A decision to overturn an independent inspector’s recommendation that a plan for Callow’s Yard in Castletown should be approved was made on the basis of a lack of car parking.
Kate Beecroft, MHK, made the decision as infrastructure minister Phil Gawne declared an interest.
She disagreed with the inspector, Alan Langton, about the impact of parking of the plan (14/00338/B to convert from retail to residential use properties on Arbory Street and Fusion Bar, retaining retail on the ground floor in all bar one property).
Mr Langton thought there would be ‘a likely increase of about five vehicles … (which) would not in my view be determinatively harmful to parking stress or the safe, free flow of traffic.’ However Mrs Beecroft said 14 spaces could be required (a calculation based on Strategic Plan Appendix 7).
Relaxation of parking requirements ‘may have been applied when Callow’s Yard development was brought back into use but that such rationale for relaxation could not be applied to this application as the buildings have already been secured.’
Also, she added she is ‘of the view that short term difficulties with the viability of existing approved uses do not render a building redundant or otherwise in need of re-use.’
She said: ’It has not been demonstrated that a reduced level of parking for the proposed development will not result in unacceptable on-street parking within the locality.’