**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 11/00934/B — Erection of two portable buildings and associated site works to be used as a community building **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2011-09-19 **Parish:** Malew **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/1277-malew-ballasalla-primary-school-two-portable-buildings/documents/1251832 --- # Officer Planning Report ## Planning Report And Recommendations [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Considerations [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Written Representations None received at time of drafting report ### Consultations [Table omitted in markdown export] [Table omitted in markdown export] [Table omitted in markdown export] ### Officer's Report #### The Site The application site represents part of the curtilage of Ballasalla Primary School, Douglas Road, Ballasalla. The site is located to the northern site of Douglas Road and southeast of Ballasalla Primary School, which is a large detached single storey detached building. #### The Proposal This application seeks approval for the erection of two portable buildings and associated site works to be used as a community building for a temporary period of 5 years. The two portakabin would form a 'L shape' building having a width of 13.1 metres, a depth of 9.2 metres and a height of 2.9 metres. The proposal would provide accommodation for two rooms, a kitchen, toilet and an entrance lobby. #### Planning Status The application site is within an area recognised as being an area of "Primary School" under the Isle of Man Development Order 1982. The site is not within a Conservation Area, nor within an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. Under the Modified Draft Area Plan for the South the site is zoned as being within "Primary School" and under the Landscape Assessment is within an area is characterised as being "Urban". ### Relevant policies include: - Isle of Man Development Order 1982 - The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007) - Modified Draft Area Plan for the South Due to the site location, zoning and the type of proposal, the following policy is relevant for consideration: ### General **Policy 2:** 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. ### Community **Policy 2:** New community facilities should be located to serve the local population and be accessible to non-car users, and should where possible re-use existing vacant or underused buildings. ### Planning History There have been previous planning applications submitted on the site and these are as follows: Installation of play den - 08/00281/B – APPROVED Additional mobile classroom to rear of school - 07/01078/B – APPROVED Erection of two storage sheds - 03/01989/B – APPROVED Creation of additional hard surface play area - 02/01867/B – APPROVED Siting of single mobile classroom - 89/00159/B - APPROVED ## Representations Malew Parish Commissioners:- "Do not object." The Water and Sewerage Authority make no comments to the merits of the application but ask for an informative note be attached to any approval. The Authority has received no other privately written representations objecting to the application. ## Assessment The proposed community centre would replace the previous temporary community centre accommodated at no. 25 Clagh Vane, a house which has now been demolished. The applicants have indicated that "the experience of usage at No. 25 was that the facility was used during the day (from 10am onwards- although not every day) and once or twice in the week in evenings (youth groups and community meetings). The site has specifically been fenced off and given a separate entrance through the perimeter fence of the school to allow it to be used concurrently with the school." The applicants also state that; "The majority of users are local and will be living within walking distance of the facility. As such the original house, which had no dedicated parking facility, created no parking problems even with the environmental works progressing on the estate." The submission indicates that at the school there is car parking which could be used in the evenings by users of the community facility when required. Furthermore, the recent Environmental Works have created organised estate parking in Clagh Vane, some very near to the proposed site. This parking is not fully utilised during the working day and should provide sufficient space for the small number of vehicles that the new facility might generate. Furthermore, once the drainage and other service upgrades are complete to serve the new Housing in Clagh Vane Project 4 in the near future it is envisaged that the adjacent car parking will come back into use for most of the duration of the current building works so there is not envisaged to be an adverse impact on the access arrangements proposed for the Community Partnership Facility. The Highway Division had initial concerns, but following the above additional information they no longer have an objection to the proposal. The temporary proposal would seem to address a need for community centre in Ballasalla in a central location, adjacent to the school, residential areas and directly adjacent to bus stops. Accordingly, the proposal is considered to comply with Community Policy 2 which seeks new community facilities being located to serve the local population and be accessible to non-car users. The proposal would result in the loss of a small part of the existing playground which is current used by the school. However, this loss is not significant, given there is still a large area of hardstanding and a large grass playing field. In terms of the visual appearance of the buildings from public view, the proposal includes the erection of a 1.8 metre high timber close boarded fence along the southern boundary of the site. This will help limit the visual appearance of the proposal which cannot be said to be a particular attractive building. There are a number of existing mature trees would run along the boundaries of the site, which again will help limit the visual appearance from Douglas Road. Overall, whilst the proposal would not have beneficial appearance upon the street scene, it is considered given the existing and proposed boundary treatments and given the proposal is on a temporary basis, providing an important service to the community, it is considered these factor overcome the visual amenity concerns and therefore acceptable in this case. A condition should be attached which states the proposal is approved for a 5 year period and should be removed from site before the 5 year expiration date, or another application such be submitted. Consideration has also been given to the potential impacts upon the residential amenities of the neighbouring properties, namely Nr 1 Glashen Terrace which is sited approximately 11 metres to the east of the proposal. However, after visiting the site, it was evident that no significant impacts would occur, namely through overlooking, given Nr 1 has no gable end windows which look towards the application site. Furthermore, given the site, position and height of the proposal there would be no loss of light caused by the proposed building. ### Recommendation In conclusion, it is recommended that the planning application be approved on the planning policy grounds that the development would be acceptable to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (June 2007). ### Party Status It is considered that the following meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should be afforded interested party status: #### Malew Parish Commissioners It is considered that the following do not meet the criteria of Government Circular 1/06 and should not be afforded interested party status: #### The Water and Sewerage Authority The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance. ### Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.09.2011 ### Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal - : Notes attached to refusals C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. C 2. This approval relates to the erection of two portable buildings and associated site works to be used as a community building as proposed in the submitted documents and drawings SK 1, SK 2, SK3 and SK 4 received on 11th July 2011. C 3. This planning approval shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of erection of the temporary community building. After this time, unless permitted by any subsequent planning approval, the class room block must be removed from the application site and the site restored back to its original state. I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager. Decision Made : Permitted Date : 19 Sept 2011 Signed: _________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Delete as appropriate Signed: _________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager --- *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/1277-malew-ballasalla-primary-school-two-portable-buildings/documents/1251832*