DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/01066/B Applicant: Department Of Infrastructure Proposal: Installation of a 20 cycle shelter Site Address: QEII High School Douglas Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1RD Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 24.10.2019 Site Visit: 24.10.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.11.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the LockIt Safe illustration and drawings GA01, HAM-COMP and 101 all received on 23rd September, 2019 and drawings 3 Rev 2 and 4 Rev 2 received on 14th October, 2019

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 This is one of three applications for the installation of cycle shelters within the curtilage of QEII school which is situated on the northern side of the A1 Douglas Road on the eastern edge of Peel. The site accommodates various school buildings including indoor sports facilities and a

• number of external playing pitches. There are also car parking spaces located at various points within the site around the buildings.
• 1.2 Amended plans were submitted during the consultation period and these drawings were republicised with an additional 21 day period for the submission of views. The original drawings had references to the shelter numbers, for example, 19/01065/B related to shelter 3 and was shown on drawing numbers 5 and 6 whereas the amended plans refer to shelter 1 and are shown on drawings 1 and 2. As the locations of all of the shelters proposed in these three applications (19/01065/B, 19/01066/B and 19/01067/B) have been changed the revised shelter positions and numbers as shown in the drawings received on 14th October, 2019 for all of the applications, the applications are being determined on the basis of these plans with no reference to the original shelter numbers or positions. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the installation of a shelter which will accommodate 20 bicycles. The shelter will be positioned at the rear of the main building complex with cyclists approaching from the perimeter internal road from the main entrance (this is the only means of getting to the rear of the complex other than going past the hard surfaced courts at the southern end of the site). - 2.2 The shelter, like all those proposed in the three applications, has an area of 6m by 4.7m with an enclosed, mesh, curved outer structure which is 2.36m high at its highest point. Helmet lockers are also included in the structure. The image shown in the illustration is of a blue framed structure. - 2.3 The area for the cycle store is beside a larger car parking area in a part currently grassed with pedestrian paths on two sides. The shelter will be on a new area of hard surfacing. - 2.4 19/01067/B proposes another, identical shelter alongside. PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Peel Local Plan of 1998 as Queen Elizabeth High School and School Playing Fields. - 3.2 The following Strategic Plan policies are considered relevant:

Strategic Policy 10: New development should be located and designed such as to promote a more integrated transport network with the aim to:

• (a) minimise journeys, especially by private car;
• (b) make best use of public transport;
• (c) not adversely affect highway safety for all users, and
• (d) encourage pedestrian movement

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:

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;

• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (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;
• (j) can be provided with all necessary services;

• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption. Community Policy 5: Permission will generally be given for proposals to improve or extend existing schools and institutions of higher education and to build new schools, subject to their being sited and designed in accordance with the other policies of this plan, having particular regard to the potential for community use of the buildings and the associated Open Space.

3.3 It should also be noted that the thrust of the Strategic Plan is to support sustainable development which is supported by recent initiatives to encourage active travel, such as the Active Travel Strategy 2018 - 2021 formulated by Department of Infrastructure and actions to address Climate Change in accordance with Greater efficiency Cleaner energy Resilient economy A climate challenge mitigation strategy for the Isle of Man 2016 - 2020 and The Climate Change Bill which is to be introduced in 2020 to commit the government and future administrations to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in line with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The overall site has had a number of applications submitted for new facilities, alterations and extensions, none of which are considered relevant to the consideration of the current application. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 German Commissioners seek a deferral on 9th October, 2019. No response has been received subsequent to this.

5.2 Highway Services have no objection (16.10.19). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The principle of the installation of bicycle shelters is in accordance with the sustainable objectives of the Strategic Plan and other Government initiatives. It also accords with Strategic Policy 10 and Community Policy 5 and General Policy 2n.

6.2 The access to the site is clear and safe although used by vehicles en route to the car park. There is a pedestrian crossing painted on the substantial speed hump in the access road surface where the access road meets the car park which will result in drivers slowing down and taking more care where cyclists may be crossing the access road to get to the cycle store. The site is also secure in that it is not in the public gaze. The structure is not unattractive and distant from surrounding residential properties. If the shelter results in fewer students driving or being driven to work then this will improve highway safety as there has been an issue at the school with parked vehicles on the roads in the vicinity where students are driving to school.

6.3 Whilst the area is currently grassed, it does not provide a recreation or any other function other than providing separation between the parked vehicles and the classroom windows. This will be maintained with the proposal. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The development is in accordance with the relevant parts of the development plan as well as with other Government initiatives and is supported. 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.

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

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 14.11.2019 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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