**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 09/00309/B — Demolition of existing classroom huts and replacement with a portacabin classroom **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2009-04-20 **Parish:** Malew **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/62336-malew-buchan-primary-school-replacement-demolition/documents/1369837 --- # Officer Planning Report **Application No.:** ** 09/00309/B ** **Applicant:** ** The Buchan School ** **Proposal:** ** Demolition of existing classroom huts and replacement with a portacabin classroom ** **Site Address:** ** Buchan Primary School Arbory Road Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1RD ### Considerations **Case Officer:** Miss S E Corlett ** **Photo Taken:** ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** **Site Visit:** ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** **Expected Decision Level:** ** Delegated Decision Senior DC Officer ### Written Representations ### Consultations **Consultee:** Drainage Division **Notes:** No objection subject to the following conditions:- **Consultee:** Highways Division **Notes:** **Consultee:** Castletown Commissioners **Notes:** ### Officer's Report #### The Site The site defined in red represents part of the curtilage of the Buchan School, a small part in the centre of the site, to the rear of the main Administration block. The site presently accommodates classroom blocks which are to be demolished as part of the application. The curtilage of the Buchan School is a sizeable area which fronts onto Arbory Road and backs onto residential development at Westhill and Vaarney Yiarg. The complex of buildings which make up the school are varied in size, age and appearance. #### Planning Status The site as a whole is identified on the extant Castletown Local and draft Area Plans as Education, the Local Plan differentiating between the school buildings and the surrounding open area which is designated as Private Woodland. #### Planning History 31 March 2009 09/00309/B Page 1 of 4 Planning Case History for Buchan Primary School Arbory Road Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1RD PA 84/00702/B - Relocation of existing mobile classroom for use as sports store, The Buchan School, Westhill, Castletown Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 88/00370/B - Extension to form toilet block, Buchan School, Westhill, Castletown Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 90/00190/B - Relocation of mobile building, Buchan School, Westhill, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 90/04184/B - Erection of new sports pavilion, Buchan School, Westhill, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 91/01051/B - Provision of new entrance and link corridor to existing mobile classrooms, Buchan School, Westhill, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 93/00215/B - Provision of 2 music rooms and locker room, Buchan School, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 1st January 1994 PA 93/01408/B - Extension to car park, Buchan School, Arbory Road, Castletown. Initial Decision - Permitted 28th March 1994 PA 05/01137/B - Alteration to existing to create doorway and erection of external stairs to create emergency exit Initial Decision - Permitted 9th August 2005 Conditions 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. 2. This approval relates to the installation of an emergency means of escape including staircase and door, all as shown in drawings and 1 c and the location plan and photographs all received on 15th June, 2005. PA 08/01519/B - Creation of sports court, erection of canopies, pavilion and installation of new ground surface to play areas Initial Decision - Permitted 23rd September 2008 Conditions 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. 2. This permission relates to the creation of hard surfaced playing areas, fencing and alterations to the nursery all as shown in drawings 01,02,10,11,12,20,100 and 101. 3. There must be no discharge of surface water to the main foul sewer. ## The Proposal Proposed is the demolition of the existing school class huts and their replacement with a mobile classroom. The classroom is smaller in footprint than the extent of classrooms to be removed, the new structure is to be 16.5 m by 9.5 m and 3.5 m in height, with a flat roof. ### Representations Department of Transport Drainage Division recommend a condition requiring no discharge of surface water to the main sewer. The application simply states that both foul and surface water are to be discharged to the main sewer without specifying which. ASSESSMENT The site for the mobile classroom is within the existing school complex and not readily visible to the public or indeed most people visiting the school. The existing classrooms are of limited interest and architectural merit and their replacement by the mobile classroom is not considered unacceptable. Whilst a condition is often attached to applications for mobile classrooms to ensure that the structures are only used on a temporary basis, in this case, the proposed structure will not be visible and there is no evidence to suggest that the use of mobile classrooms are in any way deficient in terms of the quality of education undertaken therein. As such, the application is recommended for approval subject only to conditions relating to the disposal of surface water as advised by the Department of Transport. PARTY STATUS The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status. Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 31.03.2009 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 permission relates to the replacement of existing classroom huts with a mobile classroom as shown in drawings SC1116/P/10-00, -/10-01 and -/10-02 all received on 24th February, 2009. C 3. There must be no discharge of surface water to the main foul sewer. I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular No 31/07 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer) Decision Made : Permitted Date : 16/4/9 31 March 2009 09/00309/B Page 3 of 4 Signed : ______________________________ Senior Planning Officer 31 March 2009 09/00309/B --- *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/62336-malew-buchan-primary-school-replacement-demolition/documents/1369837*