Community Policy 11
Source: Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
Community Policy 11: The design and use of all new buildings and of extensions to existing buildings must, as far as is reasonable and practicable, pay due regard to best practice such as to prevent the outbreak and spread of fire.
11.1.1 Chapter 2 sets out the Government's Core Purpose and Aims and the Department's Strategic Aim. These policies include in particular the Core Purpose "To maintain and build on the high quality of life enjoyed by the Island's Community." and the aim "To protect and improve the quality of the environment."
11.1.2 The Strategic Objectives in Chapter 3 make reference to the need to develop a more integrated transport strategy which balances the growth in car usage with the promotion of more sustainable alternatives.
11.1.3 In land use planning terms this translates into a more sustainable pattern of development concentrating development in and around existing settlements. Modern society has become increasingly reliant on the private motor vehicle and derives benefits from it. But there is a price to be paid in terms of congestion, air pollution and noise and visual impact. At the same time the environment of the Island and our towns and settlements has evolved over many hundreds of years and in many cases is not capable of adapting to the further pressures of car access and usage without adverse impacts on the environment.
11.1.4 To balance these conflicting needs it is considered that a more integrated transport network needs to be developed to balance the growth in car usage with improvements to other more sustainable alternatives. Over time we need to move to a situation where those who need to travel can do so in a range of different ways wherever this is reasonable and practicable. To this end the Department of Tourism and Leisure considers that a significant contribution to maximize the utilization of existing Public Transport would be made if businesses and schools were encouraged to stagger the start and end of working days. The Department of Transport confirm that the staggering of school start times would also maximise the use of existing transport infrastructure both of highways and the bus fleet. The Department of Transport is jointly progressing, with the Department of Education, the concept of School Travel Plans, with the aim of reducing car journeys to and from schools.
11.1.5 Because of the critical link between the land use planning policies of the Development Plan and the transport policies of the Government it is considered essential to develop an Integrated Transport Strategy which will link these two activities which are so critical to developing more sustainable development.
11.1.6 The Government Plan has, within the Sound Infrastructure Aim, the objective
"To promote an integrated transport strategy to meet the needs of the local community and visitors".
11.1.7 In 2006, the Department commissioned a Transport Study by consultants 'JMP' to study the effect of development on the highway system. This allowed the proposed Transport Policies to be assessed in the light of up to date surveys and analysis. A further transport assessment consisting of traffic surveys on the Strategic Links, has now been undertaken (2014) to ascertain the current traffic flows and the implications of traffic growth up to 2026.
11.1.8 The original JMP Report (published 2007) identified:
11.1.9 The original Report (2007) identified the Strategic Links in the list below. The 2014 transport assessment which examined up to date traffic data made no change to this list:
11.1.10 The original JMP Report (2007) identified that the following junctions experienced regular traffic congestion:
11.1.11 Taking into account the proposed level of new development identified in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, the JMP Report concluded that the following junctions would suffer more congestion:
11.1.12 The 2014 transport assessment took into account the proposed level and location of new housing development up to 2026 and concluded that:
11.1.13 An evaluation of this data indicates the increase in traffic flow at Parliament Street in Ramsey can be accommodated by the minor improvement works to increase capacity at this location in 2009. However, the Ballacraine and Onchan Main Road traffic signals will require further assessment during the development of the Area Plans for the West and East of the Island respectively to ensure these junctions do not become subject to a high level of congestion.
11.1.14 As the Isle of Man Strategic Plan is a document for the whole Island and does not include site specific proposals it is not considered either appropriate or necessary to include policies or proposals in respect of the specific traffic schemes. However, the Area Plans will need to consider both the implications of these schemes and the need for any localised improvements arising from any site specific proposals for new development.
11.1.15 Considering the outcome of the 2007 JMP Report, as well as the latest transport assessment 2014 which examined both the whole strategic route network as well as the local strategic route network, it is judged that the Policies in this Chapter remain appropriate.
11.2.1 It is considered that in order to support the environmental objectives of this plan the use of public transport as an alternative to the private car should be encouraged. Whilst many of the measures designed to improve public transport systems are not likely to involve the planning process, the enhancement of public transport infrastructure - for example
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Installation of replacement roof tiles (retrospective)
Change of use from hotel to House in Multiple Occupation with 27 bedrooms including the creation of new bin store
Installation of a protective lift housing structure on the roof of the building with associated internal access
Creation of new door opening onto existing roof terrace
Demolition of existing extension, erection of a rear extension, roofing works including replacement slates, installation of solar panels, roof lights and rear dormer, rendering works, replacement windows, patio and raising of boundary wall to 14 Stanley Road (amendments to 24/00827/B including erection of integral greenhouse - in association with 24/00829/CON)
Removal of roof lights, replacement of roof tiles and guttering, amendments to chimney pots, exterior doors and windows
Erection of replacement single-storey extension to rear elevation
Replacement of roof tiles
Carport adjacent to existing garages
Sun lounge extension to rear and first floor extension over garage
