**Document:** Project Brief and Proposals **Application:** 13/91342/B — Alterations to timber 'video cabin' and refurbishment and reconfiguration of car park and entrance area with associated landscaping and planting **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2014-01-06 **Parish:** Malew **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/5082-malew-car-park-rushen/documents/1294983 --- # Project Brief and Proposals ## Project Brief [Table omitted in markdown export] ![A hand-drawn site plan illustrating a car park area, existing buildings like the Abbey Restaurant, and proposed colored shapes indicating new structures or landscaping.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/11/84027.jpg) ![A hand-drawn sketch site plan showing building outlines, a red shaded area indicating the proposed cabin, and a parking symbol with an access arrow.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/11/84028.jpg) There are three aims stated in the project brief: 01 to open up the car park and to reduce the apparent 'siege mentality' at the entrance of the site and to allow use of the car park outside of the site opening hours 02 to replace the woven timber screen fencing panels on the path between the car park and the site entrance; these are reaching the end of their life and have become costly to replace and difficult to maintain, and to improve the access between the car park and the entrance to the site's exhibition 03 to provide a site for a temporary marquee to accommodate functions: weddings, cultural and corporate events, etc ## Considerations In formulating a proposal it was noted that the site and the entrance (A) to its exhibition (B) are remote and not visible from the car park - The main elements of the site are disconnected from the site entrance and exhibition entrance: church tower (C), cloister (D), watch tower (E) and vaulted structure (F) - The orientation of the entrance path is formed from the positions of the now demolished tea rooms and dancehall (latterly the Academy nightclub) - The remaining fragments of the Abbey, its layout and the associated archeological excavations provide a strong axis that the current access ignores - Whilst the Abbey Church tower is visible from the current car park entrance the more recently-developed video cabin (G) and its associated pergolas & roofs tend to form a visual distraction from the tower at the site and exhibition entrance ## Proposal In addition to reconfiguring the car park to meet the applicants requirements, the access path between the car park + entrance and the entrance to the exhibition would be simplified and realigned with the geometry of the Abbey remains. The path would be marked to the outside of the site by a line of small trees, similar to the fruit trees once found here. This simple reorientation clarifies the relationship to the Abbey and shifts the visitor's attention on to the tower. The line of the existing fence to the garden will be maintained, but with the fences being replaced, so as to minimise any disruption to the garden. On the ground, the edge of the path will be demarcated by an area of timber decking, raised one step, between the new path and the old fence line. This will form a less formal route to the entrance and will be used to site an outside part of the updated Abbey exhibition. The materials will be simple in this area: reused block paving; vertical board timber cladding to the fences; timber decking with non-slip strips; planters and seats in simple geometrical forms and robust materials (corten steel and concrete). ## Project description Do not scale from this drawing • All dimensions must be checked on site prior to commencing assets. Any dimensions found between destination given on this drawing and that grant elsewhere or resorted on site shall be settled immediately to the project archived in writing. 01 to remove the banking from the road-side of the car park, renew the gravel surface and better demarcate the new parking spaces 02 the planting around the slim trees at the entrance would be removed and replaced with long grass and wildflowers 03 to retain the garden-side line of the path to the entrance but to renew the fencing with a simple vertical timber panel; retaining the line of the fence would minimise any disruption to the adjacent gardens 04 the connection between car park, entrance and site would be improved by forming a more direct path between the car park and exhibition entrance taking the orientation of the Abbey church; this would be marked by a line of fruit trees running along its length, reinforcing the link to the site and historic links to earlier fruit-growing practice 05 the trees will be planted in planters, rather than directly into the ground in order to limit any archaeological disturbance; all of the planting will be chosen from a list of carefully chosen trees and plants, relevant to the historic context of the site; the area left between the new path and the old line of the fence would be a raised timber deck - this would provide an outdoor site for a new part of the exhibition 06 the white roof structures and pergolas would be removed in order to improve visual access when approaching the site; the gates and fences within the site would be either removed or reduced in height 07 the existing steps would be removed in this area to be replaced with steps that comply with the current building regulations 08 anchor points would be provided to enable a temporary marquee to be erected in an archeologically neutral location; 15x12m and 21x12m marquees could be accommodated 09 in relation to this area and the site entrance, a small open air stage will be provided (enclosed on three sides); to form a small outdoor performance space 10 in addition to the new entrance gate a second gate would be provided so that the marquee could be accessed more directly from the car park OCT 2013 PLANNING APPLICATION Site plan • as proposed Set out scales from this drawing • All dimensions must be checked on site prior to commencing audits. Any documents found between • Refresher given on this drawing and that given elsewhere or received on site must be written immediately to the proper product or setting. [Table omitted in markdown export] ![A black and white site plan titled 'Site plan • as proposed' showing layout changes for parking, access paths, and landscaping at Rushen Abbey, accompanied by a numbered list of proposal details.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/11/84031.jpg) Received 12/16/13 DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND CONTROL TOMMY DUGGEN AQUAR phase 01 phase 02 OCT 2013 PLANNING APPLICATION PLANNING Manx National Heritage 093 Number Rushen Abbey • Ballauda 08 Scale 1.500 @ A3 Proposed phasing Do not make than this phasing • All documents must be checked on one end to commencing series. Any documents found between information given on this phasing and that given elsewhere as required on the outside collect newspapers in the proper process is wrong. ☐ horncastle:thomas architects • designers 26 Alfred Wood Douglas HLD, CP 5000 BD 1-20 01624-002 300 ![A site plan drawing showing the layout of a development with parking spaces, building footprints, and proposed phasing outlined in red and green.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/11/84032.jpg) 01 New timber fence on line of existing fence panels 02 New timber fence on line of existing fence panels with planter along length of fence top 03 Existing fence panels maintained until phase 02 complete 04 New timber decking (max 220mm above adjacent path) 05 Timber decking ramp to meet accessibility requirements 06 Existing block paving carefully lifted and raised along new path 07 Existing block paving made good as necessary Sand pit removed and paving made good 08 New corten steel tree planters: 1.8m x 1.8m; 900mm high Planted with fruit trees selected from list below 09 New concrete seat with polished concrete top c.450mm above level of timber deck 10 Concrete plinth with polished top to accommodate new outdoor exsition display 11 Gravel border to block paving 12 Existing area of planting cut back and bolstered as necessary 1-1.8m high 13 Existing planting and signage removed and replaced with single-species block of low planting selected from list below 14 Existing fence panels and pergola removed and replaced with single-species block of low planting selected from list below 15 See drawings 11 + 12 for proposed alterations to video cabin 16 Entrance to exhibition 17 Existing entrance maintained until completion of phase 02 18 Existing car park maintained until completion of phase 02 TREES to be selected from: Malus sylvestris • Crab apple Sorbus aucuparia • Rowan Taxus baccata • Yew SHRUBS to be selected from: Cytisus kewensis • Broom Myrtus communis • Myrtle Daphne laureola • Spurge Laurel Lavandula Hidcote • Lavender Santolina incana • Cotton Lavender Rosemainus officinalis • Rosemary Planting plan to be submitted for approval prior to start on site ![A detailed landscape and site plan showing proposed alterations including fencing, decking, paving, and planting areas with a numbered legend.](https://images.planningportal.im/2013/11/84033.jpg) --- *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/5082-malew-car-park-rushen/documents/1294983*