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17/01183/B Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 17/01183/B Applicant : The Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Proposal : Erection of first floor extension to provide additional sport and leisure facilities Site Address : Club House Peel Football Club Douglas Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1LJ
Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 23.11.2017 Site Visit : 23.11.2017 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.01.2018 __
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. At times between 0830hrs and 1700hrs on days when the QEII School is open to pupils and on Sundays between 0930hrsand 1300hrs, the first floor accommodation hereby approved may not be used at the same time as the existing sportshall or football pitch on the site, other than for spectating or other purpose associated with the use of the existing sportshall and football pitch on the site, except when the sportshall or first floor accommodation hereby approved is in use in association with school which uses QEII School for parking.
Reason: to ensure that there is sufficient safe and convenient car parking available to all users of the site. The QEII car parking areas which is used as overflow parking for the site is not available during these times. Schools using the hall will use no parking on the site, either walking or travelling by bus to the site.
N 1. The applicant is encouraged to ensure that the use of the additional facilities hereby approved does not lead to an increase in unlawful or inappropriate parking, through information provided to users of the facility as to where they should park and also the management of the various facilities on the site, to ensure that if all are used at the same time, there is sufficient parking for all.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
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This approval relates to the location plan and drawings 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08 all received on 14th November, 2017. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
It is recommended that the following persons should be given Interested Person Status as they are 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 6(4):
Peel Association Football Club who share the access and car park and clubhouse which are part of the application and QEII School who are opposite the site.
It is recommended that the following persons 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 6(4):
The representatives of Peel Sunset Bowling Club, Western Vikings and the resident of Braddan, all of whom are in support of the application.
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Officer’s Report
THE SITE 1.1 The site is the grounds of Peel Amateur Football Club situated on the south western side of the A1 Douglas Road as it enters Peel, just after QEII School which is on the other side of the road. The site accommodates the football field, a spectator stand which is attached to the club's facilities (changing rooms, toilets etc) and a relatively new building which provides indoor sports and recreation facilities and which is located at the south western end of the site.
1.2 The site also accommodates car parking between the spectator stand and the main road.
1.3 To the rear of the existing buildings was a stand of tall fir trees which provide effective separation of the clubhouse from the golf course although these trees have recently been removed.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the upward extension of an existing link between the clubhouse and the Tommy Clucas hall and also the upward extension of the flat roofed single storey rear section of the clubhouse. The elevation of the clubhouse which faces the road will be re-finished in smooth render (the existing elevation is clad) and the existing timber weatherboard fascia board will be replaced with white uPVC. On that elevation, an existing door will be replaced by a window with canopy on top to provide a serving hatch, another existing door is to be relocated slightly to the left and a new window is to be introduced in place of the existing door.
2.2 On the elevation facing the pitch, one existing window is to be blocked off and two lantern lights are to be introduced which will project above the roof by 500mm.
2.3 The rear elevation will see windows similar to but fewer in number than the existing and a larger window inserted in the link at first floor level. A flat roofed rooflight is to be introduced in the new roof and this will project around 600mm above roof level.
2.4 The new accommodation will provide twice as much first floor accommodation as existing, space that could be subdivided into two and also a larger area in the link which will be used for parents waiting for their children.
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2.5 The applicant explains that the facility is run by a charity and that it accommodates archery, badminton, athletics, bowls, tennis, cricket and football. The function room is used by the football club after matches and for occasional functions. They would like to add a soft play facility which would be difficult to offer in the sports hall due to the time required in setting up and putting away as well as the possible need to cover the astroturf. The sports hall is also not designed for people to wait nor have refreshments whilst their children play. They would also like to have a classroom facility to complement the coaching which is undertaken on the site. They would also like to be able to host birthday parties whilst matches are ongoing.
2.6 They explain that access to the upper area is not ideal for less able persons and a chair lift is included in the plans as well as a less inclined staircase. As the works are aimed at maximising the use of the facility, particularly when it is not particularly well used at the moment, it is not considered that there would be any significant increase in the numbers of people coming and going from the site. At present, any overspill at weekends is taken up in the QEII car park. They also point out that the site is on a bus route and within easy walking distance of the town.
PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site is designated on the Peel Local Plan of 1989 as Open Space - Playing Field. The proposed use is consistent with that in that the proposed usage is complementary to the facilities offered on site and an expansion of what already exists. As such, the following Strategic Plan policy is considered relevant:
General Policy 2: Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."
PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The indoor recreation facility was approved under 12/00325/B. The site also has permission for use as a temporary camp site during TT race and practice weeks.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services make the following observations: "The scoping plan for the development of facilities at the Tommy Clucas Community Sports Hall argues that during weekdays the facility is lightly used and there is adequate on-site parking provision to deal with any increase in parking requirement associated with introducing a soft play facility for pre-school children 2 or 3 half day weekdays per week. The sports hall facilities are very well utilised at weekends with over spill parking encouraged to utilise the QEII school parking facilities immediately opposite the sports hall. However, the proposals are not likely to increase the parking demand at weekends as the teams which would like to use the clubhouse facilities already use the pitches and car parking facilities at QEII school. We would ask the sports hall to take all
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reasonable measures to discourage parking on Peel Road by its patrons. However, given the information received, there is no highway objection to the application" (13.11.17).
5.3 The Peel Sunset Bowling Club which is based on Marine Parade in the town, wholeheartedly supports the application. They explain that their members use the indoor recreation space during the break in season or when adverse weather prevents outdoor play, but currently the facility lacks somewhere where the players can sit, take a refreshments and socialise, which are all part of their activities (17.11.17).
5.4 Peel Association Football Club also support the application, considering that the additional facilities will assist their members and parents of players at the site (21.11.17).
5.5 Western Vikings RUFC also support the application and consider that the facilities would benefit their operation (16.11.17).
5.6 A resident of Braddan who is an UEFA B qualified coach explains that he greatly supports the application as it will greatly enhance the facilities available and giving an area where parents can wait for their children attending coaching sessions. It will also enable him to alternate between pitch and classroom based education and them to offer full day holiday sessions with somewhere appropriate for children to take breaks and lunches. CPD events could also be carried out here (23.11.17).
5.7 QEII School write in support of the application and provide clarification about the available parking. Vikings Hockey Club and Vikings Rugby Club use QEII's artificial pitch together with their playing fields on Saturdays for their matches and they park their vehicles on the school site. They are aware that people use the school for parking outside of these times where these are using the school's facilities and sometimes when they are at the application site. This situation has been ongoing since the school opened in 1979 and when the football club was operational and they have no objection for this to continue. The school uses the Tommy Clucas Community Sports Hall during the school week as an additional sports facility for students and they do not use the application site for car when doing so. They woudl like to continue using the sporthall (19.01.18).
5.8 Peel Town Commissioners seek a deferral pending an assessment of the ability of the area to accommodate the required car parking generated by the proposal (18.11.17). Following information submitted to them, the Commissioners raise no objection subject to the new facilities not being used when the sportshall and the pitches are in operation due to concerns about there being insufficient car parking available on site to cater for all the vehicles being attracted to the site as a result of the cumulative range of facilities offered on the site (09.01.17). There has been a series of e-mail communications between the applicant and Peel Town Commissioners to try to resolve the Commissioners' concern about road safety through the increase of vehicles parking unsafely on the road as a result of insufficient spaces being available between the application site and the school. The conclusion of this communication is that a condition could go some way to address the Commissioners's concerns, along the lines of the following: The first floor accommodation hereby approved may not be used othan for spectating or other purpose associated with the use of the existing sportshall and football pitch on the site, whilst the sportshall and football pitch on the site in use at the same time to ensure that there is sufficent and convenient car parking available to all users of the site. If all of the facilities are used at the same time, there could be insufficient car parking spaces for all those who wish to park safely and conveniently in association with this site.
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issues are whether the proposed works would result in any adverse visual or environmental impact and whether the existing car parking and access arrangements would satisfactorily accommodate the new facilities.
6.2 The physical changes to the building will be manifest as a squaring off of the gable facing the road with the other changes not visible other than to someone walking around the building.
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This effect is not objectionable and does not significantly change the appearance or character of the building.
6.3 Whilst additional space is being created, the intention of the works is to maximise the use of the building particularly at times when the buildings are least used, which will not generally result in a demand for parking spaces that is not already catered for by the existing arrangements. Whilst the Commissioners are concerned with the potential for overspill which cannot be accommodated at the school, if there is an event on there, all of those who use the application site and the adjacent school - ie those who would be affected by any such overspill, have indicated their support for the proposal, including the highway authority. Consideration was given to a condition which restricted the use of the proposed function facilities to when the sportshall and pitch are not being used at the same time.
6.4 Whilst such a condition is not considered ideal due to its complexity, as the applicant is prepared to accept it and it would appear to resolve the concerns of the local authority, the application is recommended for approval subject to such a condition.
CONCLUSION 7.1 The application is supported.
INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
8.2 The decision-maker must determine:
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I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 19.02.2018
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
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