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Planning statement on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure
Planning and Building Control Division in respect of planning for the Road refurbishment including road resurfacing, realignment and repaving of footpaths, creation of bus stop, creation of marked street parking, widening of Town Hall entrance and installation of street furniture From The Junction With Mona Street To Approximately Half Way Between The Junction With Mona Street And Athol Place
Derby Road
Peel
Isle Of Man - 13/00236/B Statement prepared on behalf of the Planning and Building Control Division by Miss S E Corlett
THIS APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE OF WHICH THE PLANNING AUTHORITY IS PART. AS SUCH THE APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO AN INSPECTOR FOR DETERMINATION BY the COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. THIS REPORT IS PREPARED TO SET OUT THE FACTS AND POLICY CONTEXT OF THE APPLICATION AS AN AID TO THE INSPECTOR.
1.1 The site is a section of Derby Road which is an arterial route into and out of the town centre from Atholl Place in the west out towards the Poortown Road (A20). To the north of this section of the road are 3, Derby Road, the Town Hall and the southern end of Mona Street. On the southern side of the road is the Corrin Hall and the grounds of Peel Cathedral which has an entrance onto Derby Road which is also next to the local police station. 1.2 Derby Road has a tarmacadam finish with footways on both sides and a covered bus shelter on the southern side and bus stop markings on the southern side of the road. There is walling of varying heights on both sides of the road: outside the Town Hall the walling is very low, rising to a much taller sandstone wall towards Mona Street. On the cathedral side the walling is reasonably consistent in height along the street with railings atop. Currently Derby Road is one way from east to west.
2.1 Proposed is the re-paving of both footways in 75 mm thick random sized stone paving slabs including dimpled dropped kerbs in the area of the bus stops. Also proposed is the widening of the access into the Town Hall, from 7 m to 10 m and the provision of seating on top of the existing low stone wall. The walling on the southern side of the wall will be cleaned and retained as existing. The roadway will be re-finished in a buff grip finish on top of the tarmacadam with 100 mm by 100 mm granite setts at the edge and on each side of the 150 mm by 150 mm granite setts marking the eastern entrance into the newly paved area. 2.2 New signage, litter bins and manholes are to be installed and a new bus shelter. This will be a different design to the existing - a curved canopy with a frame with mesh back and solid sides. This will be 2.3 m tall at its highest and 5 m long with a seat included within it. 2.3 Following objections raised the plans were amended. The amended plans - reference PH01/P02A, PH01/P10D, PH01/P11A and PH01/P01A all submitted on 8th April, 2013, show a revision of the site boundary, omitting a short section of the site at the southern end of Mona Street and omitting the alterations to the entrance to the Town Hall and the proposed seating alongside the northern side of the wall, as shown in the earlier plans. 2.4 The plans show provision for the parking of two buses on the southern side of the road and the road narrowing by 200 mm at its eastern end at the entry to the roadway.
3.1 The Peel Local Plan excludes the principal roads from the land use zones and as such the site is designated simply as a road. The land uses on each side are civic purposes and Mixed Uses and all of the site and the buildings on each side lie within Peel's Conservation Area. The proposal does not propose any change of use or significant new building or any significant change in traffic control or operation. 3.2 As such, the critical Strategic Plan policy to be applied is Environment Policy 35 which states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special
features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development." 3.3 Some aspects of the application are not material planning considerations and would not require planning permission - the painting of road markings for example and provision for a second bus to park alongside the road, the erection of road signs under Schedule 2 Class 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012.
"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 space 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 adverse 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; I) 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."
4.1 There are no previous planning applications on this site which are relevant to the consideration of this application.
5.1 As indicated above, the critical consideration is whether the proposed scheme preserves or enhances the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. This should be judged particularly in terms of the impact of the new bus shelter, the materials to be used in the paving and surfacing and the provision of the new seating and entrance modifications outside the Town Hall. Consideration should also be given as to whether the proposals would materially affect the amenities of those in adjacent residential properties and whether the proposals would result in an adverse impact on highway safety, although it should be noted that the application has been submitted by Department of Infrastructure Highways Division who are responsible for advising the Planning Authority on highway safety. 5.2 The Conservation Officer has been consulted and advises that there are currently schemes in preparation for the creation of a new lych gate to the cathedral which would be accessed from Derby Road within this application area. He also indicates that there is a scheme in preparation for lighting in Michael Street and it is important that whatever replacement lighting is proposed should be complementary to that, or preferably the same. Details of bollards
should also be provided and it may be useful to reserve for further approval the precise details of the surface finishes proposed to ensure that they are appropriate for the area. 5.3 As stated previously, there are some aspects of the scheme which are not material planning considerations, such as the provision of a second bus stopping area which is of concern to one of the parties who have objected to the application. Whether this results in problems of vibrations as referred to in Environment Policy 22 is not a material concern if the additional bus waiting area is not itself subject to planning control.
6.1 It is not for the Planning Authority to make a formal recommendation on an application which is submitted on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure of which the Planning Authority is part. However, if the planning application is recommended for approval, it is recommended that consideration be given to the attaching of the following conditions:
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