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Application No.: 16/00912/B Applicant: Isle Of Man Vagabonds RUFU Proposal: Variation of Condition 5 of planning approval granted under 15/01302/C to allow 60 temporary camping pitches at any one time Site Address: Ballafletcher Sports Centre Strang Douglas Isle Of Man IM4 4RA Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 01.09.2016 Site Visit: 01.09.2016 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE OWING TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE AND THE NATURE OF THE PROPOSAL.
1.0 PREAMBLE - 1.1 The application site has been the subject of a number of applications seeking approval for the temporary use of the football pitches and club facilities for camping during the TT festival. Ballafletcher Sports Ground comprises two football pitches, two rugby pitches, a clubhouse and pavilion and car park. The football pitches are used by Douglas Royal and Corinthians Football Clubs. The rugby pitches are used by Isle of Man Vagabonds. - 1.2 Alongside this current planning application is a similar one seeking variation of its own condition 5, which would increase the number of tent pitches to 200 allowable as opposed to the current 100. That application (16/00830/B) relates to the use of the football pitches and club facilities. - 1.3 Owing to the similar nature of the two proposals across the wider sports field, the officer reports are also similar.
2.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 2.1 The application site is the curtilage of one of the rugby pitches associated with Ballafletcher sports ground. Immediately southwest of the rugby pitch is another single rugby pitch with two football pitches further southwest of this. To the north and northeast of the site is Nobles Hospital. - 2.2 The site accommodates a pavilion, changing rooms and clubhouse. The site also provides parking for at least 110 vehicles. The car park is also used as an overflow car park for Nobles Hospital.
3.0 THE PROPOSAL - 3.1 The submitted application seeks to vary the condition 5 attached to the most recent planning approval on the site (PA 15/01302/C), which limited the number of tents to 40.
3.2 The application contains similar details to those submitted with respect to PA 15/01302/C. Ordinarily, with applications that seek to vary conditions, it would be expected that identical information be submitted. However, in this case, the important details with respect to the proposed site have been submitted and accordingly it is considered that the submitted application provides just sufficient information on which to ensure it is valid and an assessment can be made. - 3.3 The case officer for PA 15/01302/C described the proposed development as follows:
"The camping would be 40 pre-erected tents accommodating between 120 and 150 people. The camping would be available from the first day of practice until after the last race day with the campsite to be taken down within 3 days after race day. It is also important to note that the application submitted by the football clubs would accommodate between 300 to 600 people which is based on 2 and 4 man tents.
"There are four changing rooms each with two wash basins, one urinal and one WC together with six showers. In addition, the clubroom has both ladies and gents facilities comprising of two further wash basins and three and two toilets respectively and three further urinals. It is anticipated that the changing rooms will be segregated into male and female rooms and shower curtains will be installed to provide a degree of privacy.
"There is a public bar facility and a small canteen which will be used to offer prepared food, likely to be from an outside source. As an alternative, an outside catering van could be allowed onto the site to provide catering; the site will not be offering cooking facilities to campers.
"The car park has 110 spaces for cars which will be organised in a way that motorbikes will be able to take full advantage of the area. The main car park has lighting and there is also sensor security lighting around the whole perimeter of the building."
3.4 As the current application seeks approval only for the change of a single condition, none of the above details are proposed to be changed under the current application. It follows, though, that the increase in tent numbers to 60 would equate to a roughly 50% increase of the number of people using the site -180 to 225 people at any one time. - 3.5 This application is also submitted with a supplementary statement from the applicant, who indicates that both the sites were offered for camping use during 2016, and that "although the clubs operated separately there was a great deal of cooperation between them and the sites were operated successfully, especially considering this was a first venture".
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 Planning approval was granted in 2007 under PA 06/01967/B for the laying out of sports pitches and associated car parking. Aside from the similar application at the Corinthians and Douglas Royal Football Club, no other applications are considered material to the assessment of this current application, though it is to be borne in mind that a number of similar uses are proposed, and generally approved, across the Island. This does not mean that additional such sites, or the more intensive use of already approved sites, is necessarily acceptable, but it does point to a wider trend servicing a particular and defined need.
5.0 ASSESSMENT APPROACH AND PLANNING POLICY - 5.1 Even though this application seeks only the variation of a condition, this condition defines a very key element of the acceptable use of the site and, as such, goes to the heart of the acceptability of that use. This therefore means it is appropriate that that use should be assessed afresh, with particular regard required in respect of whether or not the increase of the tent pitches
5.5 General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
5.6 Business Policy 11 states: "Tourism development must be in accordance with the sustainable development objectives of this plan; policies and designations which seek to protect the countryside from development will be applied to tourist development with as much weight as they are to other types of development. Within the rural areas there may be situations where existing rural buildings would be used for tourist use and Environment Policy 16 sets out the circumstances where this may be permitted."
5.7 Transport Policy 4 states: "The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan." - 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS
"The applicant has provided details of the number of tents that were on site during TT 2016 and a survey of the travel modes. The information provided indicates the expected low level of car traffic and parking on site during the period of the campsite. The car parking is shared with a similar campsite at Douglas Royal and Corinthians AFC.
"The evidence provided is sufficient to justify an increase the number of tents without causing car parking problems for the adjacent Hospital car park and access road.
"Highways Services does not oppose this application."
6.2 Braddan Parish Commissioners have yet to respond to the application, although it is noted that this report is being prepared in advance of the close of the consultation period to allow both this application and PA 16/00830/C to be considered by the Planning Committee at the same time. A verbal update will be provided to the Planning Committee in respect of this on the day of the meeting. It is to be noted that the Commissioners offered no objection to PA 16/00830/C. - 7.0 CONSULTATIONS
8.1 There are no specific policies in the Development Plan which relate to camping uses. The application therefore needs to be judged on its own merits, having regard to the visual impact of the proposed campsite, whether the camp site can provide the adequate facilities, the impact upon highway safety, and finally the impact upon the operation of Nobles Hospital.
8.2 The site is visible from Ballafletcher Road due to the site being set above the highway. The site is viewed as a sports ground given the existing paraphernalia and clubhouse building.
8.3 In some cases, campsites can be something of a blot on landscapes, particularly where they are prominent and / or subject to limited natural or other screening. In this instance, though, the fact the proposal is temporary in nature, and given no permanent new built development on the site is proposed, it is not considered the proposed development would have a significant impact upon the visual amenity of the area. Furthermore, from a tourism perspective, and from the supporting statement submitted by the applicant, there is a significant demand for camping sites during the TT fortnight and additional camping facilities would aid in the growth of the tourist economy. - 8.4 As outlined, the site accommodates plentiful on-site facilities to provide more than sufficient services for intended users without the need for the campers to find facilities elsewhere. This would appear to be the case even with the significant increase in the tent numbers proposed. It is of course to be remembered that it would not be in the operator's interests to run a poorly serviced facility. - 8.5 The site is situated on the outskirts of Douglas and is on a main bus route for public transport into Douglas as well as to the west of the Island so is considered to be an appropriately accessible site. The site is also within close proximity to sections of the TT course, Braddan Bridge and Union Mills, making it a logical location for the proposed use. - 8.6 The site is accessed via the main access to Nobles Hospital. The access to the site is located over 30 metres from the access to the accident and emergency part of the hospital. However, in view of the lack of concern previously expressed by the Director of Estate Services in this respect it is not considered that this should form a reason to refuse the application, even with the proposed doubling of the site's capacity. - 8.7 The applicant has stated that there are currently 110 parking spaces available; in the previous application, he stated that this would be sufficient to accommodate 220 motorbikes and 440 people at maximum. The car park area measures approximately 3605 square metres and is judged to be of adequate size to accommodate a large number of vehicles, the majority of which will be motorcycles, even in spite of the significant increase in capacity proposed across the two sites. Given the existing car parking available, the parking demands of the proposed use, the shortterm nature of proposed use, and finally the lack of objection from Highway Services, it is concluded that the car parking provision is acceptable. - 8.8 The conditions previously set out by Highway Services (see paragraph 6.1.2 above) should be attached on this occasion as well, with the obvious exception of the reference to 100 tents: this should be replaced with the number 200.
9.1 It should be remembered that the planning system cannot control how a site is managed, and nor can it control how people behave or the hours of the day that people would come and go from the site. It is true, however, that it is clearly in the operator's interest to ensure the site is properly managed with a view to obtaining favourable reviews and recommendations of previous users and, consequently, growing their business.
9.2 In view of the above, and the continuing lack of objection from the statutory consultees, it is concluded that the impact arising from the proposed use would be acceptable and accordingly the application is recommended for approval, subject to a number of conditions, which essentially reflect those attached to the previous application on this site. There is a slight difference inasmuch as there was previously attached a condition that made reference to the availability of the camp site for use "no earlier than one day before the first practice associated with the TT and Manx Grand Prix/Festival of Motorcycling". The original application did not seek approval for the use of the land as a campsite in respect of the latter event, and so it was perhaps inappropriate to include these within the condition. This is reflected in the shorter condition 2 proposed on this occasion. Whether or not the land's use as a campsite during the Manx Grand Prix / Festival of Motorcycling is acceptablewould require fresh consideration under a separate planning application. - 10.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
10.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.08.2016 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
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 three days before this and taken down within three days after this.
Reason: The application is for the use of the site for the TT period only and whilst provision should be made for setting up and dismantling the camp site, the site should not be used for camping outside those times reasonably associated with these race periods.
The development hereby approved relates to Drawings 1080-SL01, 1080-SL02 and 10516/M/02, all date-stamped as having been received 9th August 2016.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : …Permitted.. Committee Meeting Date:…05.09.2016
Signed :………E RILEY………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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