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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/00855/B Applicant : Department Of Education, Sport And Culture Proposal : Creation of outdoor classroom/education area comprising seating area and mast/sun shade, within existing garden area on existing concrete pad. Site Address : Peel Clothworkers School Derby Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1HP

Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken : 14.08.2019 Site Visit : 14.08.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.09.2019 __

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 approval relates to the Location plan, Site Plans, Proposed Elevations and Plan, Information/Education Wildlife Board Details, Planning Statement and Proposal Desciption, and Photographs date stamped and received 30 July 2019. __

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

SITE 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Peel Clothworkers School, Derby Road, Peel; that sits to the north of the A20 as you approach Peel. The land spans from the edge of the

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campsite north of the Western Swimming Pool Building, with the school field on its northern boundary. This site which was previously occupied by the Peel Ferry, now removed is situated on the North West corner of the school; about 8m northeast of the main school building. Along the boundary of the application site with the camp site is mature hedging and medium sized tress.

1.2 The site is currently enclosed by a 1.2m lollipop timber fence which opens up on the south-western section where a covered timber entrance is installed over a timber gate. This site which is well turfed has timber outdoor garden seats provided, with planting beds located on both sides of the site entrance. There is a raised deck area about 250mm above the ground level that has timber balustrades on three corners, save the western section. Three sets of the garden seats are located on a hardstanding area (concrete pad) within the work area.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the creation of outdoor classroom/education area, comprising seating area and mast/sun shade, within the existing garden area and on existing concrete pad.

2.2 The Initial works will involve the creation of an outdoor classroom/education area in keeping with the school's Coastal School Status which will comprise seating in the skeleton shape of a boat 6.9m long and 2.2m wide. The maximum height of this mast will be 2.2m and the mast will hold a sun shade. This will be sited in the school's garden area, on the existing hardstanding area which previously housed the Old Ferry Boat. This boat will be made of treated dressed timber and colour stained upon installation on site with Cuprinol or similar.

2.3 Also proposed around this boat installation would be 6 log stump seats, a wheel chair space, 2D seals installed on the northwest and southwest corners of the boat, a float creel anchor south west of the boat, as well as a wildlife display board. The display board structure will have a total height of 1.5m and will be 1.2m wide. The display board will be 1.2m x 840mm, with its support poles which will be 50mm wide installed 750mm apart; measured from the centre of the display board.

PLANNING POLICIES 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the site falls within an area classified as 'School' on the Peel Local Plan 1989 and the site is not within a Conservation Area.

3.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

3.3 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; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them."

3.4 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

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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 4.1 This application site has been the subject of 18 previous planning applications; however, none of these applications are considered to be specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

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

5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that there is no highways interest in the letter dated 9 August 2019.

5.2 Peel Town Commissioners although consulted on 7 August 2019, have 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.

ASSESMENT 6.1 The fundamental issue to consider in the assessment of this current planning application are; (i) the principle of the use; (ii) the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the school as viewed from the street scene; and (iii) the impact of the proposal upon the neighbouring residents.

6.2 The principle of the use; 6.2.1 The proposed use of the land will be retained as a grassed area for outdoor learning where pupils will be able to learn in an outdoor classroom and study in an unrestrained space. This aspect of the proposal would accord with the land use designation and is deemed unobjectionable. The current use of the land whilst zoned for education has been underutilised lately as the facilities are now in need of maintenance and replacement. This application would restore its previous appeal and make it suitable for pupil learning since the provision for the outdoor learning area should enhance the range of facilities available to the school.

6.3 Impact on the character and appearance of the school as viewed from the street scene. 6.3.1 When viewing the site from the A20, the entire work area will be completely hidden from public views seeing it is screened by a line of trees and shrubbery from the highway. It is noted that the works will restore the site area to its original state as an outdoor learning area which also serves as a school garden and as such its restoration will improve the amenity of the school grounds, besides improving the aesthetic appearance of the site area. It is, therefore considered that the proposed works would improve the appearance of the school site, even though it will not be viewable from any vantage point on the streetscene.

6.4 The impact of the proposal upon the neighbouring residents 6.4.1 The closest dwellings to the outdoor learning area will be the cluster of dwellings on Peveral Avenue located 95m north of the site. As such, there will be no impacts resulting from noise created by the pupils. Whilst the camp site might be impacted when the site is in use by the pupils, the use periods for the camp usually coincides with the periods when the school is not in session. It is noted that camp sites are predominately in use during the summer months or during sporting events when students are usually on break and as such any potential impact is minimised by this factor.

6.4 For all of the above reasons, the proposal is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval.

RECOMMENDATION

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7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application is in accordance with aforementioned Policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval.

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 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: 06.09.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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