Planning Authority Statement

Mr. A. Johnstone, Planning Appeals Secretary, Chief Secretary's Office, Government Offices, Buck's Road, Douglas, IM1 3PN.

Mr. A. Johnstone, Planning Appeals Secretary, Chief Secretary's Office, Government Offices, Buck's Road, Douglas, IM1 3PN.

infrastructure

planning and building control

bun-troggalys - plannal as gurneil troggal Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2SF.

email: [email protected] Tel: (01624) 685906 Fax: (01624) 686443 Director of Planning & Building Control Michael Gallagher, M.R.T.P.I.

4th February, 2013

Dear Mr. Johnstone,

Re: PA 13/00006 – re-siting of railings to allow access to slipway from highway, East Quay, Peel

Please find attached a statement on behalf of the Planning Authority in respect of the above application, for which the applicant is the Department of Infrastructure. As such, the Planning Authority, being part of the same Department cannot make a recommendation on the proposal and should simply indicate the issues and relevant policies to be considered.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Department of Infrastructure Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2SF

Pa 13/00006 - Re-Siting Of Existing Railings To Allow Access To The Slipway From The Highway, East Quay, Peel

1. The site is a small part of the road which runs between the inner harbour and the boat and car park at the western side of Peel. The site currently accommodates a stretch of roadway with railings alongside the carriageway, which run alongside the slipway to the west which is only accessible from within the boat park to the west of the carriageway. The railings cut across into the boat park for a length of 18 m , providing a wider footway alongside the carriageway where the railings continue around to the west around a vehicular turning head which also provides vehicular access into the boat park.
2. The road is one-way from north to south and there is a "give way" sign painted on the road where the road meets the turning head.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the re-siting of the railings alongside the road to the western side of the slipway and the give way painted sign will be relocated further to the north, the slipway and paving re-surfaced in a consistent bitmac finish and a pedestrian way painted onto the highway between the slipway and the highway. The effect of these works is so that craft can gain access to the slipway from the highway rather than having to access the boat park. The applicant explains that the slipway used to be accessible from the road but since the boat park was created the access has been controlled by card. In practice this means that the access to the slipway from within the boat park has to be kept clear which results in quite a large area being unavailable for parking and they have received numerous complaints about cars blocking access to the slipway and so that people cannot launch their craft. Without having 24 hours a day presence, they advise that it is impossible to police and that users routinely ignore the signage which is in place.

Planning Policy And Status

1. The site lies within an area of "Parking" on the Peel Local Plan of 1989. The site also lies just within the Conservation Area whose western edge runs along the edge of the road but does not extend into the boat park.
2. As such, the following Strategic Plan policy is considered applicable to this application:

Environment Policy 35 states "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."

Environment Policy 36 states; "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."

Planning History

1. There are no applications which are considered relevant to the consideration of this proposal.

Assessment

1. There are two key considerations in respect of the assessment of this proposal: firstly whether the re-siting of the railings would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area and secondly, whether the proposal would have an impact on the

operation of the boatpark and slipway - the primary function of the site and key to the operation of the working harbour which forms the focus of this part of the Conservation Area.

1. The relocation of the railings will have little, if any impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Arguably, the removal of the angled line of fencing could be considered to improve the appearance of the area and the opening up of the slipway more conducive to the visitor's understanding of the working operation of the area and appreciation of the harbourside activity.
2. The opening up of the slipway is also thought to be an improvement in the operation of the boat park through the freeing up of access to the slipway and the removal of potential conflict between parked vehicles and craft and those wishing to gain access to the harbour water.

Recommended Conditions

1. If the application is recommended for approval the following conditions are considered applicable:
2. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
3. This approval relates to the re-siting of the existing railings and paving works as shown in drawing reference 190 B.