**Document:** Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Planning Statement **Application:** 12/00325/B — Erection of a portal building extension to existing changing rooms / clubhouse to provide an indoor community sports facility **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2012-05-02 **Parish:** German **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/2462-german-peel-football-club-extension-dwelling/documents/1168787 --- # Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Planning Statement The Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Proposed indoor community sports facility Situated at Peel Football Club, Douglas Road, Peel, Isle of Man ### Introduction The proposed project is to erect a 40m x 25m indoor community sports facility, aimed at multi-sport use. The facility will be accommodated in a steel framed building, with concrete floor slab and astroturf playing surface. The facility will be made available to local sports clubs, recreational youth/community organisations and the general community for sport and recreational purposes. An Isle of Man registered charity was created by members of Peel AFC, and associates, called the Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund which has been raising monies over the last 7 years with the aim of building the community sports facility. Tom was a former player of Peel AFC and the Isle of Man national football side who lost his life in 2004 in the Manx Grand Prix races competing in a sport he loved. It is hoped Tom's enthusiasm for sport, in particular his drive to succeed, will encourage the young people of Peel to take up and develop in sport. This has inspired us to set up the fund and deliver a facility that will benefit both local athletes and help to unite a small community. The members of the Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund have worked hard for 7 years to raise funds through the organisation of local community events such as Peel Stock, family fun days and race nights. The Fund has also received charitable pledges and grants. ### Description of Facility It is envisaged that the proposed facility will be used by all ages of the community for multiple sport and recreational purposes. It will be available for use by Peel AFC, local sports clubs and organisations and the general public. The facility will only be available for use via pre-booked time slots. Examples of the activities which would be suitable for the facility are: - Five and Six-A-Side Football; - Athletics; - Hockey; - Netball; - Futsal; - Tennis; - Judo; - Indoor cricket; - Bowls; - Aerobics; - Handball; - Training for all sports (indoor or outdoor); - Children's parties; - Many more. The astro-turf type surface proposed to be used is suitable for multi-sports such as those listed above. The playing surface will be accommodated within a steel framed agricultural-style building with a powder coated cladding in a style and colour to match the characteristics of similar adjacent properties. There will be suitable provision for WC's, an entrance/waiting area and limited storage accommodation for sports related equipment. RECEIVED 01 MAR 2012 ### Capacity It is envisaged that the building will typically cater for between 10 and 20 persons at one time, depending on the activity being undertaken. The facility will be open 7 days a week and will be available by pre-booking. The proposed development will have a similar capacity to the existing outdoor training facility, presently utilised 2 nights per week (during the football season), for 2 hours (between the hours of 6.30pm to 8.30pm) by Peel AFC men's and ladies teams. ### Security The facility will be predominately utilised by sporting clubs and organisations based in Peel and the West of the Island. Most of these groups or their supervisors will be known to the football club, or its associates. Private parties will be required to submit a supervisor's name, address and contact details prior to booking who will be responsible for the group. A caretaker of the facility will open and close/secure the facility before and after each period of usage (or consecutive periods of usage), and will monitor users periodically during usage. ### Requirement for Facility The area within the Peel AFC curtilage that will accommodate the proposed development is currently used as an outdoor training facility which does not meet the requirements of a modern football club or community multi-sport facility. We consider that the facility is required as: - a lack of community sports facilities has been recognised by the IOM Government as an island wide issue. Agenda for Action 4.1 of the Isle of Man Sport & Recreation Strategy Review 2006 states "To provide a Regional facilities structure that includes the following minimum level of provision for a range of mainstream sports in each of the Island's four towns", (a recent plan by the government to build a number of indoor facilities had to be shelved due to a lack of available government funds); - According to Peel Town Commissioners, the population of Peel has grown from 3,100 in 1990 to 4,280 by the date of the last census for which results have been released in 2006, mainly due to the development of several large housing estates in that period. The results of the recent 2011 census are due out in March 2012, and we would expect the population to have increased considerably further considering the continued building of housing estates in Peel since 2006. In general, the increase in public facilities have not matched this growth in population and the community of Peel and the West of the Isle of Man regularly raise issues of a lack of facilities for recreational purposes for the community, particularly for youths and children (our project is supported by Peel Town Commissioners) (letter of support enclosed); - 1200325 - there are no equivalent multi-sport indoor astro turf facilities in the Isle of Man; - Due to the closure of Summerland and Mount Murray Sports Hall we understand existing Isle of Man sports facilities are oversubscribed; - Providing local sporting facilities in the West will reduce the requirement for transport to Douglas and will therefore ease the congestion on the main transport arteries in the middle of the Island and assist the Government in achieving their carbon footprint targets. - the current outdoor training facility on the site is run down, fencing/netting is broken, lighting is not fully functional and is in generally in need of significant expenditure to bring it up to an acceptable standard; - the size, shape, surface and lighting of the current outdoor training area would not suit multi-sport use (current dimensions are 18m x 40m x 25m x 40m) (we refer to the enclosed document, Sport England - Comparative Sizes of Sports Pitches & Courts, whereby the 18m width currently at one end of the area would rule out a number of the sports we have identified for the facility); - the Isle of Man is considered a very exposed location and is regularly subjected to inclement weather conditions. Undertaking sporting activity outdoors during the extended autumn, winter and spring seasons is often not possible and subject to cancellation. This disruption causes irregular training patterns which severely affect the training and coaching of participants. The greatest impact is on the effective involvement and coaching of younger children; - Moral responsibility of providing the nation's youth with sporting facilities to encourage health and well being and reduce crime and antisocial behaviour; - the project is supported by Peel's MHK (Tim Crookall), Peel Town Commissioners and the Isle of Man Football Association (see enclosed letters of support / Isle of Man Football Association confirmation of support for Football Foundation grant for project). - The scheme to redevelop a dilapidated local facility is also compliant with the ethos of the Government's Isle of Man Town and Village Regeneration Scheme. - the facility will provide facilities to develop a number of the Community Key Sports of Athletics, Football, Hockey, Tennis and Badminton that were designated by the Isle of Man Sports Council. **Impact on Locality** **Car parking & Traffic** We have included a scale drawing of the present car park at Peel Football Club, with proposed parking layout outlined. The parking allows for 20 parking spaces, which includes one disabled car park. We would assume that, if travelling to the facility by car, people will travel on average 2 persons per car. We would also expect persons to utilise the local bus services to attend the venues, as a bus stop is situated at the gate of the football club, with a stop for buses heading in the Douglas direction situated opposite at the QEII school. As the football club is within close walking distance of Peel, we would also expect a reasonable proportion of persons attending the facility to walk, cycle or run to the venue, particularly as many of the users will be young persons. Secure cycle parking facilities will be created to encourage alternative forms of transport. The current parking provision is 20 spaces and congestion and traffic issues are rarely experienced outside of school hours. The increase in peak-use is only likely to be de-minimis and therefore we consider the car parking on site to be adequate for the facility. In the event of a special event at the facility, we would expect overflow car parking to be available at the QEII School. Overflow car parking at the QEII School is currently made available during events at the football club and has ample parking provision to cater for overflow capacity. Special events will not be held during school opening times and therefore peak usage and parking capacity of both properties will not synchronise. A high proportion of users are envisaged to be young adults, many of whom will be driven by family and friends. Upon booking users will be informed to use the QEII one-way system for drop-off from vehicles to avoid congestion on the public highway. 01 MAR 2012 Noise Current noise production from the site is currently low and following construction of the proposed facility this is likely to decrease as sports related noise will be shielded by the insulated walls and roof of the steel framed building. Visual Impact and Privacy We have informed local residents of the proposed developments, many of whom have close ties with the club, and they have all been very supportive of the scheme. The only direct visual impact will be on the adjoining Peel Golf Club site, who have demonstrated their support for the project by offering the land required for the project to proceed. The views of the building from the golf course are predominantly screened or obscured by existing mature trees which will remain. Views of the proposed building from dwellings located on The Links and Douglas Road are obscured by existing mature trees which will remain. Views of the existing building will be concealed from the road by the existing club house and spectator stand and by existing mature trees which will remain. We have received a letter of support for the project from QEII School and Mr J Irving, whose house in The Links faces the building (obscured by mature trees which will remain) and is the closest in proximity. There will be no loss of light to adjacent property and the proposed building will only incorporate roof lights and therefore the privacy of local residents will not be infringed. Economic Impact Whilst use of the facility will effectively be charged by way of donations from users, the suggested donation amounts will be set at a level to aiming to facilitate the upkeep, maintenance and improvement of the facilities and purchase of associated equipment. There may be a beneficial economic effect on local retail premises and restaurants in respect of users of the facility utilising locally available food and refreshments. ## Consent of owners of the land The majority of the land on which the proposed building will be erected belongs to Peel Football Club, who have provided consent for the planning application. A small parcel of land (marked on the site plan) is proposed to be transferred from Peel Golf Club to Peel Football Club to complete the area required for the building. We have met with Peel Golf Club, provided them with plans for the building and provided them with onsite guidance as to the area of land involved. Peel Golf Club have not objected to our proposed application during our discussions with them. We have notified the Golf Club that we have made the planning application, and that we will continue to maintain open communication with them in respect of the project. RECEIVED 01/27/2002 PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATES PUBLICITURE --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/2462-german-peel-football-club-extension-dwelling/documents/1168787*