Officer Planning Report

Planning Report And Recommendations {{table:155458}} {{table:155459}} {{table:155460}} {{table:155461}} {{table:155462}} ### Considerations {{table:155463}} ### Written Representations ### Consultations

Officer's Report

The Application Site

The application site Eskdale Hotel, Queens Drive West, Ramsey incorporates a four storey detached property (basement) located on the northern side of Queen's Drive.

Planning Policy

The application site is within an area of predominately residential use, under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) (No. 2) Order 1998, hereafter referred to as the Ramsey Local Plan. The site is not within Ramsey Conservation Area.

Planning History

Conversion of the lower ground floor of former hotel to two apartments (04/00611/B) – REFUSED at appeal on the following grounds:-

1. The proposed apartments would have a poor living environment by virtue of outlook and light available. Accordingly, this unsatisfactory living environment would not comply with the provisions of Planning Circular 2/88 "Conversion of Buildings into Flats".
2. The application fails to suitably address the car parking demands that would arise from the proposed apartments. The three lock-up garages indicated on drawing no. 2700/1, date stamped the 25th March 2004, to be utilised for car parking facilities for the proposed lower ground floor apartments are outside the area defined as being within the control of the applicant on the aforementioned drawing and therefore cannot be considered as part of the planning application.

Conversion of hotel to 10 apartments (02/01849/B) – APPROVED

Conversion of hotel to 12 apartments (02/00921/B) – REFUSED at review:-

1. Whilst the Planning Committee has no objection to the conversion of the hotel into flats, the Planning Committee judges that two of the flats, namely flats 3 and 4 would have a poor living environment by virtue of outlook and day light available. This unsatisfactory living environment would not comply with the provisions of the Planning Circular 2/88 "Conversion of Buildings into Flats".
2. The scheme still fails to demonstrate adequate parking and turning arrangements. It is judged that the tandem arrangement would not leave sufficient space for the turning of vehicles and would not allow vehicles to access conveniently the garages to the rear of the site.

Conversion of hotel to 12 apartments (02/00191/B) – REFUSED:-

1. Whilst the Committee has no objection to the conversion of the hotel into flats, the outlook, light and amenities available to the proposed flats contained in the basement would be unsatisfactory and would as such not comply with the provisions of Planning Circular 2/88 - Conversion of Buildings to Flats.

Proposal

The application proposes the change of use of two basement apartments to tourist accommodation.

Representations

Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection

Highways Division have no objection:-

The application provides ample parking and garaging to the rear of the hotel.

The IOM Water Authority makes no comment on the merit of the proposed development but request that an informative note be attached to any approval decision notice.

The Chief Fire Officer makes no comment on the merit of the proposed development but request that an informative note be attached to any approval decision notice.

A letter from the Department of Tourism & Leisure was included within the submitted application which states that, "The Department welcomes the proposal fro development of new visitor accommodation at the former Eskdale Hotel and believes this fits with the Department aim of providing economic diversification for the Isle of Man".

Assessment / Recommendation

Material Planning matters which need to be considered regarding this application include:-

1. General amenity; and
2. Parking provisions;

General amenity

As stated previously the site has received a number of refusals to convert the two basement areas to permanent living accommodation, as the proposals would not comply with Planning Circular 2/88. This application however would be for tourist use only, and whilst the living environment is still an issue that needs thought, I consider the proposed use as tourist accommodation would be acceptable, as the already converted units do provide a reasonable living environment for tourist units which in the main would be used for only one to two weeks at a time.

Parking provisions

The previous applications indicated the parking provisions to the rear of the application site, however they where not within the ownership of the applicant and therefore outside the control of the application. However this application includes this part of the site within the ownership of the Applicant and therefore I would agree with the Highway Division that there are more than adequate parking provisions for the proposed two tourist units and for the existing 10 apartments.

Recommendation

For these reasons the proposal would seem appropriate in these locations and therefore my recommendation is for an approval.

Party Status

I consider that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status:

The Ramsey Commissioners Highways Division

I consider that the following parties that made representations to the planning application do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status:-

IOM Water Authority The Fire Safety Department

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.04.2007 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings 01 and 02 REV all received on 29th January 2007.

N 1. This proposals falls within the scope of the fire precautions act 1975 - Fire Precautions (Flats) Regulations 1996. The applicant is required to consult the Fire Safety Department to discuss this application in detail and to have the fire precautions approved. Telephone 647303.

N 2. For a change in the supply to a premises (domestic or commercial) the applicant should contact the IoMWA Byelaws Inspector (Michael Karran), tel. 69 59 57

I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 9/5/07

Signed: [Handwritten signature] M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control