Report on Planning Applications

Written Representation Cases Site Inspections: 14 November 2011 Inspection of Materials samples: 18 November 2011

Applications by Highways Division.

Application A: for Alterations and amendments to highways, installation of new street furniture, lighting plus hard and soft landscaping, Water Street, Peel Street, Bourne Place, Parliament Street and Courthouse Gardens, Ramsey, Isle of Man. Application B: for Alterations and amendments to highways, installation of new street furniture, lighting plus hard and soft landscaping, Market Hill, Ramsey, Isle of Man

Introduction

1. This report provides brief descriptions of the application sites and the developments for which approvals are sought; summaries of written statements by the Planning Authority and an objector, and the cases for others (fuller details are available for reference in the case files). My assessments, conclusions and recommendations then follow.

The Application sites

2. Both application sites are within Ramsey town centre and Conservation Area and abut each other. The first site (Application A: 11/00791B) is extensive and covers Water Street, Peel Street, Bourne Place, Parliament Street and Courthouse Gardens. Parliament Street is the main route through the town centre and forms a one-way road system from Parliament Square, past and around the Old Courthouse building (The Isle of Man Post Office), along Bourne Place and Peel Street to the junction with Albert Street. It is referred to on the drawings as Ramsey Regeneration Phase 2 and forms a 'Square' or 'Place' around the gardens and Courthouse. The existing highway surfaces are tarmac and the footways, which vary in width, are mostly concrete. The footways within Courthouse Gardens are made up of brick pavers.
3. Application A also covers Court Row which runs along the western boundary of the Courthouse Gardens into Water Street which, in turn, runs to the south of the War Memorial and the Isle of Man Post Office (Old Courthouse Building).
4. The second site (Application B: 11/00796B) covers a much smaller area to the east of the Isle of Man Post Office on the other side of Parliament Street/Bourne Place. It comprises the short section of highway known as Market Hill which links Parliament Street/Bourne Place to Market

Place. It is referred to on the drawings as Phase 2a site. Again, the existing highway surfaces are tarmac and the footways are concrete.

Proposed Developments

5. The Ramsey Regeneration Schemes, Phase 2 (Application A) and Phase 2a (Application B) applications relate to a comprehensive town centre improvement scheme to amend and upgrade existing highway and surface layouts and finishes; street lighting; street furniture and hard and soft landscaping. Both proposals would result in increases to the width of public footways and the replacement of concrete with dark grey granite paving; the general narrowing of highway surfaces; the replacement of tarmac areas with a reddish granite surface and the positioning of new street lighting and furniture. Examples of these latter elements have been submitted with the drawings.
6. Application A includes the provision of de-lineated car parking bays on all of the streets around the Courthouse Gardens (including disabled car parking spaces) as well as a loading bay area at the junction of Parliament Street and Bourne Place to the north east. The proposals indicate a circular paved area with seating around the War Memorial and a large part of the gardens will remain as grassed areas. The proposed traffic flows are one-way, from Parliament Street in the north west; along to Bourne Place and Market Hill into Market Place; down Court Row and along Water Street to Peel Street and then along Peel Street and into Albert Street.

Planning Statement

7. The main points made, in summary, are as follows:

• The sites are zoned as being of 'Mixed Use' under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998. Both are within a Conservation Area and the Old Courthouse Building is a Registered Building (No 79). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 applies.

• Environment Policies 35 (relating to Conservation Areas) and 43 (relating to Regeneration) are relevant as well as General Policy 2, which sets out the criteria whereby development which is in accordance with land-use zoning and other relevant area plans and Strategic Plan policies will normally be permitted.

• In Conservation Areas Policy 35 indicates that development will only be permitted when it would 'preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area'.

• There will be no loss of historic or traditional highway features such as cobbles or stones.

• Environment Policy 43 supports development which seeks to regenerate run -down urban areas and also supports improvements to towns and villages.

• The proposals are of high quality design which will provide better access for the public as well as improving the appearance of the this part of Ramsey.

• The proposal would result in some loss of lawned areas but would result in the War Memorial becoming more of a focal point.

• The Conservation Officer concludes that the proposals would improve the character and appearance of the area.

• The Street furniture has not been specified and if planning permission is granted a condition requiring approval of the final details is considered appropriate.

• The proposal would result in a reduction of existing on-street parking from 25 to 17 spaces ( 3 disabled remaining) and a dedicated marked delivery space is proposed.

• The applicants have indicated that this displacement of spaces will be catered for by recently approved parking on the site of the old Albert Road School.

• The Department's parking study for Ramsey incorporated the proposals in these applications.

• The Strategic Plan supports proposals which regenerate such areas and the existing state of the street scene is not considered to enhance the existing quality of this part of Ramsey.

Statement by R A E Jelski of Dickinson Cruickshank Ramsey

8. The main points made, in summary, are as follows:

• As owner of Masonic Buildings on Water Street, from where a busy advocates' practice is run, it is considered that the proposals have been based on the wrong principles.
• The practice rents car parking spaces in the Ramsey Town Commissioners Car Park on the south side of Water Street some 50 yards from the office. This creates a number of traffic movements along Water Street and away from the centre every working day.
• The proposed schemes were promoted 'to make it an attractive focal space for the community and visitors' and 'to make it a vibrant centre for community use'.
• It is stressed, however, that the whole area is primarily commercial (offices, shops, restaurants etc) and community based, (post office and police station). These are and will remain the primary uses of the area with the gardens being a secondary feature.
• At the primary level businesses need good access for delivery, customer parking etc and this will not be maintained by reducing road widths, reducing car parking spaces and installing speed restricting street furniture.
• It is already difficult for deliveries to be made to shops and restaurants. The creation of raised areas will interfere with the passage of large wagons and vans.
• Fundamental errors were made when traffic flows in Parliament Street were changed and traffic lights installed at Parliament Square and the pedestrianisation of East Street is a mistake.
• Since the proposed traffic flow is one way in Market Hill, it is considered that the flows in Peel Street and Bourne Place should be in the same direction avoiding exit into Waterloo Road /Albert Street which is already a dangerous double junction.
• The point of entry to the town centre for the majority of traffic (from Ramsey-Laxey Coast Road and Mountain Road) is blocked by the present one-way system in Peel Street/Bourne Place.
• Under a revised scheme traffic could pass down Market Hill, easing congestion at Albert Road and beyond.
• The application(s) should be deferred as premature until a full examination on changes to traffic flows and a more business/commercial user friendly scheme for the whole of the centre of Ramsey and the effects on businesses has been carried out.

Others

9. The Ramsey Commissioners have no objection to the schemes and The Water and Sewerage Authority and Manx Electricity Authority only make requests for informative notes being added to any permissions.

Assessment and Conclusions

10. The main issues in both schemes are firstly, the effect of the proposals on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and, secondly, the effect relating to traffic flows and layout, with particular reference to the mixed business and community uses in this part of Ramsey.

11. On the first issue, I agree with the Planning Authority and the Conservation Officer that both schemes result in an enhancement of the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The existing streetscape is of very poor quality. The existing tarmac and concrete finishes detract from the appearance of the area and there are no hard surface elements which are historically or traditionally worthy of retention. This part of Ramsey is recognised as being in need of re-generation in order to improve the overall quality of the town centre.

12. The proposed materials, of which I have inspected the submitted samples, are of a high quality and appropriate in form, scale and colour. The 'flamed' red which is referred to is not so strident as the name suggests and I consider that the contrasts of colour which de-lineate the road surfaces from the footways are appropriate and will result in an attractive street scene.

13. I consider that both proposals accord with Environment Policies 35 and 43 of the Strategic Plan in relation to the enhancement of the Conservation Area and the re-generation of the town centre. They also accord with the relevant criteria in General Policy 2, particularly in relation to respecting the surroundings; enhancing the character of the area and providing safe access for highway users and pedestrians in this mixed commercial and retail part of Ramsey.

14. With regard to the impact on business users and retailers, there would be a loss of 8 car parking spaces, although three car parking spaces for disabled drivers have been maintained. However, there are alternative parking places within very short distances of this central area, including the temporary car park on Albert Road and the nearby Market Place. With schemes such as this, where priority is generally given to the safety and amenity of pedestrians over vehicles, it is usually likely that existing car parking spaces on the street will have to be sacrificed. In this case the Department's parking study for the whole of Ramsey incorporated the proposals set out in these applications and these matters have been considered by the applicants, and the Planning Authority.

15. Taking into account the proximity of other parking areas and the overall layouts of these two schemes, I consider that adequate on-street parking has been provided. I note the concerns relating to deliveries and loading but a dedicated area has been provided and I do not consider that

either of the proposed schemes would be detrimental to the existing commercial or retail activities. The overall advantages of the schemes in providing more user-friendly and attractive pedestrian routes and spaces, (including recreational seating areas within the gardens), will improve general accessibility for the public, resulting overall in a more attractive environment to visit and in which to work and shop. 16. It may well be that there are other previous highways decisions which have led to congestion in this and other parts of the town centre. However, I do not consider that these applications should be withheld on the basis that there may be a more refined solution relating to improving traffic flows around this part of Ramsey. In land use planning terms and with regard to highway safety I consider that these proposals are acceptable. I do not consider that the granting of permission at this stage would be premature. 17. The applications relate to proposed developments to provide alterations and amendments to the existing finishes to highways and pedestrian areas along with new street furniture and hard and soft landscaping. The overall aim is to make this part of Ramsey an attractive focal point for all sections of the community (business, retail, visitors) and to make it a vibrant centre for use by everyone. I consider that any wider matters which relate to traffic flows and congestion need to be dealt with comprehensively by the Highways Authority. The carrying out of these two developments, in the physical form as proposed, would not preclude the authority deciding at a future date that directional flows should be changed in part to suit a different traffic management scheme. 18. I conclude that both Application A and Application B are acceptable and should be permitted.

Recommendations

19. I recommend that planning approvals be granted for Application A and Application B subject, in each case, to the conditions set out in the Planning Authority's statements.

Apprarator.

Anthony J Wharton BArch RIBA RIAS MMRTPI Inspector

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