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                                      19/00628/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00628/B Applicant : Department of Education, Sport & Culture Proposal : Installation of a replacement mobile classroom Site Address : Willaston Primary School School Road Douglas Isle of Man IM2 6RD

Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken : 25.06.2019 Site Visit : 25.06.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.07.2019 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The mobile classroom hereby approved may remain on site until no later than 31st July 2024. After this date the area shall be returned to its previous condition and the mobile classroom removed from the site.

Reason: To ensure that the temporary school space provision does not become a permanent fixture on the site or a long-term solution, and to ensure that current educational needs are met.

C 2. Notwithstanding the submitted plan, the mobile classroom will be externally finished in a dark green colour and retained as such.

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This approval relates to drawing number 2019/03-01 date stamped and received 30 May 2019.

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

SITE

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1.1 The site represents the curtilage of Willaston Primary School, School Road, Douglas. The school is made up of a large building which is designed in an L-shaped form. It also has two mobile classrooms located on the south-east and south west sections of the site respectively.

1.2 The curtilage of the Willaston Primary School is a sizeable area which fronts onto School Road and backs onto University College Isle of Man. The site has a large area of playing fields to the north-east and south east sections of the site. The school building is fairly large; it has been extended quite substantially over the years.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for installation of replacement mobile classroom, containing two classrooms and toilet facilities.

2.2 The classroom is approximately 16.97m x 7.94m x 3.2m.The stairs is will be 1m x 1.9m x 500mm both with handrail and balustrading to prevent climbing. The exterior will be clad with bonded 9mm W.B.P. Exterior decoration of water based vinyl finished textured paints will form the coating to the external walls. Also, the proposed classroom will sit on a foot print smaller than the existing classroom.

PLANNING POLICIES 3.1 The site has been designated under the Douglas Local Plan Order (Map 3) 1998 as an 'Area of Buildings for Civic, Cultural and Other Special Use' (Primary school); the site is not within a Conservation Area.

3.2 The following policies are therefore considered relevant in the consideration of this application: 3.2.1 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; 3.2.2 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.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are a number of previous planning applications for extensions and alterations to the school all of which have been approved (16 in total). There are two historical applications for the siting of mobile classrooms; 95/00937/B - Siting of mobile classroom, Willaston School, Douglas. Status: PERMITTED

01/02453/B - Location of mobile nursery classroom Status: PERMITTED Both works appear to have been on the mobile classroom on the south-western elevation.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

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5.1 Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division although consulted on 11 June 2019, has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application.

5.2 Douglas Borough Council indicates that they have no objection to the application in a letter dated 20 June 2019.

5.3 Manx Utilities Authority although consulted on 11 June 2019, has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 Due to the location of the proposed classroom at the rear of the site the main considerations are the need for the proposal, the effect of the proposal on the main building and the space around it, as well as its impact on the amenity of the neighbouring properties.

6.2 The mobile classroom proposal has not been accompanied by any written justification for its need although it is considered likely that an increased classroom capacity is needed, which, in accordance with Community Policy 5 of the IOMSP, is generally permissible subject to other concerns assessed below. The applicant has stated that there is a desire to have the mobile classroom for 10 years, this is considered above and beyond what could be classed as current or near-future need and a condition should ensure that any approval is granted for approximately 5 years. If the need is considered to remain at that point, and no proposal for alternative arrangements is forthcoming, an extension via an application to alter such a condition could be submitted.

6.3 Granting the classroom is clearly visible from sections of School Road, its visual impact is lessened by the fact that its green colour and the proximity to the surrounding trees, enables it to blend into the scenery. The facility is obviously required and the facilities to be provided will be a welcome addition to the school accommodation; as it is an upgrade on the existing. A review of the plans show that the new classroom block will house better facilities than the existing since it has toilets which the existing doesn't, in addition to having better energy efficiency.

6.4 It is considered that the proposal will have relatively minor impact on the amenity of the surrounding area and the appearance of the site is not considered to be significantly changed to that which currently exists. The existing mobile classroom is of limited interest and architectural merit and its replacement by the proposed mobile classroom is not considered unacceptable. In fact, the new classroom will sit on a smaller footprint than the existing and the facility is fairly more modern; fitting seamlessly into the school setting. It is also vital to note that the work area is well screened by a line of trees on the boundary with University College Isle of Man, and as such its impact on the facilities within the campus will be minimal (the closest facility on the UCM campus is 51.7m away).

6.5 As a result, it is concluded that the planning application does not conflict with General Policy 2 (b), (c) or (g) and Community Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

RECOMMENDATION 7.1 On the basis of the above it is recommended that the planning application be approved.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 as modified by the Transfer of Planning and Building Control Functions Order 2015, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;

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(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) The Highways Services of the 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: 10.07.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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