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The following information has been prepared by Mama Bear's Ltd (applicant) & L Jones Architects Ltd (agent) to support and assist the change of use application to convert the 'Former Isle of Man Bank Building', Station Road, Ballasalla (Bank: class 2) to a Soft and Sensory Play Centre (no class). Please find enclosed the following documents:
The site is currently unoccupied and unused.
The Cub House, a Soft and Sensory Play Centre, will provide a safe and child-centric play environment for young children to enjoy the latest soft play equipment. The equipment will be suitable for children from birth to 6 years old. The soft play structure and building layout is designed to give optimal visibility for the supervising parent/carer, whilst being fun and interactive for the child at play.
The facility will also include purpose built quiet and sensory rooms for children with Special Educational Needs to play and receive therapy in an appropriate environment. These facilities will be the first publicly available spaces of this nature available on the Isle of Man and would greatly enhance the provision available to the island's SEN population.
The enclosed proposed layout plan gives further information regarding the use of the internal space provided by the existing building. No external development, alteration, or extension to the building is proposed.
Business hours for The Cub House will be Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm. There will be five, 90-minute sessions Monday to Saturday.
On Sundays, there will be a bespoke autism session 10am-12noon, followed by two, 2-hour sessions. It is estimated that each session will accommodate 7 children/infants with an average of 4 caregivers. All children will be accompanied by a parent or accompanying adult at all times.
The provision will require 2 members of staff Monday to Friday and 3 members of staff Saturday and Sunday.
It is proposed to include a small café area within the building; providing barista coffee, homemade cakes and snacks. This facility will be for patrons of The Cub House only. No takeaway provision will be offered to preserve safeguarding for vulnerable children/adults using the facility.
A disabled parking space will be available, along with ramp access & push button disabled entrance door. Adequate space will be provided for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The large changing area within the WC will provide appropriate facilities and area for children and adults that require additional changing space and assistance.
Parking - The site's forecourt, adjacent to Station Road, provides adequate area for 5 car parking spaces including 1 disabled parking space (shown on Site Plan). These spaces are sized in accordance with 'Making a Planning Application - A Guide for applicants: Supplementary Guidance on Highways Issue' by Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (2018). This area on site has been used for parking for more than 30 years. Management are looking at the possibility of leasing parking space nearby to permit staff to park off site. As alternative parking for the facility, a disc zone car park is situated approx. 150m away (adjacent to the Malew Commissioners Building) which includes 30 spaces.
Station Road may be positively impacted by the recently approved by-pass (including planning application 19/00137/B); future traffic on Station Road may be reduced.
Highway visibility splays (43m for 30mph road) are demonstrated on the enclosed Location Plan.
The site is well serviced by 4 bus routes and bus stops are positioned 40m / 60m away on the main road through Ballasalla. It is also situated approximately 150m away from Ballasalla Steam Railway Station, providing train travel to both Douglas and the South of the island.
Parking & Travel Diagram. NTS
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