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15/00858/C
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/00858/C Applicant : The Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Proposal : Variation of conditions 1 and 4 of approved use of ground as a campsite for TT Practice and Race Weeks (PA 15/00025/C) to extend period of permission and the number of tents accommodated Site Address : Peel Football Club Douglas Road Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1LJ
Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS OTHER APPLICATIONS FOR TEMPORARY CAMP SITES HAVE ALSO BEEN SO REFERRED
THE SITE 1.1 The site is the grounds of Peel Football Club, located on the south western side of the A1 TT Course as it enters the town. The site accommodates the football pitch, the clubhouse and the recently constructed Tommy Clucas Memorial Sports Hall which sits alongside the clubhouse. Access is directly from the main road and into a car park.
1.2 To the north west are residential properties which are part of The Links. Meadowcourt and Melschede are the two closest properties and separated from the football ground by mature planting and vegetation.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the increase in the number of pitches approved under an earlier application. Planning approval was granted for the use of the football field as a camp site for TT fortnight with 5 days either side for setting up and disassembling the campsite for a three year period commencing in TT 2015. Following the success of the venture this year the club would like to increase the number of tents from 100 to 150 which they feel can be accommodated without adverse impact on the neighbourhood. They would also like a further period of approved use, from TT 2016 to 2021.
2.2 The campers will again be able to use the Tommy Clucas Community Sports hall toilet facilities and the changing rooms, canteen and toilets in the football clubhouse which has television facilities. The campers would not be able to cook within the clubhouse but catering facilities may be provided either within the clubhouse or separately via an outside catering van. The applicant has liaised with a local travel agent who would organise bookings for the campsite with a mix of pre-erected tents and pitches for people to erect their own tents. The only other campsite in Peel is generally full in the TT period, they understand.
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15/00858/C
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2.3 The original application states that the site is within convenient walking distance of all of Peel's amenities and there is a good bus service with stops very close to the application site for those who may need to use public transport.
2.4 They explain that there is adequate lighting of the car park and pitch and no additional lighting is considered to be required.
PLANNING POLICY AND STATUS 3.1 The site is identified on the Peel Local Plan of 1989 as Football Ground.
3.2 In planning terms, there is no provision within the Strategic Plan to support new camp site. Most camp sites are proposed within rural areas where this form of development is treated the same as any other form of development in the countryside - that is, there is a presumption against development. However, it is recognised that camping is becoming an important part of the Island's tourist attractions and an increasing popular form of tourist accommodation and understood that Department of Economic Development is supportive of initiatives which attract and accommodate more visitors to and on the Island. A number of camp sites have been approved - some brand new ("Silly Moos" in Lezayre, Ballaugh Glen, Knockaloe Beg), others which have existed in an unauthorised form for some time and some of which now have approval (Glenlough in Marown). Encouragement is given for such facilities to be grouped near to existing buildings and where possible, to complement existing operations on the same site. More recently planning approval has been granted for more urban sites - at Ballakermeen High School and the National Sports Centre (PAs 14/00921/C and 13/91360/C).
PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The site has been the subject of various previous applications, one of which is considered relevant to the consideration of the current application, that being PA 15/00025/C which was approved for up to 100 pitches for TT practice and race week only every year with a five days either side for setting up and dismantling the camp site.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 There have been no representations submitted in respect of this application.
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The scheme will provide additional tourist accommodation for the Island in general and will also bring tourists to Peel who may not otherwise come and who will support local businesses and services. The present application will increase the number of people who can be at the site at any one time.
6.2 There are two properties on the Peel side of the site - Melschede and Meadowcourt both of which are separated from the football pitch by mature landscaping. Considering that the campsite will be operational for only two weeks or slightly more, and the football ground is used most weekends, it is considered that there will be a limited impact, if any on those in these two properties. Indeed, there are no objections therefrom.
6.3 The location is considered to be a sustainable one and the operation of the camp site will in the main (ie during race and practice periods) coincide with the school half term which will limit the impact of any additional vehicles on the road network. The area around QEII School is influenced by the parking of school children's vehicles and the traffic movements associated with these. Whilst the applicant is seeking time either side of the race and practice periods for the setting up and dismantling and actual camping, in practice most visitors come during and for the practice and race periods rather than time before or after.
6.4 It is important that the operation of the camp site does not adversely affect highway safety and the comments of Department of Infrastructure Highway Services are particularly
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15/00858/C
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important here. Restricting the camping to tents will reduce the possibility of accidents when vehicles are coming in and out of the site but it is also relevant that the site is a football pitch which already generates significant numbers of people visiting for matches where large numbers of vehicles arrive and depart at the same time and a further sports facility has recently been approved on the site, served by the same access and increasing traffic using the site.
6.5 Particularly bearing in mind the approvals granted for other camping sites on the Island, it is considered that this site is suitable for the proposed use including the increased number of tents, and the application is recommended for approval.
PARTY STATUS 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, 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 and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word ‘Department’ to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 28.08.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. The camp site may be available for use no earlier than three days before the first practice associated with the TT race event in any year and up to the day after the last race in that same year, and the camp site may be erected within five days before this and taken down within five days after this. This approval will expire five days after the last race of TT 2021.
Reason: the application is for the use of the site for the TT period only and whilst provision should be made for setting up and dismantling the camp site, the site should not be used for camping outside those times reasonably associated with these race periods.
C 2. The campsite shall be restricted to tents. There shall be no motorhomes, trailer tents or caravans.
Reason: in the interests of highway safety.
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15/00858/C
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C 3. Prior to the use of the venue as a campsite the car and motorcycle areas shall be provided in accordance with drawing no PFC/TC/2/12A and retained free from obstruction for the duration of the campsite operation.
Reason: to provide sufficient parking in the interests of highway safety.
C 4. The maximum number of pitches to be available for use shall be restricted to 150.
Reason: In the interests of amenity.
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This approval relates to drawings PFC/TC/2/12, PFC/TC/2/12/A, PFC/TC/1/12, PAFC/1/98, PFC/TC/3 and PAFC/1/97 all received on 30th July, 2015.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : ...PER... Committee Meeting
Date:...07.09.2015
Signed :...S CORLETT... Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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