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This report provides information in support of the application submitted on behalf of Hartford Homes Limited (“the Applicant”) for the development of land for office use on the eastern corner of the junction of St George’s Street and Hope Street, Douglas.
The site is presently used with the benefit of planning approval for temporary car parking. The proposed development will provide 1400 sq. m. of office floorspace distributed over 4 floors together with basement parking for 15 vehicles with vehicular access off St George’s Street.
This report confirms that the principle of office use on the site is acceptable under the provision of the extant Douglas Local Plan (“the Local Plan”). The report also addresses the issue of car parking requirements under the Local Plan and the recently adopted Strategic Plan and includes a summary of the grounds in support of the proposed car parking provision for the scheme of 15 spaces that is less than would normally be required under the provisions of the Local Plan.
Reference to Map 1 (Central Area) of the Local Plan will confirm that the application site is located within an extensive area allocated for Predominantly Office Use. The use of the application site to provide office accommodation is therefore permitted.
In further support of the principle of office use on the application site, Policy D/O/P1 recommends that “Office development within that area defined on the Town Plan shall be maintained...” Furthermore, Policy D/O/P2 confirms that “New build office development will be restricted to that area of Douglas in the Local Plan.”
In terms of car parking provision, paragraphs 7.3 to 7.11 address the issue of car parking provision in “The Central Area”. Policy D/CP/1 recommends that “the re-appraisal of parking standards should be based on, where relevant or achievable: i) site characteristic and constraints...” with any shortfall in provision “to be accommodated off street” with long term parking for office personnel “on peripheral surface or multi-level car parks in close proximity to main arterial roads...”. A more detailed appraisal of the car parking provision for the proposed office development is provided below.
Under the provisions of the Local Plan, one car parking space needs to be provided per 50 sq. m. of proposed office floorspace. Accordingly therefore the proposed development would need to provide a total of 28 spaces. However, Policy D/CP/1 refers to re-appraisal of car parking standards “where relevant or achievable” with sub paragraph i) referring to “Site characteristics and constraints”.
The Applicant has reviewed the possibility of providing an additional level of underground parking and concluded that, due to the characteristics and topography of the site, such provision would make this relatively small office development uneconomical to construct. In a scheme of this size it would also not be practical to provide an additional level of car parking. Furthermore, for this particular site the provision of an additional access and ramp would result in the loss of existing on street parking disproportionate to the level of provision required.
An over provision of car parking on a development of this scale would also be contrary to paragraph 7.9 of the Local Plan that considers the provision of parking at lower levels, including the street level, as potentially having a detrimental effect on not only the design of the building but its street setting. The application site represents a visually important location at the junction of Hope Street and St George’s where design issues and the relationship of the development to the street scene are regarded as critical material considerations.
Paragraphs A.7.2 to A.7.2.2, Appendix 7 of the adopted Strategic Plan also set out considerations for the provision of car parking for office development in the town centre confirming the current rate of 1 space per 50 sq. m. as set out in the Local Plan.
Paragraph A.7.2.1 however, states that “Having regard to the environmental objectives of this Plan, the Department is mindful that it may be appropriate at some time in the future to re-consider these standards.” To date such reconsideration has not taken place.
Under the details of car parking standards set out in sub paragraph (d), paragraph A.7.6 of the Strategic Plan, confirmation is provided that the adopted standards may be relaxed where development “is within a reasonable distance of an existing or proposed bus route and it can be demonstrated a reduced level of parking will not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality”. The Applicant considers that this consideration is directly applicable to the application site.
In light of the above policies in both the Local Plan and Strategic Plan and the discretion afforded in cases where lesser car parking than would normally be provided is proposed, the following represents a summary of grounds in support of the Applicant’s proposal to provide only 15 car parking spaces as part of the proposed development.
A. It is not considered desirable or economically feasible to provide an additional level of on site car parking. Such provision would in any event potentially compromise the design considerations of the proposed scheme and its contribution to the visual amenities of the existing street setting and lose existing on street parking as referred to in paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 above.
B. Whilst there are car parking spaces available at nearby multi storey and other car parks, generally these are limited to lease terms of around 90 days notice to quit and the Applicant has not yet come across any licences in excess of a year.
C. The application site is located in a part of the Central Area of Douglas that is well served by existing bus routes on nearby Circular Road and Lord Street/Peel Street. The application site therefore represents a sustainable location in terms of encouraging the use of an alternative mode of transport to Douglas as highlighted in paragraph 11.5.3 of the Strategic Plan.
D. The reduction in the required standard on the basis that the application site is within a reasonable distance of existing bus routes is also identified as one of the considerations that would support the relaxation of car parking standards as set out in the Strategic Plan and referred to in paragraph 3.6 above.
E. It is considered that the reduced level of parking will not result in the loss of existing on street parking in the locality that is disc controlled and not generally suitable for all day parking a consideration also identified in the Strategic Plan and similarly referred to in paragraph 3.6 above.
F. The Applicant is willing to accept a condition as part of a planning approval requiring the adoption of a “Travel Plan” to be agreed with the Highways Division of the Department of Transport prior to and in association with the use and occupation of the proposed office development.
In light of the above considerations for relaxing the current car parking standards for office development in the central area of Douglas, it is recommended that the provision of 15 car parking spaces for the proposed scheme be approved subject to the condition requiring the Applicant agreeing a Travel Plan with the Highways Division of the Department of Transport prior to the use and occupation of the proposed office development.
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