18 April 2007 · Planning Committee
Lower Playing Field Nobles Park Adjacent To, St Ninians Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4be
The proposal involved forming a 3.2m wide vehicular access through the park's boundary wall with 900mm high green wrought iron gates, and laying turf reinforcement mesh over approximately 1600m² of the lower playing field adjacent to St Ninians Road to create temporary parking for major events like TT week and Manx Gra…
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The officer identified three key issues: principle of development, visual impact, and highway safety. On principle, the site is zoned public open space in the Douglas Local Plan 1998, and no reasoned …
Do not oppose subject to the imposition of the following condition: The new access must be relocated along the St Ninians Road frontage to provide an offset of 25 metres from the Laureston Grove Junction
No objection
Note to be included
Douglas Corporation (Building Control) stated no objection to the application among others; however, multiple public representations objected strongly on grounds of recreational loss, safety hazards, traffic congestion, and park legacy, while internal Douglas Corporation responses defended the proposal.
Key concern: safety hazard from turf reinforcement mesh (27mm x 27mm pitch) on gradient for runners and footballers
Douglas Corporation
No ObjectionDouglas Corporation have no objection to the proposals listed below.
Parks Superintendent (Kevin Bott)
Supportthis scheme was devised to try and alleviate the problems.; Douglas Corporation is committed to providing the best possible facilities and environment
Assistant Borough Engineer (A J Donnelly)
Conditional No ObjectionThe use of the access onto St Ninian’s Road will be subject to a risk assessment
Conditions requested: risk assessment carried out in conjunction with the Department of Tourism and Leisure and Department of Transport; traffic management plan and one way system will be implemented; Camber and grading will be considered as part of any traffic management plan; Parking restrictions on the St Ninian’s Road will be determined as part of the traffic management plan
The original application for creating a vehicular access and laying turf reinforcement mesh for temporary car parking during major events in Nobles Park, zoned as public open space, was refused by the Planning Committee for reasons including conflict with the Douglas Local Plan, visual impact, highway safety due to proximity to a junction, and harm to trees. The appellant argued established practice of temporary parking in the park, need during events like TT and MGP, benefits of mesh for grass protection, improved traffic flow, and tree safeguards. The inspector identified main issues as principle of development, visual impact, and highway safety, concluding the proposal contravened public open space use, would render the area less attractive for recreation, have adverse visual effects from exposed mesh, and pose highway safety risks without relocating the access. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the refusal, with directions to reinstate the site.
Precedent Value
Appeals for temporary uses in public open space require strong evidence of integral need to main activities and no harm to recreational function; site-specific inspections critical for visual claims; IoM lacks temporary permission provisions, so full approval needed with strict justification.
Inspector: John S Turner
