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22/01058/B Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 22/01058/B Applicant : Mr Stephen Halsall Proposal : Erection of replacement temporary changing facility, toilets and storage shed (Part retrospective) Site Address : Changing Facilities Springfield Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 1ER
Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.10.2022 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. The changing facility, toilets and storage shed buildings hereby approved shall be for a limited period of 36 months from the date of this approval and on (or before) the expiry of this approval the changing facility, toilets and storage shed building shall be removed form site and the site restored to its former state (i.e. grass).
Reason: The development has only been found to be acceptable on a short term basis because it meets a specific need.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. While the proposed cabin does have an adverse visual impact to the site and the area, the temporary benefits outweigh the harm. Further the proposal has no significant adverse impact upon public or private amenities and complies with General Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and Area Plan for the East 2020.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 22.08.2022. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
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22/01058/B Page 2 of 5
THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT RECOMMEND FOR AN APPROVAL
1.0 APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is located to the southern boundary of the playing fields on Springfield Road, Douglas. It comprises part of the playing field. To the east of the site is the existing clubhouse which was constructed about 20+ years ago and is clad in timber panels with a felt roof. It is single storey and measures 18.8 metres long, by 7.8 metres wide, and is 3.6 metres high. This has been condemned by Douglas Borough Council due to its poor condition.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for the erection of temporary replacement changing facility, toilets and storage shed (retrospective). The proposal is made up of a portacabin (12m x 3.7m) building and provides 3 changing rooms, a welfare room and ramps leading up to the entrances of the cabin. To the western gable of the cabin a metal storage shed (3m x 2.1m) is also proposed and two portaloos (1.1m x 1.1m).
2.2 The applicants have indicated that; "Due to the unsafe nature of the existing wooden cabin changing facilities at Spring Valley playing fields in Pulrose, the building was condemned by the Council and is unsafe to be used by the public. The Council are currently working on designs for the new changing facilities and will be submitting a planning application for a replacement building in due course. This has left a need for temporary changing facilities in the form of a temporary cabin to be installed whilst a replacement to the wooded cabin is constructed. The temporary cabin will be used as changing facilities and storage for the clubs currently playing at the sports fields. Due to the need for changing facilities to be in place for the start of the 2022/23 football season, the cabin is to be installed by the end of August and planning will be sought retrospectively for the temporary structures to stay for a maximum of three years.
The Council plan to repurpose one of its existing welfare cabins and turn it into a temporary changing facility for the duration of the building works. The cabin will be located at least 3 metres from the nearest football pitch and at 11 metres in from the existing boundary fence. All the windows to the cabin will be fitted with a film on both sides of the windows to prevent vision into the changing rooms this will be coloured white or opaque. To the outside of the window a metal mesh will be installed to protect the exterior windows. Due to the temporary nature of the building only a temporary electrical supply will be installed and the building will not have any drainage, water, telecommunications, or gas service connections.
Alongside the proposed temporary cabin there are two single portable chemical toilets that are maintained and looked after under contract by the provider of the toilets. Also alongside the cabin is a galvanised steel flat pack storage container, powder coated green, to provide storage for equipment for the teams playing at the sports fields.
Once the replacement to the wooden changing facilities is built, all the temporary structures relating to this application will be removed from site and the area will be reinstated back to grass as it currently is. The Council envisage that the new changing facilities will be tendered in early 2023 with construction complete within the year, this is subject to planning and building regulations approval and obtaining a tender within the budget for the project.
In relation to the history of the site, there has been previous successful application for the siting of a temporary mobile unit to provide changing facilities on the site (10/01143/B)..."
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 Erection of a replacement building to provide changing facilities - 18/00732/B - APPROVED (expired 18.09.2022).
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3.2 Erection of a replacement club house - 13/00510/B - APPROVED
3.3 Siting of a temporary mobile unit to provide changing facilities - 10/01143/B - APPROVED
3.4 Construction of changing accommodation - 90/01988/B - APPROVED
3.5 Approval in principle for construction of changing accommodation - 90/01372/A - APPROVED
3.6 12/00664/B - permission granted in October 2012 for construction of 38 sheltered housing apartments and ancillary accommodation, parking and public open space. The open space and emergency access is where the existing car park is located.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The Area Plan for the East 2020 identifies the site as being within an area of "Open Space - Sports Pitches". The site is not within a Conservation Area.
4.2 Since the application relates to the loss of "Open Space" given its footprint and associated building would be installed on this land, it could be argued that the proposal is not in accordance with the zoning of the site. However, the proposals would be used in association with the "Sports Fields" and are a requirement for such facilities, therefore it is considered the principle of the works do comply with land use zoning.
4.3 Accordingly General Policy 2 should be considered which states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."
4.5 Strategic Policy 5 - 'New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to be supported by a Design Statement which will be required to take account of the Strategic Aim and Policies.'
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4.6 Transport Policy 7 - 'The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.'
4.7 Recreation Policy 2 - "Development which would adversely affect, or result in the loss of Open Space or a recreational facility that is or has the potential to be, of recreational or amenity value to the community will not be permitted except in the following circumstances: (a) where alternative provision of equivalent community benefit and of equivalent or better accessibility is made available; and (b) where there would be an overall community gain from the development, and the particular loss of the open space or recreation facility would have no significant unacceptable effect on local open space or recreation provision or on the character or amenity of the area."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highways Services comment there is no highway interest (23.09.2022).
5.2 No further comments at the time of writing this report.
6.0 ASSESSMENT The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area 6.1 The proposed building is not attractive or in keeping with the surrounding area. However, it would appear that without the facilities then there would likely be disruption for the users of the facilities, namely IOM football clubs who use the sport pitches. The proposal is a temporary solution and the applicants should be under no illusion that the Department is likely to support future applications for this type of building on this site. A number of permissions have been granted, the last in 2018 where it was identified the existing changing rooms was in poor condition and needed replacing. There is no current extant approvals on the site so any new changing rooms will need approval. However, it is considered 3 years to be a reasonable period for approval to be granted and for the new changing rooms to be constructed.
6.2 Accordingly, while the proposal will have an adverse visual impact to the visual amenities of the site and area.
The effect on neighbour amenity 6.3 The site is situated on the edge of a built up residential area and use of the building has the potential to give rise to noise and conflict with residential neighbours. However, the new changing rooms are small (smaller than existing) and the likely impact is likely to be similar to the previous changing room use near the site to the east. It is therefore concluded that the proposal raises no new issues of impact on neighbour amenity.
Access and parking 6.4 There is limited parking available on site and this was the case for the last approved application 13/00510/B and 18/00732/B. Until the re-development of the housing in the area, there was a greater area of hardstanding for parking to the south-east of the site; however, the majority of this area was lost to provide open space and emergency access. Accordingly, as accepted under the last approved application, it is understood that the majority of the people who play for Pulrose AFC, and spectators, live within walking distance of the football pitch. Further the applicants have also previously commented that it is normally visiting teams and spectators who require car parking and they generally park alongside Springfield Road as there are no yellow lines restricting parking in the area. It should also be noted that this only occurs when football matches are actually being played, usually for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, during the football season.
6.5 As indicated previously, the amount of changing rooms proposed is not increasing and therefore the same number of teams who would use the changing rooms would remain as is.
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Accordingly, given there is no increase in traffic generation it is again considered the proposal should not cause parking or access issues over and above the existing situation.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 While the proposed cabin does have an adverse visual impact to the site and the area, the temporary benefits outweigh the harm. Further the proposal has no significant adverse impact upon public or private amenities and complies with General Policy 2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and Area Plan for the East 2020 and is recommended for an approval.
8.0 INTEREST 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 which the subject of the application is situated; and (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: 10.10.2022
Signed : C BALMER 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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