Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00732/B Applicant: Douglas Borough Council Proposal: Erection of a replacement building to provide changing facilities Site Address: Changing Facilities Pulrose Pavilion (Football Club House) Springfield Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1AX Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken: 24.07.2018 Site Visit: 24.07.2018 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.09.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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. The building hereby approved shall not be used other than for sport and leisure purposes in connection with the adjacent playing fields, or such other use/s which shall first have been agreed in writing by the Department.

Reason: In the interest of residential amenities, parking provision and as the application has been judged on the grounds that the building will only be used as a changing rooms for use in connection with the adjacent playing fields and for no other purpose.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings reference numbers E&R.17.079.1001 A, E&R.17.079.1002 A, E&R.17.079.1003 B and E&R.17.079.1004 B received on 16th July 2018 and 24th August 2018.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT RECOMMEND FOR AN APPROVAL

1.0 APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is located to the south east corner of the playing fields on Springfield Road, Douglas. It comprises part of the playing field and a clubhouse. The clubhouse was erected about 20 years ago and is clad in timber panels with a felt roof. It is single storey and measures 18.8 metres long, by 7.8 metres wide, and is 3.6 metres high. - 1.2 Springfield Road is located just to the east. Behind the clubhouse is a hard standing area used for parking. This area forms part of the development proposals for the erection of 38 sheltered housing apartments which are currently under construction to the west.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for a replacement clubhouse. Its size and form would be similar to the existing building although it would be slightly larger. Its dimensions would be 21 metres long, by 11.5 metres wide and 3.6 metres high. Its roof pitch would be the same 10 degree pitch as the existing roof; albeit 0.2m higher than the existing (3.4m). The new clubhouse would be finished red/yellow brickwork and lightweight mid grey tiles. The accommodation with the building would be very similar to the existing, albeit a different layout consisting of four changing rooms each with their own showers and toilets, two referee's changing rooms, two store rooms, a plant room and a kitchen. - 2.2 The applicants have indicated that the current building is in a poor condition and in need of replacement. They also comment that it is regularly the subject of on-going repairs. They also confirm that no additional facilities are being added and there are no proposals to invite any additional people into the building.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 Erection of a replacement club house - 13/00510/B - APPROVED - 3.2 Siting of a temporary mobile unit to provide changing facilities - 10/01143/B APPROVED - 3.3 Construction of changing accommodation - 90/01988/B - APPROVED - 3.4 Approval in principle for construction of changing accommodation - 90/01372/A APPROVED - 3.5 12/00664/B - permission granted in October 2012 for construction of 38 sheltered housing apartments and ancillary accommodation, parking and public open space. The open space and emergency access is where the existing car park is located.

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The Douglas Local Plan 1998 identifies the site as being partly within an Area of Open Space and Woodland (the playing field part of the site), and partly within a predominantly

• residential area (the actual clubhouse). Under the Draft Plan for the East the site is all designated as "Open Space".
• 4.2 Since the application relates to the replacement of the clubhouse, it could be argued that the proposal is not in accordance with the zoning of the site. General Policy 3 is not considered to apply because whilst the proposal is contrary to the zoning of the site, the land is itself still zoned albeit for a different purpose - General Policy 3 is considered to apply to unzoned land only. It is not considered necessary to refer the application to the committee under Part 1 'Functions delegated to the Director of Planning and Building Control', because the application is not considered 'directly contrary to the provisions of the Development Plan (Part 1 (d)).
• 4.3 The following policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are considered relevant.
• 4.4 General Policy 2 states: "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:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (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;
• (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses;
• (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea;
• (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
• (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;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (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."

4.5 Strategic Policy 5 - 'New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to be supported by a Design Statement which will be required to take account of the Strategic Aim and Policies.' - 4.6 Transport Policy 7 - 'The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.' - 4.7 Recreation Policy 2 - "Development which would adversely affect, or result in the loss of Open Space or a recreational facility that is or has the potential to be, of recreational or amenity value to the community will not be permitted except in the following circumstances:

• (a) where alternative provision of equivalent community benefit and of equivalent or better accessibility is made available; and
• (b) where there would be an overall community gain from the development, and the particular loss of the open space or recreation facility would have no significant unacceptable effect on local open space or recreation provision or on the character or amenity of the area."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection (17.08.2018).

1. Highways Division make the following comments (10.08.2018): "The proposal would not change the existing site access arrangements or the adjacent parking area. The application states that no extra people should visit the new building and the plans show that no additional facilities would be added apart from a small kitchen. On this basis, no new highway issues should arise from the development.

Highway Services does not oppose the application."

6.0 ASSESSMENT The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area

6.1 The proposed building is similar in form to the original clubhouse although it would be a little larger and taller. The new building would be constructed from different materials to the existing, albeit the red/yellow brick finish would be more in keeping with the recently constructed dwelling/shelter housing complex in the area. And therefore it is felt that these finishes would be in keeping with the area.

6.2 The new building would be a visual improvement over the existing, although there is a certain charm about the modest appearance of the original clubhouse. The impact of the new building would not be appreciably different to the existing clubhouse and, overall, it is felt that the character and appearance of the area would be preserved. The effect on neighbour amenity - 6.3 The site is situated on the edge of a built up residential area and use of the building has the potential to give rise to noise and conflict with residential neighbours. However, the new clubhouse is not intended to be rented out or to be used other than for sport and the social events that are held at present. The layout of the new building is almost identical to the existing and importantly, does not include a club house/function room etc and rather its layout results in it only be used for changing rooms, rather than any other use. Given that the new building is intended for the same use as the existing and that it is not significantly bigger than the original, the impact on nearby neighbours should not be significantly different to the existing building. It is therefore concluded that the proposal raises no new issues of impact on neighbour amenity. Access and parking - 6.4 There is limited parking available on site and this was the case for the last approved application 13/00510/B. Until the re-development of the housing in the area, there was a greater area of hardstanding for parking to the south-east of the site; however, the majority of this area was lost to provide open space and emergency access. Accordingly, as accepted under the last approved application, it is understood that the majority of the people who play for Pulrose AFC, and spectators, live within walking distance of the football pitch. Further the applicants have also previously commented that it is normally visiting teams and spectators who require car parking and they generally park alongside Springfield Road as there are no yellow lines restricting parking in the area. It should also be noted that this only occurs when football matches are actually being played, usually for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, during the football season. - 6.5 As indicated previously, the amount of changing rooms proposed is not increasing and therefore the same number of teams who would use the changing rooms would remain as is. Accordingly, given there is no increase in traffic generation it is again considered the proposal should not cause parking or access issues over and above the existing situation. Drainage

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 It is recommended that the planning application is approved with conditions. - 8.0 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:

• 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 in Article 6(4) 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 it under the appropriate delegated authority.

Decision Made : …Permitted……….... Committee Meeting Date:…17.09.2018

Signed :……………C BALMER…….. 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

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