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                                                 17/00744/C
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 17/00744/C Applicant : Bright Beginnings Proposal : Additional use of hall as an after school club Site Address : Hall Clenagh Road Sulby Isle Of Man IM7 3AB

Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 03.08.2017 Site Visit : 03.08.2017 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of Sulby's Community Hall which lies on the eastern side of the Clenagh Road which runs north from Sulby Crossroads (the junction of the A3 and the Sulby Glen and Clenagh Roads - both A14). The hall is a simple building which has a stone faced frontage onto Clenagh Road and rendered walls elsewhere throughout the building. The windows are traditional and recessed within the thick stone walls. A more modern extension has been added at the rear to provide kitchen and toilet facilities and an even more recent addition alongside this to the north to provide administrative facilities.

1.2 The building has a residential property on each side as it faces Clenagh Road - Elm View to the north and Ashcroft to the south. Ashcroft has a workshop at the rear which horticultural machinery repair workshops, storage and office use lawfully take place.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the additional use of the church hall to include an after school club for children between the ages of 4-11, between 1545 - 1800hrs Monday to Friday during term time. The applicant suggests that there is an urgent need for this in the north. A maximum of 32 children would be accommodated and they would be given activities and a snack during their time there.

2.2 They suggest that there are up to 22 parking spaces available on site and no changes are proposed to the building.

2.3 The applicant explains that Bonwick House is closing at the end of August and existing operators Parkland and Butterflies only cater for up to 8 year olds. They would like the use to commence on 1st September, 2017. They intend to pick children up from Ballaugh, Ramsey and Andreas schools in their mini bus and at the end of the club sessions, the children will be picked up by their parents/carers between 1730 and 1800hrs.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site is designated on the Sulby Local Plan of 1999 as Community Use. As such, the provisions of General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan are applicable as follows:

General Policy 2: "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:

(g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;

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                                                 17/00744/C
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(h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan and (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

3.2 In relation to highway safety, it should be noted that the Local Plan identifies issues with inadequate car parking associated with the village shop and Sulby Glen Hotel, on opposite sides of the A3 as well as a need to control the speed of traffic approaching and travelling through the village, in particular near the Sulby Glen Hotel.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications for alterations and extensions and for the use of the site to create a children's play area (00/01578/C) which was approved as well as the levelling of the land to the rear (09/00227/B) which was also approved.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services comment that the proposal is to operate an out of school care service from a community facility and that the facility has ample car parking for parents picking up children and the highway can accommodate the additional journeys. Highway Services does not oppose this application (01.08.17).

5.2 Lezayre Parish Commissioners make no comment (11.08.17).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The site is clearly identified on the local plan as for community use, there should be an acceptance that the use of the building will involve groups of people coming and going at various times of the day and week. The hall is currently used for a variety of purposes, such as badminton where a minimum of 8 people, all arriving at once, probably around 1900hrs and leaving around 2200hrs could be expected. What is proposed here is up to 32 children arriving at the site in minibuses and their occupation of the building until 1800hrs at the latest and with up to 32 vehicles arriving at the site to pick these children up. Staff and helpers will also be coming and going to the site around these times.

6.2 There is provision within the site for those collecting their children to pull of the public highway and drive into the site to collect their children, resulting in no congestion on the public highway and the ability for the children to be picked up in safety. The hours of operation are not antisocial - unlike other lawful uses of the site - and as such, the proposal is considered to be acceptable and not result in any adverse impact on highway safety or the living conditions of those in neighbouring property.

6.3 The adjoining properties are screened from the application site by existing vegetation except for Ashcroft which has a low timber fence between it and the site. Whilst visibility to the right as one exits the site, is not ideal due to an existing gate pillar, it is not so unsafe as to warrant refusal. Vehicles are often parked opposite the site on the other side of the road which makes those exiting the site take care looking in both directions.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;

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(c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

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: 14.08.2017

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This approval relates to the location plan and floor plans all received on 14th July, 2017.

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

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 17.08.2017

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Senior Planning Officer

Customer note

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