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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 20/00343/B Applicant : Department Of Education Sport And Culture Proposal : Erection of an outdoor classroom Site Address : Scoill Yn Jubilee Stoney Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 5EE

Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : 05.05.2020 Site Visit : 05.05.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.06.2020 __

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. The protection measures and construction methods detailed in the Tree Survey and Report submitted in support of the application shall be adhered to in full. No retained tree shall be cut down, uprooted, or wilfully destroyed during the development phase and thereafter within 5 years from the completion date, other than in accordance with the approved plans and particulars or as may be permitted by prior approval in writing from the Department.

Reason: For the best interest of tree protection.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Community Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and Planning Circular 1/91.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents, tree protection document, drawing no.02A, 03A, 04 and 05 date-stamped as having been received on 19th March 2020 and the amended location plan (drawing number 01B) date-stamped as having been received on 07th July 2020. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should NOT be given Interested Person Status as they are considered to not have sufficient interest in the subject

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matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):

Owner and occupier of Garey Ashen, Stoney Road, Douglas, IM2 5AL

as they do not refer to the relevant issues in accordance with paragraph 2C of the Interested Person Operational Policy 2019 and as they have not explained how the development would impact the lawful use of land owned or occupied by them and in relation to the relevant issues identified in paragraph 2C of the Policy, as is required by paragraph 2D of the Policy. __

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE 1.1 The site is the Scoill Yn Jubilee, Stoney Road, Douglas, a primary school within a predominantly residential area of the town. The school is located within the block formed by Stoney Road, Thorny Road and Somerset Road.

1.2 The main school building fronts towards Thorny Road, with a large hard surfaced playground area on the south of the main building. To the southwest corner of the block, the school has a quasi-trapezium outdoor garden/learning/playing area surrounded by tall hedges. The area is at a lower elevation compare to the main building and the playground. It is connected with the main building by a dirt lane. There are two tall trees within the area.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the erection of a new 40sq m classroom at the north east corner of the existing outdoor garden/learning/playing area.

2.2 The classroom will be a wooden building with a tiled, pitched roof. It is going to be approx. 8m wide, 5m deep, and 3m tall.

2.3 On the front elevation, there is a double door in the middle and two long side-hung casement panel windows on each side of the door. On one side elevation, there are two side- hung casement windows close to the front elevation.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 In terms of the local plan, the site is within an area designated as an Area of Buildings for Civic, Cultural, and other Special use (Primary School) in the Douglas Local Plan 1998. However, the outdoor garden/learning playing area is within an area designated for Predominantly Residential Use. Because the site can be confirmed to be used as the existing since 2001 (from the aerial photo), the whole site will be considered to be lawfully and properly within an area designated as an Area of Buildings for Civic, Cultural, and other Special use (Primary School).

4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

4.3 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: (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;

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(c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (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; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

4.4 Community Policy 5 states: "Permission will generally be given for proposals to improve or extend existing schools and institutions of higher education and to build new schools, subject to their being sited and designed in accordance with other policies of this plan, having particular regard to the potential for community use of the buildings and the associated Open Space."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council has not commented at the time of the report (15/06/2020).

5.2 DoI Highway Services does not oppose this application (24/04/2020).

5.3 DEFA Amenity, Forestry and Land Directorate does not oppose this application (08/04/2020) under the condition that the Tree Protection Plan shall be fully implemented and retained for the duration of the construction process.

5.4 The residents of Garey Ashen, Stoney Road commented (07/04/2020) in objection to the planning boundary of the proposal and the applicant sent in an updated location plan that clarified the situation.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The principle of the proposal is acceptable as it involves the provision of additional school facilities on a designated school site. The key considerations in the determination of this application are the need for the proposal, the location and scale of the proposal and its visual impact and the access and amenity for pupils

6.2 The mobile classroom proposal has not been accompanied by any written justification for its need although it is considered likely that increased outdoor study space is needed, which, in accordance with Community Policy 5 of the IOMSP, is generally permissible subject to other concerns assessed below.

6.3 The proposal is ancillary to the use of the school, is within the school grounds. It is right next to 36 Thorny Road and the noise could have a potential impact on the neighbour. However, the area is already being used as a play area and all activities only took place during the daytime so the impact should be acceptable.

6.4 The visual impact is expected to be low. A mobile classroom of a modest size such as this one is a common feature within school grounds. The classroom is going to be partially visible from the Thorny Road but it is considered that there would be no significant adverse impact on the quality of the street scene as the wood hut style fit in with the landscape of the play area.

6.5 The mobile classroom would provide additional teaching space at the cost of a reduction in outdoor play area and facilities for pupils of the school. On balance, it is considered that this decision has been taken by the school to meet its requirement. The area is currently most likely under-utilised as it is close to the as well as the boundary fences. Although the reduction in play space is unwelcomed, the reduction does not have a material impact on the function of the play area.

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6.6 In terms of access, there would be one point of exit and entry. The area is connected with the main school building with a dirt path. There are no stairs required for access and this is considered to be in accordance with Planning Circular 1/91.

6.7 Although separated from the school main building, students can move in between the main school building and the area without going through any external traffic so it is considered to be safe in terms of traffic and personal safety.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2, Community Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and Planning Circular 1/91. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.

8.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land which the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

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 above who should be given Interested Person Status. __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 10.07.2020

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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