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10 Ballaterson Road, Peel, Isle of Man IM5 1BJ Tel: 426277 email: [email protected]
Existing Site The site represents the curtilage of Ballasalla Primary School which lies in the heart of Ballasalla. The school is a large building encompassing modern elements with large, secure play yard and grassed area to the south of the main building. There are some detached, modular buildings within the school grounds, however these are not available to the primary school for daily use. A mobile unit is located to the west of the main school building which provides private nursery care for pre-school children and two modular buildings provide community space located to the south of the school building. The school site is contained and well screened from the main Douglas Road (A6).
The curtilage of the Ballasalla School is a sizeable area which fronts onto Douglas Road to the south and has residential development to the remaining three sides. The school has staff and visitor parking provision on-site located to the east of the school buildings which can be accessed via the Clagh Vane residential development. The school buildings have been extended previously to accommodate increasing pupil numbers and the Department has also provided mobile classroom accommodation (since removed) as required.
The application site is the enclosed area of the school yard used to house the Ballasalla community cabin units, located to the south of the main school buildings. The application site can be accessed via a gate from the secure play yard or a pedestrian gate in the metal fencing forming the boundary between the school grounds and public footpath to the gable of 1 Glashen Terrace (latter would be secured).
Photographs of the application site and the school’s boundary with Douglas Road have been included as part of this planning application for reference, see Appendix A.
Proposals This application seeks full planning approval for the removal of the existing community cabins and replacement with a mobile classroom building, containing a classroom with toilet facilities to the south of the main school buildings.
The proposed mobile classroom building will be relocated from another school on the island and will be provided with a disabled access ramp and steps suitable for ambulant disabled in accordance with current regulations.
The application site proposed to accommodate the new mobile classroom has been chosen to make use of an existing site containing mobile units within the school grounds – the Ballasalla community cabins are located on land that is owned by the Department. As the pupil numbers have increased significantly since permission was granted for the locating of the community cabins and the numbers are likely to increase further, then this space has become valuable/essential for educational purposes.
The proposed mobile classroom will be shorter in length than the existing mobile units and therefore will reduce the visual impact to members of the public when viewed from Douglas Road. The proposed classroom building will remain within the secure grounds of the school and will not intrude into the existing playing fields or outdoor facilities enjoyed by the school and private nursery. We believe there will be no adverse impact because of the installation of this mobile structure.
The mobile classroom is needed for September ‘24 to provide additional accommodation at the school. The school roll has risen steadily over recent years with the re-construction of the Clagh Vane estate, and the large Reayrt Mie residential development, from 95 in 19/20, to 137 in 22/23, to a current roll of 143. The school anticipate a September ‘24 roll of circa 164. The Department’s stated permanent capacity of the school is 131 (including adjustment down from 150 in 2023, for additional educational needs (AEN) provision. The school propose to use the mobile classroom as a breakout support area for AEN students, with the 7 year groups being accommodated in the 6 permanent school classrooms.
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