23 November 2020 · Director of Planning and Building Control (Jennifer Chance)
Land At Lord Street Car Park, Lord Street, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM1 2bl
The proposal involved erecting a 20m x 30m marquee housing an ice rink, a 10m x 10m facilities tent, a service compound, and a kiosk selling non-alcoholic drinks and snacks on a 0.52 hectare former car park site bounded by Lord Street, Parade Street, North Quay, and Harris Lane/Chapel Row.
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The officer concluded the temporary proposal would have no unacceptable impact upon public or private amenities and would comply with Transport Policy 4, Transport Policy 2, Transport Policy 7, Transp…
Strategic Policy 10
Requires new development to promote integrated transport by minimising car journeys, maximising public transport, ensuring highway safety, and encouraging walking. Officer found proposal acceptable due to town centre location adjacent to bus station, amended parking layout, booking system reducing queues, and operational controls.
Strategic Policy 1
Designates Douglas as main employment and services centre. Site's location supports recreational facility benefiting town centre shops and restaurants.
General Policy 2
Permits development in line with zoning if it respects surroundings, provides amenities/access/parking, avoids adverse highway effects, and other criteria. Proposal met tests for short-term basis with no amenity/highway harm, adequate parking exceeding standards, and no charging to avoid redevelopment disincentive.
Transport Policy 1
Requires location near public transport. Site directly adjoins bus station with good Island-wide links.
Transport Policy 2
Requires provision for bus/pedestrian/cycle routes. Amendments included pedestrian access improvements like fence removal on Lord Street.
Transport Policy 4
Requires highways to accommodate generated traffic safely. Existing accesses adequate from prior car park use; amendments addressed circulation/emergency access.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per standards (1 per 15sqm for leisure). Provided over 60 spaces exceeding minimum 40, with dedicated bays, deemed acceptable for temporary use.
Time limit and restoration
The marquee (ice rink), facilities tent and service compound hereby approved shall be discontinued and the land restored to its former condition (including removal of all buildings/structures) by 1 March 2021. Reason: The development has only been found to be acceptable on a short term basis because it meets a specific need.
No parking charges
Visitors/Patrons/Users of the parking spaces as shown on plan 2009/PL 1000 REV C shall not be charged any parking fees. Reason: The car park is to serve the development proposed and the charging for spaces could be seen to discourage the proper redevelopment of the site and would be contrary to the Council Of Ministers' aims in the Planning Action Plan.
Designated parking provision
Prior to the operation of the Ice Rink and facilities tent hereby approved, the disabled, staff, parent and child, mini bus and ambulance parking spaces as shown on plan 2009/PL 1000 REV C shall be provided and retained for such uses until the operation of the Ice Rink ceases. Reason: To ensure adequate parking spaces for specific users are in place and in the interest of highway safety.
Fully support the application following amended plans, subject to accessible parking, traffic management, no hot food sales, and adequate bin storage
Raise no objections subject to conditions for layout per Drawing 2009/PL1000 rev C, car park times, fence removal for pedestrian access, signing, and bicycle parking
Highway Services initially raised concerns about parking provision and management but later issued no objection subject to conditions after revisions. Douglas Borough Council supported the application with requests for accessible parking, traffic management, no hot food sales, and adequate bin storage.
Key concern: initial concerns over car parking numbers, capacity details, and congestion impacts raised by Highway Services
Highway Services Division
Additional information is necessary to assist with an assessment of car parking need and congestion impact; To fully satisfy highways requirements of safety and network efficiency, additional information and revisions are necessary
Department of Infrastructure Highways
Conditional No ObjectionAs road safety and highway efficiency concerns are largely met, Highway Services withdraw opposition to this proposal; Recommendation: DNOC
Conditions requested: layout to accord with Drawing no: 2009/PL/1000 rev c; suitable car park opening and closing times; removal and reinstatement of a section of fence on Lord Street; details of any signing and bicycle parking
Douglas Borough Council
No Commentcould you kindly ask the applicant to provide details on the availability of disabled parking
Douglas Borough Council
Supportthe Committee resolved to fully support the application
Conditions requested: accessible parking is provided for disabled drivers; consideration is given to traffic flow and congestion and puts measures in place to manage traffic flow; no hot food should be sold from the marquee or the facilities tent; adequate bin storage is provided as has already been discussed with Douglas Borough Council’s Waste Management Services Management Team
