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                                      19/00322/C                                     Page  1  of  5

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00322/C Applicant : Foxdale Heritage Proposal : Creation of camp site for the duration of TT Fortnight and Classic TT Fortnight Site Address : Football Club Billy Goat Park Stoney Mountain Road Eairy Isle of Man IM4 3HJ

Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.04.2019 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The camp site may be erected no sooner than a week before the first practice of TT 2019 and may remain until one week after the last race in that event and no sooner than three days before the first practice of the Festival of Motorcycling 2019 and may remain until one week after the last race of that event. No approval is granted to the use of the site as a campsite for the period in between the two events.

Reason: to clarify the extent of the planning approval and to ensure that there is not an oversupply of seasonal camp sites on the Island.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This approval relates to drawing FAFC/2018 received on 20th March, 2019.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

none __

Officer’s Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSED USE COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE LAND USE DESIGNATION

THE SITE

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                                      19/00322/C                                     Page  2  of  5

1.1 The site is the curtilage of Foxdale AFC which lies off Stoney Mountain Road to the south east of Foxdale Village. The site accommodates a clubhouse and permission has been granted for a storage building to replace containers near the entrance of the site. The site is surrounded by grassed mounds which visually screen it and provide shelter.

1.2 To the immediate north west of the site is a recycling yard.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the use of the site for camping during the fortnights of TT and Festival of Motorcycling. The camp site will accommodate up to 100 tents maximum. Whilst planning approval was granted previously for a temporary period of three years (see Planning History), this has now expired. They wish the provision to be on a permanent basis to enable them to have a camp site for the two fortnight periods, into the future.

2.2 The site plan shows the containers which accommodate toilets, at the entrance to the site although permission has been given for their replacement with a new building. The clubhouse will be available for users of the camp site.

2.3 The car park accommodates over 50 cars. Whilst this is not shown explicitly on the submitted plans, the aerial photograph demonstrates the land which is available for car parking.

2.4 The tents will be separated by at least 5m with acccess ways of 6m between every ten tents.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Foxdale Local Plan of 1999 as Open Space for Playing Field purposes.

3.2 As such, there is a presumption against development as set out in General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 1. There are no policies which provide guidance on the provision of camp sites. Permanent camp sites would require the submission of an EIA under Environment Policy 24 and Appendix 5 of the Strategic Plan but as this is for a temporary period only, this is not required in this case.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 Planning approval was granted for the use of the site as a temporary camp site under 14/00216/C. This was for a three year period only.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services object to the application on the basis that the plans do not clearly show how much car parking there is to service the proposed development (26.04.19).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 In planning terms tourist development is treated the same as any other form of development in the countryside - that is, there is a presumption against it. However, it is recognised that camping is becoming an important part of the Island's tourist attractions and an increasing popular form of tourist accommodation and understood that Department of Economic Development through their Destination Management Plan is supportive of initiatives which attract and accommodate more visitors to and on the Island. A number of camp sites have been approved - some brand new ("Silly Moos" in Lezayre, Ballaugh Glen, Knockaloe Beg, Glendown Farm in Port St. Mary, Ballamoar Farm, Ballaugh, Pennybridge in Kirk Michael, Ballakaighen in Onchan), others which have existed in an unauthorised form for some time and some of which now have approval (Glenlough in Marown, for example). Encouragement is given for such facilities to be grouped near to existing buildings and where possible, to complement existing operations on the same site.

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                                      19/00322/C                                     Page  3  of  5

6.2 There are no Strategic Plan policies which guide tourist related developments other than those which encourage the use of existing buildings (EP16). The Plan also contains a policy which presumes against the loss of recreational facilities (RP2). However, it is generally accepted that where there is a need for camping facilities in association with particular events on the Island, temporary camp sites can be acceptable, and this has been particularly successful on sports pitches: Douglas Rugby Club, Ballafletcher rugby, football and cricket grounds, Union Mills FC, Castletown Metropolitan FC, Foxdale AFC under their previous approval, Peel AFC, Rushen FC and Laxey AFC all operate temporary pitches and at times when the pitches are not used. The income from the use as a temporary camp site can provide much needed support for social and sports organisations.

6.3 In this case, there are existing car park facilities and a clubhouse facility which could be used by the visitors. Whilst the plans do not explicity show the amount of car parking available, the space is clearly there and can be seen on aerial photographs. It is also relevant the the site has been used as a camp site previously without any apparent highway or other issue and that the site is used for football matches which attract a number of spectators and players, again, without any apparent issue. It is also likely that most of the campers will arrive by motorcycle which are smaller and take up less car park space than a car.

6.4 There have been an increasing number of applications for seasonal camp sites, two of which have recently been considered by the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee considered an application for a temporary camp site at Cronkbourne Cricket Club on 15.04.19 (18/01163/C) and expressed concern that temporary camp sites seem to be cropping up a lot and wondered whether there was still a need for more. They also wondered whether these temporary sites - where there is no long term investment in electricity, permanent toilets and community spaces, such as are found on permanent camp sites - may be taking trade away from the permanent sites which have invested in facilities for their customers. It is understood that Department for Enterprise is undertaking an assessment of the range of existing camp sites in view of what the quantitative and qualitative need is for this. The outcome of that assessment will be very helpful in our consideration of whether there is a need for more facilities.

6.5 The Committee considered an application for a 34 pitch campsite at Ballavartyn, Santon (19/00255/C) and it concluded that permission should only be granted to cover the practice and race periods associated with the TT, Southern 100 and Festival of Motorcycling, and for 2019 only.

6.6 We include in our assessments of temporary camp sites, the presumption against development in the countryside but do allow such camp sites on the basis that there is a need reflected in Department for Enterprise's Destination Management Plan. However, that Department has very recently undertaken a review of whether there is a need for any more: we may now have enough camp sites and will await the findings of the DfE, which I understand is imminent. Until we have the results of that review the Planning Committee is not keen to approve any more seasonal camp sites on a permanent basis.

6.7 Many of the proposals received go some way to supporting the provider of the camp site which is often either Government (schools) or a sports club and whose primary use of the site is something we support in planning terms. In all cases, there tend to be existing facilities which can be used - toilets, changing rooms, sometimes catering facilities. In many cases also, there is no proposal for camper vans/motorhomes/caravans and where the site is not particularly visible. Also in many cases, the principal use of the site is not functional during the period when the camp site would be operational but in the case of an open field, the lawful agricultural use does not cease during the racing or summer periods. All these things currently weigh in favour of applications for camp sites.

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                                      19/00322/C                                     Page  4  of  5

6.8 In this case, the revenue will support a local organisation - the application is made by Foxdale Heritage and the site is operated by Foxdale Football Club and the camping is for times around the two main motorcycling events only. The application is supported for a period of a year only to allow any findings of DfE to be taken into account in any subsequent decisions.

CONCLUSION 7.1 Whilst contrary to land use policy, the use of the land for a camp site will help meet another Department's objectives in terms of the Destination Management Plan of DfE and will not have any adverse environmental impact. The use will help generate funds to support the football club/heritage group, supporting the Strategic Plan's policies on the benefits of recreation.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), 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; (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.

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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

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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: 13.05.2019

Signed : Miss S Corlett Presenting Officer

Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report and amended and additional condition were required

YES/NO See below

PLANNING COMMITTEE DECISION 13.05.2019

Application No. :

19/00322/C Applicant : Foxdale Heritage Proposal : Creation of camp site for the duration of TT Fortnight and Classic TT Fortnight

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                                      19/00322/C                                     Page  5  of  5

Site Address : Football Club Billy Goat Park Stoney Mountain Road Eairy Isle of Man IM4 3HJ

Principal Planner : Miss S E Corlett Presenting Officer As above

Addendum to the Officer’s Report

The Planning Committee approved the application at its meeting of 13th May, 2019 subject to the approval remaining valid until after the Festival of Motorcycling 2020.

Conditions of Approval

C 1. The camp site may be erected no sooner than a week before the first practice of TT and may remain until one week after the last race in that event and no sooner than three days before the first practice of the Festival of Motorcycling and may remain until one week after the last race of that event. No approval is granted to the use of the site as a campsite for the period in between the two events.

Reason: To clarify the extent of the planning approval and to ensure that there is not an oversupply of seasonal camp sites on the Island.

C 2. The use as a camp site may not continue after one week following the last race of the Festival of Motorcycling 2020.

Reason: To ensure that there is not an oversupply of temporary camp sites on the Island.

Plans/Drawings/Information

This approval relates to drawing FAFC/2018 received on 20th March, 2019.

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.