Officers Report

Application No.: 24/91263/B Applicant: South Ramsey Bowling Club Proposal: Erection of replacement floodlights Site Address: Bowling Green Walpole Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1LX Planning Officer: Paul Visigah Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 31.12.2024 _________________________________________________________________

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. All external lighting proposed within the scheme shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and locations set out in the Light Details and Site Plan showing proposed light positions, submitted as part of the application. No other external lighting shall be installed. Reason: In the interests of protecting the character of the site and surrounding streetscape.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

Overall, the proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristic of the site nor the character of its surroundings. The proposed development is also not considered to result in a significant adverse impact upon the adjoining highway, and there would be no adverse impact on neighbouring amenity. The proposal, therefore, complies with General Policy 2, Environment Policy 22 and Strategic Policy 4 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the document and plans received 8 November 2024.

Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:

• o DoI - Highways Services - No objection
• o Ramsey Town Commissioners - No objection _________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site represents the existing curtilage of South Ramsey Bowling Green, Queens Grove, Ramsey, which is a parcel of land located on a corner plot with Queens Grove to the west and Walpole Drive to the south. The site is currently used as a bowling green which includes a number of single storey buildings associated with the bowling green use. A car park can also be found to the eastern side of the site. This car park is accessed via an existing entrance onto Walpole Drive. - 1.2 The roadside boundaries along Queens Grove and Walpole Drive are characterised by mature continuous hedgerows which have a height of approximate 2 metres.

2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning approval is sought for Erection of replacement floodlights. The new floodlight which will be Tamlight (CRUSADER T4) 300W/4800 lm Lighting systems will be 10m tall. These lighting systems placed on poles will be positioned on the four corners of the Bowling Green pavilion, which are positioned slightly different form the position of the previous light positions. - 2.2 The applicants have stated that the new floodlight poles would be 2m taller than the existing poles, but will be repositioned so as to concentrate light coverage on the green turf, with less light spilling onto the adjacent road and surrounding properties. - 2.3 The hedge on the boundary with Queens Grove will remain untouched by the proposed alterations. There would be no changes to the parking provisions for the site.

- 3.0 PLANNING POLICIES

3.1 Site Specific:

• 3.1.1 The application site is within an area zoned as 'Predominately Residential Use' under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) (No. 2) Order 1998. The site is not within a Conservation Area, there are no registered trees on site and the site is not within a registered tree area. The site is also not prone to flood risks.

3.2 National: STRATEGIC PLAN (2016)

• 3.2.1 Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application:

• 1. General Policy 2 - 'Development Control' considerations.
• 2. Strategic Policy 3 - Development to safeguard character of existing towns and villages.
• 3. Strategic Policy 4 (Part c) - Proposals for development must not cause or lead to unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance.
• 4. Strategic Policy 5 - Design and visual impact.
• 5. Environment Policy 4 - protects biodiversity (including protected species and designated sites).
• 6. Environment Policy 22 - pollution.
• 7. Environment Policy 23 - Consideration to potential adverse impact of the proposed changes to existing neighbours when considering alterations and improvements to existing facilities.
• 8. Paragraph 7.17.2:

"In addition to the above, changes in the activities associated with the current permitted use of land or a building, which in themselves do not constitute development and therefore do not require planning permission, can have an adverse impact on adjacent properties by virtue of noise, light or general disturbance. For example the addition of security lighting on a property may cause light pollution affecting adjacent properties and the wider area. The introduction of new activities into established parks and recreation areas can have an impact on neighbours. In such cases the Department would advocate the person or organisation considering the change to give careful consideration to the potential impact of such activity in terms of location, siting and design."

- 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The site has been the subject of five (5) previous planning applications one of which is considered to be materially relevant in the assessment and determination of the current application. - 4.2 Approval was granted under PA 87/04422/B for Erection of floodlights, South Ramsey Bowling Club, Walpole Road, Ramsey. This application was approved by the Planning Committee on 26.02.1988.

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

5.1 DOI Highways find the proposal to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking (19 November 2024). - 5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection to this proposal (22 November 2024). - 5.3 No comments have been received from neighbours.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The key issues to be considered with the current application are:

• 1. Whether the proposed works would have an adverse impact upon the visual amenities of the application site and area (GP2);
• 2. Whether there would be any adverse impacts on biodiversity (STP 4 & EP 22); and
• 3. Impacts on neighbours (EP 22).

6.2 Visual Impacts

• 6.2.1 In assessing the visual impacts of the proposed works, it is considered that the external lighting proposed here would promote observation, and give the site area which has surrounding mature landscaping on its boundary an added dimension, and this would enhance its landscape elements, in addition to enhancing the night-time use of the site. Likewise, the lighting scheme would serve as an extension to the architecture, by improving the quality of the views to the site, as well as the appearance of the area, particularly during the night.
• 6.2.2 Further to the above, the lighting features would not detract from the appearance of the site as a bowling green, given that the new poles would be brought closer to the bowling green relative to the existing lighting poles, and their position and design would ensure that they largely remain as minor additions to the site area; thus limiting any impacts on the abutting highway or street scene (being contained within the site which has extant boundary landscaping forming its boundary treatment), and as the site in its current form already has flood lights. The proposal is therefore considered to comply with General Policy 2.
• 6.3 Impacts on Ecology

• 6.3.1 In terms of impacts on ecology, it is considered that although the site contains mature landscaping (hedging), with the mature trees along the eastern section of Walpole Drive also

• situated within close proximity to the position of the new lights, the lights would look inwards of the site area and away from these trees which are currently not within a registered tree area or close to any.
• 6.3.2 It is also worth noting that there are no ecological sites within close proximity with the surrounding area largely built up, with the outdoor lighting also a common feature of the area, given that lights already serve the site and have become part of the site fabric. Accordingly, it is considered that the proposal would accord with the requirements of Strategic Policy 4 (b & c), General Policy 2 (d) and Environment Policy 22 (iii) of the Strategic Plan.

6.4 Impacts on Neighbours 6.4.1 With regard to potential impacts of the works on neighbouring properties, it is considered that although the new poles will sit about 2m taller than the existing light poles, the new lights would be installed within the court of the bowling green, and away from any of the neighbouring properties such that any impacts would be diminished over the existing situation. In fact, the new poles would be moved considerably into the site and away from the boundary of any of the neighbouring properties, such that light diffusion towards the neighbours would be limited. Additionally, the new lights would look inwards towards the Bowling Green and not towards the boundary, thus ensuring that there would be no adverse impacts on neighbouring amenity.

8.0 CONCLUSION - 8.1 For the reasons set out above, the works are not considered to result in adverse impact on the application property, street scene, adjoining highway and surrounding mature landscaping. The application is, therefore, considered to accord with General Policy 2, Strategic Policy 4 (b & c), and Environment Policy 22 of the Strategic Plan, and is supported.

9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE - 9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o applicant (in all cases);
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status, and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 02.01.2025 Determining Officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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