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The site represents a parcel of land which lies on the south western corner of Cubbon’s Bridge on the southern side of the A7 opposite its junction with the Colby Glen Road. The site lies outwith Colby’s Conservation Area and is designated in the Arbory and East Rushen Local Plan which was approved by Tynwald in 1999, as Proposed Park. The Plan also includes a proposal to extend the Conservation Area to include the Bridge.
Proposed here is the principle of the creation of a football training area which would necessitate the creation of a new access onto the A7, the erection of a changing room building and car parking: 14 spaces are indicated on the submitted plan. A training pitch would have to be created: no contours have been provided which does not help an assessment of how much excavation/levelling/infilling will have to be undertaken to create this facility. The field is not completely flat and slopes slightly upward from the public footpath which runs along the eastern side of the site and which is lower than the site. No indication of lighting has been provided.
The application is submitted by Colby AFC who have also submitted applications for the principle of the development of their existing grounds off Colby Glen Road for residential development (PA 05/92118) and for the creation of a new football ground south of Colby Railway Station (PA 05/92127) both applications are on the Planning Committee’s agenda with recommendations for approval.
Views have been received from:
Arbory Parish Commissioners who express concern regarding the matter of lighting and screening,
Department of Transport Drainage Division who raise no objections subject to conditions being attached to deal with the existing public sewer which crosses the site, foul and surface water drainage,
Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division who initially objected to the application on the basis that a transport assessment should have been carried out to consider such matters as pedestrian access, A7 through traffic and public transport. They have since withdrawn their objection on the basis of the additional information provided by the applicant.
Isle of Man Water Authority raise no objection subject to the imposition of a note regarding water supply (SN23),
A resident of Port Soderick who makes no comment but wishes to be kept informed,
The Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment raise no objection and feel it appropriate to leave the decision to local residents as to whether a football training ground is appropriate for a proposed park as it is designated in the local plan,
Disability Access Officer recommend the inclusion of facilities to enable the proposal to be used by disabled persons,
The occupant of 48, Station Park who objects to the application on the basis of increased noise and traffic although these comments may be better directed towards PA 05/92127 to which she has also objected on the same basis,
The occupant of 2, Croit-e-Cubbon who objects to the application on the basis of noise, traffic and interference with the railway line although these comments may be better directed towards PA 05/92127 to which she has also objected,
The occupant of 44, Station Park who objects to the application on the basis of noise and traffic and the quality of life for existing residents and
There is a petition signed by residents of 5 properties which lie opposite the site: these residents object to the application on the basis of the resultant increase in the speed of traffic which would result from the proposed road widening (there is some widening of the overall carriageway to provide for the visibility splays although it is not clear whether the roadway used by vehicles would actually be widened). These residents also object to the potential traffic congestion to be caused by the introduction of a new entrance opposite their properties, the lack of information on the proposed replacement hedge, the absence of any information on catch fencing or netting or lighting.
Arbory Parish Commissioners, Department of Transport Drainage Division, Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division, Isle of Man Water Authority, Disability Access Officer are statutory authorities and should be afforded party status in this instance.
A resident of Port Soderick and the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment are not directly affected by the proposal and should not be afforded party status in this instance.
The occupants of 48, Station Park, 2, Croit-e-Cubbon, 44, Station Park and those who have signed the petition are either alongside the site or alongside the access to the site and should be afforded party status in this instance. It should also be borne in mind that these three applications (PA 05/92118, /92126 and /92127) are inextricably linked with each other and those who have objected to the new football ground (44 and 48, Station Park and 2, Croit-e-Cubbon) may also be affected by this proposal for the training ground by association.
The proposal involves the principle of the use of the site for football training. This is not quite the Proposed Park which was envisaged in the Arbory and East Rushen Local Plan as it will not give public access and will involve the formal layout of the site, alterations to the access and the erection of a building none of which would have been likely with the use of the site as a park. Its use for local recreation even on a private basis is however to be encouraged and aside from the existing facilities, there are few other places where such facilities could be provided. The visual impact of people using the site for such purposes are unlikely to cause problems and may be similar to the impact of the Proposed Park although it is likely that there will be a need for lighting which is confirmed by the applicant in his letter of 9th January, 2006 where he also confirms that there will be flood lighting although does not clarify what steps will be taken to prevent this causing a problem for nearby residents, other than by stating that this is not envisaged as being operational after 9pm.
There will be a building to be erected to provide a changing room: this is shown as being 12m by 12m and could be designed to be complementary to the village centre although no details have been given of the finish or materials. The existing stone building on the site at the north eastern corner will be demolished. This has a corrugated tin roof and its position right alongside the road compromises visibility from the proposed new access and also obscures visibility for those emerging from the footpath. This building is not within a Conservation Area and could be demolished without the need for planning permission.
Access to the site will be provided by a new entrance from the A7. The additional information provided by the applicant's traffic consultants indicate that provided that there is a dedicated pedestrian access into the site closer to Cubbon's Bridge than the proposed new vehicular access, the required visibility of 2m by 70m can be achieved without significant alteration to the existing frontage except for the demolition of an existing shed which sits in the north eastern side of the site. There is a public footpath which runs up the eastern boundary of the site: the application for reserved matters should safeguard this and provide/reinforce planting on the western side of the path.
Any lighting and fencing must be designed and positioned so as not to interfere with residential amenity or be detrimental to the streetscene.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 15.05.2006
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. This permission relates to the principle of the creation of football training grounds together with demolition of the existing barn on site, provision of vehicular and pedestrian access, the erection of a new building for training and changing and the provision of car parking spaces, all as generally shown in drawing reference AT 750.3 received on 1st November, 2005.
C 2. This approval is in principle only and will remain valid for a period of two years within which time no development may take place until such time as details of the reserved matters (siting, design, external appearance, internal layout, means of access, landscaping) have been approved by the Planning Authority. Such reserved matters should form the subject of a single application.
C 3. The vehicular access onto the A7 must make provision for visibility for drivers of vehicles emerging from the site, of 2m by 70m in each direction.
C 4.
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