Road safety, inadequate parking, flood risk, trees and the impact on heritage have all been cited by Isle of Man Enterprises in its appeal against a major development in Douglas.

The owner of Shoprite has appealed against a decision by the planning committee to back a major development on a long vacant patch of land on Victoria Road, Douglas, which the company sold to the developers.

In an appeal that puts it in direct conflict with the Department of Infrastructure and Department for Enterprise, Isle of Man Enterprises (IoME) has said that it acknowledges that King Gaming Limited’s proposed campus development would bring a vacant site into beneficial use.

However, it also says that it considers that ‘the economic benefits of the proposed development to the Isle of Man will, reflecting on the proposed business model, be minimal’.

In its statement of case, written by Keith Hargest of Hargest Planning, the company said that is has not provided clear indication of the gross floor of the proposed development and that ‘there are clear inconsistencies in the estimate of floor area for the proposed office use between the planning statement and the transport assessment submitted in support of the planning application’.

It also noted that while there is a restriction on the usage of the housing blocks to make them for employees on the campus, IoME says there is no legal requirement for a planning application for change of use were King Gaming to choose to sell them on the open market at a later date.

The company’s submission also claims that the application and the Manx government ‘placed inappropriate reliance on the business model proposed by the applicant’

Other issues raised include a lack of conditions to restrict usage of the units on the campus and the assumption that the residents of the flats won’t own cars.

Isle of Man Enterprises’ submission said: ‘This assumption is not valid: there is no suggestion that there will be restrictions placed on residents banning the ownership of private vehicles; it is necessary that any assessment of the application needs to consider the proposed planning use of the building and also the future position if/when King Gaming are no longer occupiers of the office building.’

As well a this, Isle of Man Enterprises’ submission says there is inadequate parking for residents and the proposed businesses, that the site will ‘will adversely affect the setting of both a Registered Building and Douglas Promenade Conservation Area’.

The second issue was confirmed by the planning officer’s report into the original application.

In its determination, the planning committee acknowledged that the development would have some harm to the conservation area, but that this would be ‘less than substantial’.

Finally, the company’s submission has criticised the impact on the trees on the site, several of which would be removed, said the flood risk assessment failed to provide a meaningful assessment and repeated its concerns about the actual benefits of the campus.

It said: ‘The appellants consider that no meaningful assessment of the economic impact of the proposed development has been undertaken and that the benefits are confined to short term construction impacts and limited induced impacts arising from some limited expenditure by TVS employees spent in local shops.’

In its rebuttal of the appeal, the Excel Group Ltd, responsible for the application, said ‘the appeal request letter comprises essentially the same points raised in the Appellants objection letter dated June 29 2022, all of which were covered within the planning application submission, the planning officer’s report dated August 15, 2022, and the conditions imposed with the planning approval’.

Excel also moved to allay concerns that it could sell the flats in the campus. It said: ‘We feel it is worth reiterating that the proposed development is not a speculative development for open-market sale or rental, it represents the tailored requirements of the applicant and their associated companies, who are making this significant financial and operational investment with the intention of settling their already established business on the island.

‘The site was purchased by the applicant from the appellant, Isle of Man Enterprises, as it is one of very few or possibly the only site large enough to accommodate a substantial commercial building and a reasonable amount of staff accommodation in close proximity to central Douglas and with good public transport links. This is further outlined within the architectural summary included within the appendices.’

Addressing the concerns raised by Isle of Man Enterprises, Excel said the campus has been designed to ‘pay due respect to the neighbouring heritage assets and deliver a positive improvement to a longstanding derelict site’.

It added: ‘The economic benefits whilst immediately apparent, are clearly laid out in the client’s statement that is included within the appendices. These are not limited to the applicant’s yearly contribution to the exchequer benefit, which was outlined in the support letter by the Department for Enterprise, dated July 7 2022 and submitted as part of the planning consultation, but furthermore includes National Insurance contributions, Online Gaming Duty/Annual licence fees, the support of other Isle of Man local businesses associated with and charitable organisations supported by the company as well as the disposable income their increased number of employees bring to the Isle of Man.’

Isle of Man Enterprises has requested that the appeal be heard by an inquiry.

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