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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  1  of  6

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/00190/B Applicant : Isle Of Man Vagabonds RUFC Limited Proposal : Variation of Condition 5 to PA 16/00912/B to increase the number of camping pitches from 60 to 120 Site Address : Ballafletcher Sports Centre Strang Douglas Isle Of Man IM4 4RS

Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.03.2023 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. The maximum number of pitches to be available for use shall be restricted to 120.

Reason: In the interest of public and private amenity and highway safety.

C 3. There shall be no pitching of tents outside of the rugby pitch as defined on the Provisional Layout of Tents, date-stamped as having been received on 7th February 2023.

Reason: In the interests of public and private amenity.

C 4. The camp site may be available for use no earlier than the day before the first practice associated with the TT races and up to the day after the last race and the camp site may be erected within five days before this and taken down within five days after this.

Reason: The application is for the use of the site for the TT period only and whilst provision should be made for setting up and dismantling the camp site, the site should not be used for camping outside those times reasonably associated with these race periods.

C 5. Car parking and manoeuvring areas shall be provided and remain free from obstruction.

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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  2  of  6

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

C 6. There shall be no vehicular access to the site other than via the hospital access road.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with Strategic Policy 8, General Policy 2, and Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the documents, operation statement, location plan, site plan, proposed layout plan and a photo date stamped as having been received on 7th February 2023. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

19 Ballamillaghyn Estate, Mount Rule, Douglas

is not within 20m of the application site and the development is not automatically required to be the subject of an EIA by Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan, in accordance with paragraph 2B of the Policy __

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & BUILDING CONTROL

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the rugby pitches associated with Ballafletcher sports ground located to the south east of the main car park and hospital buildings of Nobles Hospital. Immediately southwest of the rugby pitch is another single rugby pitch with two football pitches further southwest of this. The rugby pitches are used by Isle of Man Vagabonds. The wider site has historically been the subject of a number of applications seeking approval for the temporary use of the football pitches and club facilities for camping during the TT festival.

1.2 The site occupies the half-a-pitch larger area as approved under 16/00912/B and in terms of built accommodation has a pavilion, changing rooms and clubhouse. The site also provides parking for at least 110 vehicles. The car park is also used as an overflow car park for Nobles Hospital.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 This application seeks a variation of the current planning permission 16/00912/B, granted 05.09.2016, for the variation of condition 5 of this permission under the previous approval 15/01302/C to increase the number of temporary camping pitches at any one time from 60 pitches to accommodate 120 pitches permanently.

2.2 In justification, the applicant has stated that the use of the site for 120 tents in 2022, which was APPROVED under PA 19/01332/C has been successful and they wish to continue operating with 120 tents on an annual bases.

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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  3  of  6

2.3 Ordinarily, with applications that seek to vary conditions, it would be expected that identical information be submitted. However, in this case, the important details with respect to the proposed site were already submitted for consideration by Committee in respect of 19/01332/C.

2.4 It is envisaged that 120 pitches would be able to accommodate up to 360 people but this figure would be flexible given the number of people who would book and turn up on their bikes, on foot or in their cars. However as a general guide it is important to note that adjacent sites operated by the football clubs would accommodate between 300 to 600 people based upon 2 and 4 person tents.

2.5 Based on APPROVED PA 19/01332/C, the camp will be available from the day before first practice until the day after the last race with 5 days either side for erection/dismantling of the site.

2.6 The applicant, 'Vagabonds' have available for use four changing rooms each with two wash basins, one urinal and one WC together with six showers & disabled toilet. In addition, the clubroom has both ladies and gents facilities comprising of two further wash basins and three and two toilets respectively and three further urinals and further disabled toilet. It is anticipated that the changing rooms will be segregated into male and female rooms and shower curtains will be installed to provide a degree of privacy.

2.7 In terms of amenities for guests, there is a public bar facility and a small canteen which will be used to offer prepared food, likely to be from an outside source. As an alternative, an outside catering van could be allowed onto the site to provide catering; the site will not be offering cooking facilities to campers.

2.8 Parking of 110 spaces for cars would be utilized in the Hospital overflow car park, as before, and be organised in a way that motorbikes will be able to take full advantage of the area. The main car park has lighting and there is also sensor security lighting around the whole perimeter of the building.

2.9 As the current application seeks approval only for the change of a single condition, none of the above details are proposed to be changed under the current application. It follows, though, that the increase in tent numbers from 60 to 120 would equate to a 100% increase of the number of people using the site to some 400 people at any one time.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Planning approval was granted in 2007 under PA 06/01967/B for the laying out of sports pitches and associated car parking. Aside from the similar application at the Corinthians and Douglas Royal Football Club, no other applications are considered material to the assessment of this current application, though it is to be borne in mind that a number of similar uses are proposed, and generally approved, across the Island. This does not mean that additional such sites, or the more intensive use of already approved sites, are necessarily acceptable, but it does point to a wider trend servicing a particular and defined need.

3.2 Variation of Condition 5 of planning approval granted under 15/01302/C to allow 60 temporary camping pitches at any one time was APPROVED under PA 16/00912/B.

3.3 Variation of condition five of PA 16/00912/B, Variation of Condition 5 of planning approval granted under 15/01302/C to allow 60 temporary camping pitches at any one time, to increase the number of camping pitches to 120 was APPROVED under PA 19/00238/B. The approval was for the use in 2019 only.

3.4 Temporary use of rugby pitch and facilities as a camp site for TT Practice and Race Weeks was APPROVED under PA 19/01332/C. Condition 7 states: "The maximum number of pitches to be available for use shall be restricted to 60 other than for TT 2020, 2021 and 2022

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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  4  of  6

where the maximum number of pitches shall be 120." The reason for this condition is "In the interest of public and private amenity and highway safety."

4.0 PLANNING POLICY Local Plan 4.1 The site is within an area designated as Open Space (Sports Pitches) in the Area Plan for the East. The site is also within an area designated as Green Gap.

Strategic Plan 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: o Spatial Policy 3 o Strategic Policy 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 o General Policy 2 (b) (c) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (m) o Environment Policy 22 o Transport Policy 1, 7 o Paragraph 9.5.3 o Business Policy 11 o Community Policy 7, 10 and 11

PPS and NPD 4.3 There is no relevant Planning Policy Statement or National Policy Directive that applies to this application.

5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Strategy and Guidance 5.1 There is no relevant strategy or guidance that directly applies to this application.

6.0 REPRESENTATIONS 6.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners has no objection to this application (08.03.2023)

6.2 DoI Highway Services does not oppose this application (08.03.2023). The comment states that there is no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking.

6.3 Owners/Occupiers of 19 Ballamillaghyn Estate wrote in objection of this application (28.02.2023). The comment states that the camp site produce loud noise until midnight and disturb sleep schedule of the nearby residents.

7.0 ASSESSMENT Elements of Assessment 7.1 There are no specific policies in the Development Plan which relate to camping uses. The application therefore needs to be judged on its own merits, having regard to the visual impact of the proposed campsite, whether the camp site can provide the adequate facilities, the impact upon highway safety, and finally the impact upon the operation of Nobles Hospital.

Visual Impact 7.2 The site is visible from Ballafletcher Road due to the site being set above the highway. The site is viewed as a sports ground given the existing paraphernalia and clubhouse building.

7.3 Some campsites can be something of a blot on landscapes, particularly where they are prominent and subject to limited natural or other screening. In this instance, though, the fact that the proposal is temporary in nature, and given no permanent new built development on the site is proposed, it is not considered the proposed development would have a significant impact upon the visual amenity of the area. Furthermore, from a tourism perspective, and from the supporting statement submitted by the applicant, there is a significant demand for camping

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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  5  of  6

sites during the TT fortnight and additional camping facilities would aid in the growth of the tourist economy.

Impact of Doubling in Capacity 7.4 Even though this application seeks only the variation of a condition, this condition pertains to a key element of the acceptable use of the site in doubling the number of pitches available during the TT fortnight and, as such, goes to the heart of the acceptability of that use. This therefore means it is appropriate that the use should be assessed afresh, with particular regard required in respect of whether or not the increase of the tent pitches by 100% to 120 pitches would be acceptable in terms of the impact upon the operation of the hospital; neighbouring living conditions and also highway safety.

7.5 In support of this application, it is argued that the increase in pitch numbers sought would better utilize an underused site in which the 60 authorised pitches occupy approximately 50 per cent of its area. This application therefore seeks to more fully utilize the available space within the red line area of the site for the positioning of 120 pitches each capable of accommodating up to four persons each together with their bikes.

7.6 All pitches would be 'glamping' in that they would be laid out and ready to use and no self-camping 'scout style' using their own tents or walk-ins would be allowed with the occupation of the site being strictly controlled by pre-booking .

Traffic and Parking 7.7 In the previous application, a letter from the General Manager of Nobles Hospital had expressed concerns that the applicant has indicated, as part of his submission that the hospital reduces clinical activity during the TT fortnight thus reducing the hospital demand for the overflow car par during this period. The Hospital General Manager has indicated that this assertion is incorrect as clinical activity is not reduced significantly during this period and therefore requests that his concerns be taken into account when making the planning decision.

7.8 The applicant maintains that the majority of the users to the campsite would arrive on foot from the airport or the ferry or travel to the site by bikes that can usually be accommodated either on the site or efficiently within the hospital overflow parking area without too much disruption to the function of their car park. However, the applicant has not supported this assertion with sufficient evidence to support this claim in the form of, say, a parking plan relying instead on anecdotal comments to support his claim of minimal impact upon the overflow car park to the hospital. This approach is unlikely to be acceptable in terms of evidential justification when seeking to double the number of pitches from 60 to 120.

7.9 In this respect, the applicant maintains that the site would operate at a similar density to the football clubs on neighbouring site with many of the occupants availing themselves of public transport which would continue to pass through the hospital site to main destinations on the Island However, given the concerns of the hospital on this matter, any disruption to the hospital overflow car park is a material consideration that requires to be addressed before this application can be progressed and may, in itself, form a reason to refuse the application.

7.10 Other information submitted in support of the application in respect of visitors, vehicle numbers and how they arrive is also anecdotal and would need to be supported by more evidence within the form of a more thought out and considered application with analysable data and plans showing how the site would be laid out in terms of pitches as well as parking for bikes as well as cars. If this were to be done, the Department would be in a better position to assess the impact the proposed camping site.

7.11 Highway Services has not object to this proposal. Given there are no information regarding traffic problems created during TT 2022, it is considered that there is no additional concern on Highway efficiency or safety.

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                                      23/00190/B                                     Page  6  of  6

Neighbouring Impact 7.12 A comment has been received regarding the noise generated during TT 2022 and how it affect the sleep schedule of neighbouring residents. It is acknowledge that the campsite is for TT and given the nature of the event, the number of people temporary occupied at the site and the different life pattern a tourist would have when compared to that of a resident, a degree of disturbance will be generated to neighbouring properties. This is an island wide situation and what the comment describe is no worse than the general situation around settlements across the island.

8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 The proposal is considered to comply with Strategic Policy 8, General Policy 2, and Transport Policy 7 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS 9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land which the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

9.2 The decision-maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status. __

I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Committee Meeting Date: 27.03.2023

Signed : P SHEN Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).

Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.