Planning Officer Report

Application No.:	12/00765/B
Applicant:	Department Of Education And Children (Works Department)
Proposal:	Alterations to entrance and reception areas to create disabled ramped access
Site Address:	Ballakermeen High School St Catherines Drive Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4BE

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the curtilage of Ballakermeen High School on St. Catherine's Drive, Douglas. The site is not located in a Conservation Area. The front elevation of the school overlooks a grassed sports field area and predominantly residential properties on St. Catherine's Drive beyond it.

The Proposal

1. The application proposes alterations to school entrance and reception areas to create ramped access on front elevation of school building.

Planning History

1. The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, four of which are considered relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

09/01986/B - Alterations and creation of ramped access – Approved. 02/02555/B - Construction of disabled ramp and canopy to south east entrance – Approved. 02/00381/B - Creation of disabled access ramp to south east entrance – Approved. 90/00274/B - Construction of new school entrance – Approved.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within an area designated as a Secondary School in the Douglas (South) Local Plan 1998. There are no policies that accompany the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application.

Case Officer:	Mr Jamie Leadbeater
Photo Taken:
Site Visit:	12.06.2012
Expected Decision Level:	Officer Delegation

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. General Policy 2 states:

"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;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them".

Community Policy 5 states:

"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".

Representations

1. Douglas Borough Council has no objection to the proposal.

Assessment

1. The acceptability of the principle of erecting ramps within the curtilage of the application site has already been established given the approval of previous applications on the site for similar proposals. Subsequently, this proposal should be primarily assessed upon its visual impact on the surrounding area and character on the application building.

1. The proposed works are to be sited over 90 metres from the public highway and subsequently would not adversely affect general public amenity. The application property is not considered to be of architectural significance and therefore a more reasonable approach should be afforded to balancing the impact on the building and the community benefits of the proposal. The scale and siting of the proposal is not considered to be inappropriate, given its proposed intended use, and as such is not considered to be unduly detrimental the character of the building.

1. Overall, the level of development is modest and not adverse to the character of the property. Other than physically altering the appearance of the property, the proposal is beneficial in terms of providing suitable access for physically disabled persons who are likely to utilise the building for mandatory educational purposes, which is fundamental to secondary education learning on the Island. As such, the proposal complies with the relevant provisions of General Policy 2 and Community Policy 5 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

The local authority, Douglas Borough Council are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 29.06.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to the alterations to schoold entrance and reception area to create an access ramp on front elevation of school building, as shown in drawing no. 11/2366/02, 11/2366/03, 11/2366/05A and 11/2366/06, all received on 24th May 2012.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: 2-7-12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed: [Handwritten signature] Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed: [Handwritten signature] Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed: [Handwritten signature] Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

3 July 2012 12/00765/B