard to the rear of the warehouse. In addition to the above, this will also provide much needed security and under this application we are also applying for planning permission to erect a palisade fence to the perimeter of the site. (see drawing no. 2004/06/02&05)

1. No vehicles will be loaded or unloaded on the road leading from the proposed new entrance

Kewaigue, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 1QG Telephone: (01624) 699400 Fax: (01624) 699475

Registered in the Isle of Man No. 218. Registered Office: Heron and Brearley Limited, Kewaigue, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 1QG

Gates and the yard.

1. Due to changes in Health and Safety and manual handling regulations, a large quantity of unusable kegs built up over several years and were stored outside. Until now there has been over capacity in the keg market and sale of these units has been difficult, only now have these recently been sold at a loss for scrap. New operational procedures have also been set up to minimize the requirement for kegs to be stored outside and improve the tidiness of the site including an area for empty pallets. (see drawing no. 2004/06/04). In recognition of the need for site tidiness a nominated team has been given responsibility to maintain the up-keep of the site.

1. A complete re-organisation of the internal usages of the warehouse has also enabled a large proportion of empty kegs to be stored inside, these had previously been stored in the yard area. There is however a need to store a small quantity of kegs externally due to the major increase in trade during the TT period. These kegs however will be stored in a controlled manor and appropriate location. (see drawing no. 2004/06/04)

1. We would like to state that the number of vehicles arriving on site is now considerably less than 1995 and prior. The reason for this is the new operational practices now adopted by the company in relation to traffic consolidation onto trailers rather than rigid vehicles. It would normally take 4 rigid vehicles to deliver 1 trailer of goods. As a progressive company, seeking to improve customer service, the company has invested heavily in replacing the fleet of vehicles and fork lift trucks and intends to continue modernizing equipment, improving health and safety and providing staff training.

1. In addition to the above we would also like the committee to consider the recent changes that have occurred to the local road network and the light industrial planning permissions that has been granted to the new White Hoe Industrial Estate next door and the expansion of industrial units at Pulrose.

In conclusion Heron and Brearley, as an established Manx Company for over 100 years and operating an historically trouble free site at Kewaigue for over 15 years, still continues its long tradition of working with the community, as shown by our continued support of Kewaigue Primary School. We now ask the committee to favourably consider this application to regularise our activities, to grant planning permission for General Warehousing and Distribution and the operations involved within this business in order to fully utilise our premises, assets and preserve the interests of our dependant stakeholders.

Yours Sincerely

Steve Pickett Director