A PROPOSAL to allow extra floor space to be created in a unit that is set to house PC World at Spring Valley industrial estate has been turned down by planners.
PC World and Curry’s is set to open in a unit there, but had sought permission to incorporate a 634 square metre mezzanine floor in the existing unit but this has now been rejected.
Douglas Council’s Policy and Resources Committee had recommended objecting to the proposal because the mezzanine floor increased the retail area beyond the 1,672 square metres permitted in the original planning consent for the unit.
Councillors also expressed concern over the adverse effect on nearby retailers and potential extra traffic and demand for car parking spaces.
A forecast turnover for the proposed Curry’s and PC World shop was £7.1m with 10 per cent of it expected to relate to internet and off island purchases. The committee said turnover for all electrical retailers in the Isle of Man was about £10,000,000 so the impact from the new development would make a significant dent in their overall sales.
The unit at the Spring Valley Industrial Estate is next to that recently taken over by Pets at Home.
In December last year councillors registered their objection to a proposal by clothes retailer Next Plc to sell housewares such as decorating items and children’s clothes from the unit. Councillors said this contravened Business Policy 5 of the Strategic Plan which permitted sale of bulky goods at the industrial estate of a type which could not easily be sold from a town centre location.
Planning consent for the two units at Spring Valley was subject to a number of restrictions including a 1,672 square metre limit on the maximum retail floor space and also the types of goods allowed to be sold in the units.
Currys’ range includes TVs, washing machines, cookers, fridge freezers and laptops. PC World sells laptops, desktop PCs, iPads and accessories.
The Isle of Man Development Company was granted approval in principle on appeal last year to demolish unit six on the Spring Valley estate, and build the two retail units.