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Submitted by: (Appellant & Interested Person) Property: All Saints Church, Alexander Drive, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 4EB Planning Ref: 23/01454/GB Appellant: 17 Selborne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 4BT Outline: Alterations to facilitate a change of use from place of worship to
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gym with associated facilities (in association with 23/01453/CON)
This rebuttal statement is in response to the letter from Andy Johnstone, Planning Appeals Administrator to myself as Appellant dated 3 June 2024.
The Interested Persons do not possess the expertise in the Island’s planning and appeals process that is drawn on, both in support of the application itself and in the Appeal Submission by Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy (the Submission). Nonetheless, we felt we had to submit this statement as concerned residents who reside in the vicinity of All Saints Church, some having done so for many years.
After reading all the documentation in support of this planning application, it is clear that there is a level of confidence displayed by the Applicant and its representatives that the proposed development will not be detrimental to the established neighbourhood. It is difficult to have faith in the assumption that this development will not overly affect residents until we begin to “live” with our new neighbour, so we do not share the same level of confidence. Indeed, it remains to be seen what impact the change of use will have on our day to day living and what recourse the residents will have should the business operation prove problematic.
We fully understand that the site needs to be re-purposed. It would have been more desirable for the existing property to be demolished and replaced with much needed housing (incorporating associated car parking spaces), but the preservation order in place precludes this.
It was our combined hope that the Applicant would at least, if nothing else, re-consider the length of its opening hours and it is now disappointing and evident to know that they are not prepared to afford the residents any flexibility with their proposals in relation to the weekday opening time. We do not feel that the interests of the surrounding community have been considered at all by the Applicant in targeting the All Saints Church site for business purposes.
The Submission highlights the numbers of people that would have attended All Saints Church at any one time in the past. As mentioned in our Appeal, the residents were always accommodating of special functions at the church, safe in the knowledge that these were always of short duration and “one off” events. We reiterate that All Saints did not operate on a 7 day per week basis. The proposed change of use will mean the business operating on a 7 day per week basis. None of us recall the church opening its doors at 5.00am. It is stated in the third paragraph of item 3.1 of the Planning Statement of 31 May 2024 by Toby Cowell that “it is not expected that a significant proportion of customers would visit the site at the extremities of the opening hours”. If that were indeed to be the case, then surely it cannot be envisaged that revising its opening time to 7.00am would “substantially detract from the business” as is stated in the Submission. If the Applicant were to reconsider and revise its Monday to Friday opening time to 7.00am, the business would still benefit from a substantial 15 hours of trading per day, Monday to Friday. Coupled with its weekend opening hours, this would equate to a full 99 hours of weekly access. Mr Cowell also refers in his Planning Statement to “those working long or indeed abnormal hours”.
It is our opinion that those working long and, in particular abnormal hours should, therefore, seek to source a gym which is already established outside of an area where long-standing residents observe a normal pattern of life, including the usual night hours which are traditionally 11.00pm to 07.00am.
Clause 4.6 of the Submission is highly presumptuous in its suggestion that “the application represents a highly suitable and beneficial use … for the area in general”.
In addition, there is also concern as regards any future property valuations in the immediate vicinity. Not everyone would choose to purchase a property in close proximity to a business which operates such protracted business hours.
This statement reiterates and reflects legitimate concerns and the Interested Persons would, therefore, respectfully request that the Minister gives due consideration to the contents herein and indeed, to our Appeal, when determining the final outcome of this planning application.
17 June 2024
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