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Residential Development of 35 Dwellings with Associated Highway and Drainage Infrastructure, Public Open Space and Landscaping, Colby Football Club Ground, Colby Glen Road, Colby
Supporting Information
Heritage Homes Ltd. Dandara Group Head Office Isle of Man Business Park Braddan Isle of Man IM2 2SA
heritage homes
Erection of 35 dwellings with associated highway and drainage infrastructure, public open space and landscaping, Colby Football Club ground, Colby Glen Road, Colby
2.1 The current Colby Football Club ground is an area of approximately 1.6 ha on the eastern side of Colby Glen Road. As well as playing areas it accommodates a clubhouse, changing rooms and parking areas, and is generally enclosed by trees. The single point of vehicular access is at the western boundary with Colby Glen Road, and a public footpath runs along a lane at the northern boundary. The site is within a residential area, with Ballacriy Park located to the east/south east and dwellings served by Colby Glen Road to the north and west. To the south and adjacent to Ballacubbon is an as yet undeveloped area which is also proposed for residential use in the emerging Area Plan.
3.1 As mentioned above Colby Football Club has been granted permission to create new sports fields and facilities on a site to the south of the village (PAs 05/92126/A, 07/02056/REM & 09/00340/B) and construction work is
progressing. Upon the Club relocating to the new facility the current ground at Colby Glen Road will no longer be required for football or recreation purposes and planning approval in principle has been granted for its redevelopment with housing (PA 05/92118/A¹). This approval is conditional upon, amongst other things, the relocation of the Football Club to its new facilities. This new application seeks detailed planning approval in order to avoid the risk of the current approval expiring (in November 2011) prior to the determination of a reserved matters application or before work can commence on site.
4.1 The planning policy context for the application is set out in the Arbory and East Rushen Local Plan 1999 and the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (IoMSP), which is supported by residential Land Availability reports for 2007 and 2009. The site is also proposed for residential development in the Modified Draft of the emerging Area Plan for the South and is the subject of a Development Brief. The Department of Local Government and the Environment (now Department of Infrastructure) Housing Policy Review Report 1999 and its subsequent Progress Reports also provide background information in respect of housing demand.
4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan; the IoMSP was adopted by the Department in June 2007 and approved by Tynwald the following month, and is intended to provide "the strategic and general policy framework within which provision will be made for development and conservation needs for the period 2001-2016". Together with Area (and Local) Plans the IoMSP forms the Development Plan as required by the 1999 Town and Country Planning Act. It is made clear that existing Local Plans will remain in effect until they are replaced by new Area Plans, and that the 1982 Development Plan, as amended by the various Local Plans, will have effect as an Area Plan. It is also made clear in the Plan that "in the case of any inconsistency between the provisions of the Strategic Plan and the provisions of an Area Plan, whichever came into force later will prevail", with the Strategic Plan being the most recent in this instance.
¹ Decision notice and Inspector's report for PA 05/92118/A are attached at Appendix 1
4.3 The Strategic Policies which flow from these objectives emphasize the need to make the best use of resources by, amongst other things, “ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space, and amenity standards” and “being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services”. New development will be located primarily within existing settlements or within sustainable urban extensions, and should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. The Plan makes it clear that “the provision of an adequate supply of housing to meet the needs of the wider community is essential”, and that the housing needs of the Island will be met by making provision for the development of 6000 additional dwellings over the Plan period.
4.4 The IoMSP includes an Island Spatial Strategy (ISS) which is intended to guide the physical development of the Island up to 2016. The Island is divided into North, South, East and West regions and the ISS seeks to “promote a balanced and equitable pattern of sustainable development across the Island”. It is estimated that in order to meet the housing needs of the Island over the plan period provision will have to be made for the development of 6000 additional dwellings. The Plan indicates that the Island’s southern region – which is comprised of Rushen, Arbory, Malew, Castletown, Port Erin and Port St Mary – will accommodate 1300 of those dwellings, and the Residential Land Availability report for 2009 states that residential approvals in the south between 2001 and 2009 plus projected conversions and windfalls for the period 2009-2016 total 965 units. In the light of this the Modified Draft Written Statement of the emerging Area Plan for the South concludes that “somewhere in the order of 350 dwellings would need to be provided to meet housing need in the South over the Plan Period”.
4.5 General Policy 2 of the Plan (pages 30 & 31) states that development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of the IoMSP will normally be permitted provided that it meets certain criteria in respect of, inter alia, impact upon landscape or townscape, amenity standards for residents and parking and access arrangements. General Policy 3 (page 31) states that, with the exception of a number of identified instances, development will not be
permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan.
4.6 Environment Policy 36 (page 54) states that where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area it will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area. The application site adjoins the eastern side of the Colby Conservation Area but it is not within it. Environment Policy 42 (page 56) requires new development in settlements to be designed so as to take account of the character and identity of the immediate locality, and states that green spaces which are to be preserved will be identified in Area Plans.
4.7 Housing Policy 1 (page 63) states that provision will be made for up to 6000 additional dwellings over the period of the Plan, which will be monitored and increased or decreased as necessary. Housing Policy 2 (page 63) states that the Department will seek to ensure an adequate supply of housing land, and suggests that designated land which is not brought forward for development within 5 years could be placed in a land-bank and alternative land allocated for development in its place. Housing Policy 3 (page 64) confirms the distribution of dwellings suggested by the ISS, whilst Housing Policy 4 (pages 64 & 65) states that housing should primarily be located within existing settlements or within sustainable urban extensions. Housing Policy 5 (page 65) indicates that up to 25% of new dwellings on sites of 8 or more units will have to be affordable. Housing Policy 6 (page 66) states that residential development within areas which are zoned for such must be undertaken in accordance with an Area Plan development brief (should there be one) or otherwise in accordance with General Policy 2 of the IoMSP.
4.8 The Open Space section of the IoMSP requires new residential development of ten or more dwellings to provide recreational and amenity space, making it clear that the general standards of space provision outlined in the Plan will be applied having regard to a number of criteria, which include the proximity and availability of existing Open Space, including the foreshore, public glens and parks, and school fields which may be available for use outside of school hours.
4.9 Transport Policy 4 of the Plan (page 96) seeks to ensure that new and existing highways are capable of safely accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys created by development, and Transport Policy 7 (page 97) states that new development will be required to provide parking in accordance with the Department's standards. At Appendix 7 of the Plan (page 135) it is indicated that the "Typical Residential" standard is 2 parking spaces per unit with at least one behind the front of the dwelling, whilst residential terraces are expected to be provided with 2 parking spaces per unit "if not within curtilage then located as close to units as possible without compromising residential amenity".
4.10 The Plan recognises that development will be required in areas not yet connected to IRIS, and that interim drainage measures such as individual treatment works may be appropriate. Infrastructure Policy 1 (page 101) states that development shall only take place in areas that will ultimately be connected to IRIS, whilst Infrastructure Policy 2 (page 101) states that interim drainage arrangements for development in areas awaiting connection to IRIS shall be submitted to and approved by the Department. Energy Policy 5 requires proposals for more than 5 dwellings to be accompanied by an Energy Impact Assessment².
4.11 The Arbory and East Rushen Local Plan 1999; the Arbory and East Rushen Local Plan was approved by Tynwald in April 1999 and came into operation in May of the same year. It is in essence an amendment to the 1982 Development Plan and as such has effect as an Area Plan. The application site is identified in the Plan as a Playing Field (Open Space for Particular Purposes), which reflects its established use. The Local Plan was of course prepared and published prior to the Football Club's decision to relocate and as such no mention is made in the Plan of that possibility or how the current ground may be re-used. The issue of zoning has subsequently been considered at the appeal of PA 05/92118/A, with the Inspector concluding that the site is "well located for residential development in terms of its relationship with the developed area of Colby and facilities within the village" before going on to recommend that planning approval in principle be granted to develop the current football ground with housing.
² An Energy Impact Assessment/Statement for the proposal is attached at Appendix 2
4.12 The Emerging Area Plan for the South; the site is proposed for residential development in the Modified Draft of the emerging Area Plan for the South, which will be considered at inquiry in July 2011. It is identified in the Plan as “Site 12” and is the subject of “Development Brief 12”³.
4.13 The Housing Policy Review Report 1999 and Subsequent Progress Reports; the Housing Policy Review Report 1999 calculated that 400 new housing units per annum were required to meet demand on the Island, and the Progress Report of January 2001 indicated that the figure was likely to be revised upwards due to factors such as increased net immigration. That Progress Report concluded that “Housing land is at a premium and likely to remain so unless action is taken to constrain demand”, whilst the report of October 2001 stated that “supply will have to be increased to meet this demand and help dampen rising prices”. The Progress Report of July 2002 warns that unless private developers increased output to over 500 units per annum then “demand will continue to outstrip supply and house prices will continue to rise”, and the reports of July 2003 and July 2004 indicate that this target needs to be maintained.
4.14 The reports of July 2005 and July 2006 do not seek to revise this target, and indicate that whilst supply has increased in the past three years (compared to the previous three) high dwelling prices are still a problem. The Housing Policy Review Progress Report of July 2007 continues to report an increased annual number of completed units between 2002 and 2005, but this figure fell markedly in 2006 and 2007. It should be noted that the completion figures used do not take account of replacement dwellings and thus the number of additional dwellings provided annually will have been lower. It also reports that in the medium term consideration may need to be given to the development of land which is not zoned for such in order to provide affordable housing.
4.15 The reports of 2008, 2009 and 2010 indicate that the Island’s housing market is “holding up well” in comparison to that of the UK, with no dramatic falls in house prices or signs of negative equity or forced selling, and it is reported
³ Development Brief and supporting text for Site 12 in the emerging Area Plan for the South MDWS are attached at Appendix 3
that the market began 2010 strongly. They go on to report that the interim Census of 2006 shows population growth of 4.9% since 2001, pointing out that the number of households continues to increase at a faster rate than population growth and that “this factor alone is likely to have a significant impact upon housing demand”. The number of private dwellings completed in 2008 was the lowest since records began in 1998, and although that figure increased in 2009 the number of public sector completions fell during the same period. It is reported that recent levels of construction may not be sustained over the next few years.
4.16 Each of the above Progress Reports contains a summary of the Department’s First Time Buyer Register, providing information in respect of the number of persons on the Island who have indicated to the Department that they satisfy the criteria of the House Purchase Assistance Scheme (which includes an assessment of income) and that they wish to purchase a First Time Buyer dwelling, i.e. a dwelling with a subsidised purchase price which falls within the IoMSP’s definition of affordable housing. The April 2010 update of the First Time Buyer Register (summarised below) indicates that out of a total of 943 persons on the Register 48 have shown Castletown/Santon/Malew/Arbory to be their first choice location, with the overall figure for that area (1st, 2nd and 3rd choices combined) standing at 170.
| First Choice | Second Choice | Third Choice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | 504 | 186 | 121 |
| Braddan/Marown | 67 | 254 | 288 |
| Onchan/Laxey/Lonan | 136 | 290 | 245 |
| Peel & Western/German/ Patrick/Michael | 59 | 23 | 89 |
| Castletown/Santon/ Malew/Arbory | 48 | 64 | 58 |
| Port Erin/Port St Mary/Rushen | 50 | 42 | 36 |
| Ramsey/Maughold | 71 | 22 | 18 |
| Northern Parishes | 7 | 44 | 24 |
| n/r | 1 | 18 | 64 |
| Grand Total | 943 | 943 | 943 |
5.1 The application seeks detailed planning approval to develop the site with 35 dwellings, highway and drainage infrastructure, public open space and landscaping. The principal of developing the site for residential purposes has been established with the approval of PA 05/92118/A, which remains valid. The approval is not in relation to a specific number of dwellings, although the Inspector's report indicates that, in the view of the Planning Committee, the site could reasonably accommodate up to 35 dwellings. Conditions attached to the approval refer to matters such as highway and drainage arrangements, affordable housing, trees and landscaping. There is also a requirement for Colby Football Club's alternative facilities to be available for use prior to the commencement of residential development.
5.2 The development will accommodate a mix of dwelling types, 25% of which will form the subject of an affordable housing agreement between the applicant and the Department. They have been designed and finished to reflect the more traditional elements of local buildings, particularly through the use of Manx stone⁴, and they will not have an adverse impact upon views from the adjacent Conservation Area (which in any event will be dominated by existing trees and vegetation).
5.3 Notwithstanding the screening effect of existing boundary trees the layout of the scheme will ensure that amenity standards for both new and existing residents are not compromised. Trees to be retained will be protected during construction in accordance with BS5837:2005. This will involve the use of Heras style fencing, which under the provisions of BS5837:2005 can have its position adjusted to provide protection from development taking place within the canopy spread and which may result in excavations taking place by hand, e.g. trees alongside areas of hard surfacing.
5.4 The existing vehicular access into the site is to be retained and improved, and footpath links will be provided to the east and southwards through to Ballacubbon. A Transport Statement prepared by Bryan G Hall Consulting Civil & Transportation Planning Engineers accompanies the application, and it
⁴ Examples of local dwellings and proposed finishes are attached at Appendix 4
concludes that the proposals conform with the policies of the extant Arbor and East Rushen Local Plan, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and the Modified Draft Written Statement of the Modified Draft Area Plan for the South, as well as the conditions attached to the approval of PA 05/92118/A. It also concludes that the development is in a sustainable location which will minimise journeys by car and encourage people to walk, cycle or use bus services, and that the traffic which is likely to be generated can be safely and efficiently accommodated on the local highway network. It goes on to state that planning permission should not therefore be withheld for any of these reasons.
5.5 The development is to be connected to the existing public foul sewer located in Colby Glen Road, with surface water to be attenuated underground within the site before being discharged to the Colby River. These arrangements have formed the basis of consultation with the Water and Sewage Authority.
6.0 Summary and Conclusion
6.1 Colby Football Club has been granted planning permission to create new sports fields and facilities on a site which is to the south of the village, and construction is currently ongoing. The relocation of the Football Club to its new facilities will result in the current ground being vacated and on that basis planning approval in principle has been granted to develop it with housing. This is in accordance with the proposals of the emerging Area Plan for the South, which provides a Development Brief for the site.
6.2 It is now proposed to develop the site with a scheme which is intended to address current housing market demand, resulting in 35 dwellings with associated highway and drainage infrastructure and public open space. In accordance with Housing Policy 5 of the IoMSP 25% of the dwellings will be affordable.
6.3 The layout of the scheme will ensure that amenity standards for both new and existing residents are not compromised, and the dwellings have been designed so as to reflect the more traditional elements of local buildings, particularly through the use of materials such as Manx stone.
6.4 The application is accompanied by information which addresses a number of relevant issues, including highway and drainage matters, tree protection and dwelling design.
6.5 On the basis of the above it is respectfully suggested that there is no material reason which would justify the withholding of planning permission for the development as proposed.
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