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22/00172/C Page 1 of 7
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 22/00172/C Applicant : Mr Dean Ayres Proposal : Change of use of parking site to overnight camping facility for club members Site Address : Airship Hanger Base Jurby Industrial Estate Jurby Isle Of Man IM7 3BD
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.08.2022 __
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. Notwithstanding the information provided within this application, no continuous stay may exceed 2 days, namely Friday and Saturday only and be no more than 34 weekends in each annum.
Reason: the application has been assessed on the days and amount specified and no more.
C 3. The proposed camping can only be used by IOMKRA Tracks Limited and associated race clubs and no other business/club or individual.
Reason: the proposed overnight camping has been exceptionally approved solely to meet a specific need for IOMKRA Tracks Limited only.
C 4. Overnight camping must be laid out in accordance with the revised site location plan dated 10 August 2022 at all times.
Reason: in the interest of fire safety
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.
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The proposal is considered to support the Governments tourism strategy whilst not having any undue environment impacts, as such the proposal complies with Strategic Policy 1 & 8, General Policy 2, Transport Policy 10, Business Policy 11 & 14, and is supported.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 14th February 2022; o Location Plan o Existing Plan o Annex to Existing Plan o Annex to Proposed Plan o Planning Statement
This decision also relates to a revised location plan dated 10th August 2022 __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT RECOMMENDED FOR AN APPROVAL
THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of the kart track and paddock which is situated to the South East of the Jurby Industrial Estate and North of the Jurby Airfield. The site itself is a concreted area which is currently being used as a parking area for the karting track and has approximately 136 spaces available.
1.2 Also on the site are two steel containers which are used as toilets/ shower block and the site already has access to electricity via hook-ups.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the overnight camping of members within the site which would comprise of Friday night and Saturday night, leaving Sunday, with a maximum of 60 people camping at any weekend.
2.2 The proposal is to create four areas of overnight parking which will allow an approximate amount of 27 camping spaces.
2.3 There is a slight conflict within the information which states that the race season is 1st March to the 2nd weekend in December, approximately 42 weeks out of the year where they would require camping but they have only requested camping 34 weekends per annum, 19 weekends for the kart Club and 15 weekends for the bike club.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There have been a number of applications upon the red lined site which include the erection of a hanger for the manufacture of aeronautical components and vehicles and formation of car park (PA87/00729/B - Permitted), installation of three steel storage containers (PA89/00644/B - Permitted), siting of advertisement on end of hanger (PA89/01063/D - Refused) and the display of advertisement (PA90/00977/D - Permitted).
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3.2 Outside of the red lined site, within the blue lined site there have been various applications approved for race-related development at the site, PA04/01234, 04/00180, 06/00364, 06/01848, 93/01068 and 05/01960 all proposed pit lanes, bunds, advertising and trackways for the racing which occurs at the site. PA01/01497 proposed a temporary cabin and PA96/01351 proposed the principle of a film studio and ancillary buildings which was permitted but no application for reserved matters was submitted.
3.3 Within the surrounding area there has been one application which is relevant to the assessment of this application PA13/91242/C, which is situated South of the site within the Jurby Airfield and was for the "Temporary change of use of land to provide a camp and festival site over the TT fortnight period" and was permitted.
PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Airfield on the 1982 North Map. The property is not within a Conservation Area or a Flood Risk Zone.
4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 highlights the need for regeneration of Jurby in line with the Jurby Study. This identifies the Airfield as being suitable for retention as a crisis contingency facility and standby for Ronaldsway Airport but also recommends that the airfield should continue to be used for leisure and recreation purposes. This study was undertaken by the then Department of Local Government and the Environment in the 1990s and was subject to public consultation and discussion but never formally adopted. As such the most relevant Strategic Policy would be Transport Policy 10 which seeks that development in and around the Island's airports, airfields and air traffic control sites will be controlled in a manner which ensure that the safe and efficient use of these facilities by aircraft is not compromised.
4.3 This policy is followed by the below policies, which are relevant to the assessment of this application;
4.3.1 Strategic Policy 1 which sets out that development should be located to make best use of previously developed land, redundant and underused buildings and utilising existing infrastructure
4.3.2 Strategic Policy 2 which sets out that new development must be in existing settlements unless it complies with GP3.
4.3.3 Strategic Policy 5 which seeks that new development, including individual buildings should be designed to make a positive contribution.
4.3.4 Strategic Policy 10 seeks that new development should be located and designed to promote a more integrated transport network. 4.3.5 General Policy 2 which sets out detailed "development control" considerations
4.3.6 Environment Policy 4 seeks that new development will not adversely affect protected species
4.3.7 Environment Policy 22 seeks that development will not be permitted where it would unacceptable harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties.
4.3.8 Transport Policy 1 seeks that new development should where possible be located close to existing public transport options.
4.3.9 Transport Policy 4 which sets out that new development must be designed to be capable of accommodating vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by the development in a safe and appropriate manner,
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4.3.10 Transport Policy 7 which sets out that new development requires parking according to the standards with appendix 7.
4.4 The following tourism Strategic Policies are also relevant to this assessment due to the likelihood that the people travelling and staying on the site are from abroad.
4.4.1 Strategic Policy 8 which seeks that tourist development proposals use existing built fabric, do not adversely affect environmental, agricultural or highway interests and they enable the enjoyment of natural and man made attractions.
4.4.2 Business Policy 11 which seeks that tourism development must be in accordance with the sustainable development objectives of the Strategic Plan and the polies and designations which protect the countryside from development.
4.4.3 Business Policy 14 seeks that tourist development complies with the policies within the Strategic Plan.
4.5 The following are relevant material considerations;
4.5.1 Programme for Government 2016 - 2021 (approved in Tynwald) states the Governments strategic objectives for the next five years and identifies the initial priorities. One of the three main objectives being "An Island of Enterprise and Opportunity"
4.5.2 There are a number of objectives within this document which could be considered relevant to this application, as set out below;
4.5.3 Destination Management Plan 2016 - 2020 (Status accepted by Department of Enterprise (DfE) in 2016)
4.5.4 The IOM Destination Management Plan is an approved strategy of the Department of Enterprise, as such it is capable of being a material consideration. This is supplemented by more recent and detailed analysis of the tourism market on the Island.
4.5.5 UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man is all about keeping the Isle of Man a special place to live, work and visit. The Isle of Man is the first entire Island Nation in the world to receive this designation.
4.5.6 The UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man project does not seek to prevent any specific actions, but to promote enjoying and celebrating the Isle of Man to the full, making it an even better place to be and promoting engagement.
4.6 It should also be noted that Jurby Airfield to the South of the site is an "Area of Special Scientific Interest."
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;
5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state "Do not Oppose." (03.03.22)
5.3 No comments have been received from Jurby Commissioners at the time of writing this report.
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5.4 Clarification was requested and received from Visit IOM on whether the proposal would be counted as a campsite and as such assessed as one, to which they stated that the application would not be counted as a campsite. (11.05.22)
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:
6.2 PRINCIPLE 6.2.1 When looking at the overall principle of whether overnight camping is acceptable upon this site it should be noted that whilst the application is just for overnight camping for two days of the week and not permanently that it is tantamount to a campsite and as such the following report has been based on this.
6.2.2 Generally in planning terms tourist development is treated the same as any other form of development within the countryside, in that there is a presumption against it, whilst this is the case several campsites have been accepted throughout the Island, some brand new ("Silly Moos" in Lezayre, Ballaugh Glen, Knockaloe Beg, Glendown Farm in Port St. Mary, Ballamoar Farm, Ballaugh, Pennybridge in Kirk Michael, Ballakaighen in Onchan), others which have existed in an unauthorised form for some time and some of which now have approval (Glenlough in Marown, for example). Encouragement is given for such facilities to be grouped near to existing buildings and where possible, to complement existing operations on the same site.
6.2.3 It can be recognised that camping is becoming an important part of the Island's tourist attraction and that it is becoming increasingly 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, which is reflected somewhat in Business Policy 11.
6.2.4 There are no Strategic Plan Policies which guide tourist related developments other than those which encourage the use of existing buildings, Environment Policy 16. However, it is generally accepted that where there is a need for camping facilities in association with particular events on the Island, campsites have been found acceptable. Noticeably these have been temporary permissions on football pitches during the periods of TT and MGP. These campsites can provide a income from the use which can provide much needed support for social and sports organisations.
6.2.5 The proposal within this application is for overnight camping for the majority of the year, to facilitate members who are further afield and would need to travel to the site. On that basis the site itself would run differently to a "normal" campsite. The site hold several different types of karting events from your normal racing to night time endurance racing and motorbike events all of which would require a certain amount of space to house the vehicle used and depending on travelling a camper or overnight van.
6.2.6 With the above in mind it should be noted that there are currently three campsites registered on the Visit IOM website within the North of the Island, which include Ballamoar Campsite - Ballaugh, Crossags Campsite - situated of Lezayre Road and Silly Moos Campsite - situated upon Lezayre Road. All of these campsites are a distance away from Jurby Airfield itself which in itself.
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6.2.7 Whilst there are no Strategic Policies as stated above with regards to campsites, the unique opportunity afforded within this site, is acceptable in principle. This is due to the fact that the addition of camping upon the site for two nights a week to members only, could ultimately a) provide a better quality service to the members of the site and b) improve the local economy due to the potential that more clients can come over, who will spend money within the local environment.
6.3 VISUAL IMPACT 6.3.1 When looking at the proposed visual impact of the proposed campsite upon the surrounding streetscene. Overall whilst the surrounding area is within a very open site, the proposed site is situated to the South West of the Jurby Industrial estate which has several different types of structures and situated East to Isle of Man prison, both of which would minimalize any impact upon the streetscene, as such there is not deemed any reasons with regards to visual amenity which would warrant refusal.
6.4 NEIGHBOURING IMPACT 6.4.1 Turning towards whether there would be an impact upon the neighbouring sites. As previously stated the site is situated to the North East of the Isle of Man Prison, which is approximately 198m away from the site and the closest housing estate is The Threshold which is approximately 432m away from the site. Within the information provided by the applicant, they have stated that camping has occurred on an occasional basis within the site since around 2011 when the site was bought.
6.4.2 With regards to excessive noise, the applicants have stated that generators and general noise would be turned off after 11 pm. There is a general acceptance that even without the camping that there would be amplified music, loud speakers and noise of the karts/bikes and other vehicles are going to be part and parcel of the events which would utilize the overnight parking.
6.4.3 As such in lieu of receiving any comments from the neighbouring sites, which whilst not conclusive in itself that there is no impact, though it could be argued that occasional noise , is deemed there would be a minimal impact upon the neighbouring sites which could be affected by the site.
6.5 OTHER MATTERS 6.5.1 Lastly it should be noted that conditions should be attached to the site to lock down the potential of using the site for longer periods of time than the proposed two days per week, this is to make sure that the site does not turn into a campsite as it has not been assessed as such.
CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposal is considered to support the Governments tourism strategy whilst not having any undue environment impacts, as such the proposal complies with Strategic Policy 1 & 8, General Policy 2, Transport Policy 10, Business Policy 11 & 14, and is supported.
INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
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(g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.
8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status __
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to that body by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : Permitted
Committee Meeting Date: 26.09.2022
Signed : V PORTER Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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