18 February 2020 · Planning Committee, signed by S Butler
Ballafletcher Sports Centre, Braddan Road, Strang, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM4 4rs
The proposal involves converting rugby pitches at Ballafletcher Sports Centre in Strang, Douglas, into a temporary campsite for the TT festival, accommodating up to 120 pre-booked 'glamping' tents (max 4 persons each) using existing clubhouse facilities for showers, toilets, food, and bar.
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The proposal conflicts with General Policy 3 as it is on unzoned land without demonstrated overriding national need or no alternatives, constituting a departure from the development plan.
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting/scale, not harm character/amenity/highway safety. Assessed compliant due to temporary nature, distance from residences, adequate parking/manoeuvring, and controlled access; conditions ensure highway safety and amenity.
General Policy 3
Prohibits development outside zoned areas except for overriding national need with no alternatives. Proposal departs as on open space/agricultural land with no such evidence provided, but overridden by site history and TT circumstances as material considerations.
Business Policy 11
Tourism development assessed like other types, with countryside protections applied equally. No specific campsite policy; temporary TT use accepted despite rural open space zoning due to demonstrated demand.
Transport Policy 4
Highways must accommodate generated traffic safely. Satisfied with conditions on access, parking provision, and evidence of low car/bike usage during TT.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
TT period restriction
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.
Access restriction
There shall be no vehicular access to the site other than via the hospital access road.
Parking provision
Car parking and manoeuvring areas shall be provided and remain free from obstruction.
Tent pitching areas
There shall be no pitching of tents outside of the rugby pitches shown within the red line boundary on the site plan submitted as part of the application and date-stamped as having been received 25.11.19 and there shall be no pitching of tents within the cricket wicket area shown cross hatched on that plan.
Western pitch restriction
There shall be no pitching of tents on the area of the Western Rugby Pitch as shown within the red line boundary on the site plan submitted as part of the application and date-stamped as having been received 25.11.19 other than for TT 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Maximum pitches
The maximum number of pitches to be available for use shall be restricted to 60 other than for TT 2020, 2021 and 2022 where the maximum number of pitches shall be 120.
no objections but concerns on future parking demand; suggest 3 year temporary approval to gather more evidence
no objection
support the application
no comments initially; later confirmed all campsite applications should be considered on merits by planning team
Braddan Parish Commissioners, Tourism, Health and Social Care, and Highways provided responses to the temporary campsite application, with all indicating no objection though Highways recommended a 3-year temporary permission and further parking surveys.
Key concern: potential parking demand in future years
Braddan Parish Commissioners
No Objectionthe Commissioners had no objection to the following planning applications
Tourism
Supportthis site would be able to be approved as the report states any site registered as at 1st September 2019 should remain, Ballafletcher has been registered a number of years and should be granted the planning permission
Health and Social Care
SupportThe DHSC fully supports this application and it has been submitted with our review prior to submission.
Highways
Conditional No ObjectionFurther evidence is required in the form of more detailed parking surveys providing comfort that parking issues would not arise; the applicant is given a 3 year temporary permission which will allow the Club to proceed but will also allow a more detailed car parking profile to be developed
Conditions requested: attach the same conditions as per 19/00238/B; 3 year time constraint; 3 year temporary permission
