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24/00617/B Page 1 of 8
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. 24/00617/B Applicant : Mr Christopher Pycroft Proposal Variation of condition 5 of planning consent 21/00527/B to permit stays of up to 14 days in the motorhome aire in the Boneyard of Noble's Park. Site Address Hardstanding To Rear Of Grandstand Nobles Park Douglas Isle Of Man
Case Officer :
Chris Balmer Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation 24.06.2024
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. The use hereby approved is only for the use of the site as a motorhome "Aire" as set out in the approved documents, and the site may only be operated by Douglas City Council.
Reason: The applicants (DCC) have clearly outlined without their submission how the site will be run and operated and the application has been considered on this basis only.
C 3. For the avoidance of doubt no tents or awnings may be erected or used on the site outside of TT/Racing periods.
Reason: The application has not proposed tents or awnings (submitted statement indicates they would not be used) and the application has been considered on this basis.
C 4. There may be no more than 75 motorhomes parked at the site at any one time (outside TT/Racing periods).
Reason: there are 75 spaces available within the site and the application has been considered on this basis and in the interest of the visual amenity of the area.
C 5. A motorhome shall only be allowed to park on the site for a maximum of 14 nights (outside TT/Racing periods).
Reason: The application has been proposed and judged on the parking of motorhomes on a short terms basis for tourist/visitor use only.
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This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Overall, it is considered the proposal to allow stays of up to 14 nights in the motorhome at the Aire in the Boneyard of Noble's is appropriate; having no significant impact upon public or private amenity, allow greater flexibility in an additional recreation facility for IOM residents and visitors and would use a site which is used and has facilities which serve this very purpose during the TT /racing periods. Accordingly it is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 22, Environment Policy 24 & Recreation Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and the Area Plan for the East 2020. The application is recommended for an approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 23.05.2024. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT IS RECOMMENDED FOR AN APPROVAL
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site forms part of The "Boneyard", which is an area of land which is made up of tarmac/stone access lanes with grassed areas in-between. The site is to the south of the Grandstand/Paddock and east of the Bowling Green within Noble's Park, Douglas.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the Variation of Condition 5 of planning consent 21/00527/B to permit stays of up to 14 days in the motorhome aire in the Boneyard of Noble's Park.
2.2 The applicants in support of the application comment; "The Council is seeking a variation to Condition 5 of the consent for application 21/00527/B. The Condition states, "A motorhome shall only be allowed to park on the site for a maximum of 4 nights (outside TT/Racing periods)."
In early 2023 the Council was approached by the Federation International de Camping, Caravanning et Autocaravanning regarding a potential block booking for 18 motorhomes visiting the island as part of a Hymer Club International organised rally in July 2023. Although the request was for the visitors to stay in Noble's Park for 7 nights, the Council was only able to accept a booking of 4 nights due to the restriction imposed by Condition 5. Consequently, the party had to move on after 4 nights resulting in a potential loss of economic benefit to Douglas businesses.
The Council therefore seeks a variation to Condition 5 to increase the maximum permitted stay to 14 nights. If this is not considered acceptable, the Council would be amenable to a variation that only permits a 14 night stay for motorhomes participating in an organised pre-arranged rally or similar event."
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2.3 For reference the previously approved application 24/00617/B the applciants indicate dthe following: "...This application is for the additional use of the paddock area, currently designated for TT use, as car parking outside TT and other motorsport periods. This is an existing use and this application aims to formalise the use so that it can be effectively managed through the making of an Off-street Parking Places Order. The Order has been drafted with the assistance of the Department of Infrastructure and the Council intends to make the Order once planning consent has been received. The Department has also drafted Traffic Regulation Orders for the roadways within the park with the intention that these be made once planning consent is in place."
2.4 Further the applicant's stated: "The "Boneyard" area of Noble's Park is situated with the BMX track and dog walking area to the southeast and the TT shower block to the north west. The area is zoned in the Area Plan for the East as Open Space - Park. During the periods when the park is occupied for motorsport events the "Boneyard" is used for the parking of motorhomes and camping by competitors and their teams. An infrastructure of electricity supply points has been installed over the years to support this use during motorsport events. There is also a shower and toilet block located adjacently for use by those camping during the festivals.
Outside the motorsport festival periods, the area cannot easily be used for any other purpose because of the infrastructure required during the festival periods. For many years the Council has issued permits to motorhome users permitting them to park motorhomes under certain conditions including a maximum stay of 4 consecutive nights or 14 days in any quarter. However, until the making of the Noble's Park Off-Street Parking Places Order 2021 in January 2021, the Council had no enforcement powers available. Since the making of the Order, the Council is now enforcing a prohibition of motorhome parking in Noble's Park as a measure to tackle the problem of motorhome owners storing their vehicles permanently within the park."
2.5 Additional comments are: "It was also recognised that the provision of official motorhome overnight parking has some potential benefits. Most motorhomes are completely self-contained and consequently their users are not physically constrained by the need for the facilities provided by full campsites. As a result motorhomes are able to be used anywhere they are permitted and this is part of their attraction. The only facilities required are a flat location to park and the occasional need to empty a chemical toilet and 'grey' water and to top up the tanks with fresh water. An electricity supply, toilets and showers, although not required are considered a bonus. Many towns, particularly in mainland Europe provide facilities called Aires or Stellplatz of just this nature where motorhomes are invited to park either free of charge or for a tariff typically much lower than a fully equipped campsite. The main differences between a Stellplatz and a campsite are; o Users can arrive or depart at any time, even at night. o There is no reception where one has to register or deregister. o Sanitary facilities are not available, or at least only to a limited extent. o The erection of tents, including awnings, is not permitted. o The stay is limited to a few nights, seasonal or permanent camping is not permitted. o Lower accommodation prices, sometimes free of charge. o In the case of chargeable spaces, the fee is usually paid at a parking ticket machine or an honesty box.
The town authorities provide the Aires/Stellplatz in recognition that motorhome owners will spend money in the local economy and that although they are not paying for accommodation, they will buy food, supplies, fuel and visit local bars and restaurants. Furthermore, the "Boneyard" area is located adjacent to the newly refurbished BMX track and offers the potential for BMX riders and their families to visit in motorhomes and stay right next to the facility.
The Visit Isle of Man website lists fourteen campsites suitable for motorhomes. None of these are located in Douglas, the nearest being Glen Dhoo Campsite and Lower Ballacottier Campsite
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both in Onchan. Glen Dhoo Campsite is over three miles from the centre of Douglas and is only open during the motorcycling festivals and Lower Ballacottier Campsite is four miles from the centre of Douglas and a twenty to thirty minute walk from the nearest bus stop. Neither of these campsites are suitable for tourists or other Manx motorhome owners wishing to stay within walking distance of the centre if visiting Douglas's pubs, bars or restaurants.
Motorhomes are generally over 5 metres in length and considerably higher than normal vehicles. As a consequence they do not fit in multistorey car parks and cannot be parked in standard 4.8 metre long parking bays. All off-street car parks in Douglas town centre have marked bays and so it is an offence for motorhomes to use them if they overhang the bay. Consequently the only place for visiting motorhomes to park is on street. The provision of the aire in Noble's Park would provide a suitable location for visiting motorhomes to be parked whilst their occupants are visiting the shops and services in Douglas town centre. The Visit Isle of Man website actively encourages people to bring their motorhomes to the island and it is reasonable to expect visiting motorhomers to want to visit the Manx Museum, shops, the Steam railway and the electric railway but currently there are no off-street parking places for them to park their vehicles in the capital. Noble's park is a 15 minute walk from the Promenade and is within very easy cycling distance which will be improved further once the proposed active travel infrastructure is delivered."
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Parts of Nobles Park have various approvals for temporary uses associated with TT and the Festival of Motorcycling. However the following is considered relevant in the determination of this application:
3.2 Creation of a controlled parking area for motorhomes - 21/00527/B - APPROVED with conditions attached; "C 2. The use hereby approved is only for the use of the site as a motorhome "aire" as set out in the approved documents, and the site may only be operated by Douglas Borough Council. Reason: The applicants (DBC) have clearly outlined without their submission how the site will be run and operated and the application has been considered on this basis's only.
C 3. For the avoidance of doubt no tents or awnings may be erected or used on the site outside of TT/Racing periods. Reason: The application has not proposed tents or awnings (submitted statement indicates they would not be used) and the application has been considered on this basis.
C 4. There may be no more than 75 motorhomes parked at the site at any one time (outside TT/Racing periods). Reason: there are 75 spaces available within the site and the application has been considered on this basis and in the interest of the visual amenities of the area.
C 5. A motorhome shall only be allowed to park on the site for a maximum of 4 nights (outside TT/Racing periods). Reason: The application has been proposed and judged on the parking of motorhomes on a short terms basis for tourist/visitor use only.
C 6. No operation of the site hereby approved shall take place until full details of soft landscaping works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and these works shall be carried out as approved. Details of the soft landscaping works include details of new bushes/hedgerows/tree planting showing, type, size and position of each especially along the northern and eastern boundary of the site. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the occupation of the site. Any trees or plants which die or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.
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Reason: To ensure the provision of an appropriate landscape setting to the development."
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site is designated as "Public Open Space - Park" under the Area Plan for the East 2020. The site is not within a Conservation Area.
4.2 The following policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are considered relevant:
4.3 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: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (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; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (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; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (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."
4.4 Environment Policy 22 states: "Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of: i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater; ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution."
4.5 Environment Policy 24 states: "Development which is likely to have a significant effect on the environment will be required: i) to be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment in certain cases; and ii) to be accompanied by suitable supporting environmental information in all other cases."
4.6 Recreation Policy 2 states: "Development which would adversely affect, or result in the loss of Open Space or a recreation facility that is or has the potential to be, of recreational or amenity value to the community will not be permitted except in the following circumstances: (a) where alternative provision of equivalent community benefit and of equivalent or better accessibility is made available; and (b) where there would be an overall community gain from the development, and the particular loss of the open space or recreation facility would have no significant unacceptable effect on local open space or recreation provision or on the character or amenity of the area."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council raises no objection (10.06.2024).
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5.2 DOI Highway Services comment (31.05.2021); "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as the existing site access and layout is acceptable for the proposals."
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 It is considered that the main issues are: principle of development; the potential impact upon neighbouring residential amenities; potential impact upon visual amenities of the area; potential impacts of noise/air pollution; and access and parking.
Principle of development 6.2 The area is used as a paddock during race periods. Further, no physically works are proposed by this development. The applicants are only seeking the additional use of this area for the purposes of controlled parking area for motorhomes outside TT periods. It should be noted that the landscaping proposed under the last approved application has been undertaken, which includes additional hedgerow planting northern and eastern boundary of the site.
6.3 In terms of the principle of the site being used for this "Aires" use, visual impact and impact upon neighbouring amenities, these have all been considered to be acceptable previously.
6.4 The test again is whether the use of the "Aires" for a period no greater than 14 night is appropriate, instead of the previously approved 4 nights outside of TT/Racing periods. It should be noted that the reasoning for this condition was due to: "The application has been proposed and judged on the parking of motorhomes on a short terms basis for tourist/visitor use only."
6.5 The Department has no concerns of the site being occupied by persons in their motorhomes for a maximum of 14 nights (outside TT/Racing periods). The proposal would give Douglas Borough Council the flexibility of being able to hire out for more events as outlined in their supporting statement in Section 2.0 of this report. It would also enable other local residents and more likely visitors to the IOM to use the site. As considered previously, the proposal would provide a new recreation facility on this site which has an equivalent community benefit and therefore comply with Recreation Policy 2.
Access and parking 6.6 Highway Services have considered the scheme and raise no objection.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal to allow stays of up to 14 nights in the motorhome at th Aire in the Boneyard of Noble's is appropriate; having no significant impacts upon public or private amenities, allow greater flexibility in an additional recreation facility for IOM residents and visitors and would use a site which is used and has facilities which serve this very purposes during the TT /racing periods. Accordingly it is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 22, Environment Policy 24 & Recreation Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and the Area Plan for the East 2020. The application is recommended for an approval.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
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(d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.
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 above who should be given Interested Person Status. __
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to the it by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : ...Permitted... Committee Meeting Date:...08.07.2024
Signed :...C BALMER... Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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.
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PLANNING COMMITTEE DECISION 08.07.2024
Application No 24/00617/B Applicant Mr Christopher Pycroft Proposal Variation of condition 5 of planning consent 21/00527/B to permit stays of up to 14 days in the motorhome aire in the Boneyard of Noble's Park. Site Address Hardstanding To Rear Of Grandstand Nobles Park Douglas Isle Of Man
Principal Planner Chris Balmer Presenting Officer As above Addendum to the Officer Report
The Planning Committee approved the application (08.07.2024) subject to the additional changes:
N 1. Consideration should be given for the disposal of grey water provision within the site for users of the motorhomes.
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