Erection of 8 moveable camping pods, 7 cabins, barbecue area, bollard lighting, 2 canvas yurts, car parking area, drainage channels (part retrospective), extension to the facilities building and erection of 2 sheds and extension of the camping period for the five cabins on the upper section until the end of December in any year

Development within Conservation Areas

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Environment Policy 35: 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. 7.30 Development adjacent to Conservation Areas 7.30.1 It is often the case that important views into and out of a Conservation Area can contribute significantly to its character. It is necessary to assess the impact any development adjacent to conservation areas may have on such views.

Environment Impact Assessments

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Environment Policy 24: Pollution-sensitive development will only be allowed to be located close to sources of pollution where appropriate measures can be taken to safeguard amenity. 7.20 Contaminated Land 7.20.1 Contaminated land on the Island is typically as a result of the legacy of past industrial and chemical land uses. Perhaps the most notable sites are land areas associated with former mining practices and it is not uncommon for such sites to be close to residential areas or watercourses which can be detrimentally affected by such contamination. Foxdale is a prime example of a former mining village, which largely specialised in lead mining during the 19 th Century under the control of the Isle of Man Mining Company, and physical evidence can still be found of important archaeological remains. A number of studies have revealed varying degrees of contamination across Higher Foxdale, much of which still requires reclamation from heavy metal contamination. It is recognised, however, that some of the former mining areas host a variety of rare plants which may have ecological value. (1) Environmental Impact Assessment: A Guide to Procedures. Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions (2000). 7.20.2 The practice of reclaiming contaminated land and bringing it back into beneficial use is supported, whether it be suitable in the end for open space or residential development or as deemed appropriate in the Area Plans. It is important that however former contaminated land is utilised, both health and property are safeguarded. Detailed surveys may be required to identify the extent of contamination and how contamination problems can be overcome. On sites where the Depar tment has no control, the developer will have responsibility to ensure that any development site is free of contamination which may constitute a hazard to occupiers or potential users of the development or land. Furthermore, precautions will be essential to ensure that contaminants cannot escape from the site which may cause airborne or waterborne pollution or pollution of nearby land.

Development and flood risk

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

irements of the relevant gas supply agency. Flood Risk 63 There was widespread concern about the adequacy of drainage and the risk of flooding, particularly in parts of Braddan, Onchan and Laxey. Environment Policy 10 of the Strategic Plan indicates that where development is proposed on any site where there is a potential risk of flooding, the prospective developer will be required to submit a flood risk assessment, together with details of proposed mitigation measures. This approach is reinforced in Utilities Proposal 6 of the draft Area Plan, which (among other things) requires the incorporation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) into new developments, to attenuate the rate of surface water run-off. I consider these policies to be reasonable. Clearly, without adequate mitigation measures, new building should normally be resisted on land which is at serious risk of flooding, or where the proposed development would increase the flood risk elsewhere. 64 In my view, the format of Utilities Proposal 6 could be improved. First, as a Proposal of the Area Plan, I consider that it should be in a bold typeface, to differentiate it from the supporting text. (The same applies to a number of other policies e.g. Transport Policy 2, and Utilities Policies 2 and 5). Second, there appears to be an error of syntax at the start of the second sentence of Utilities Proposal 6, which should perhaps read 'Strategies to achieve this will include …'. Third, the third bullet point of this Proposal introduces SuDS. Subsequent bullet points describe features of SuDS, and are therefore subordinate to the third bullet point. For clarity, I consider that they should be indented. I recommend that the draft Area Plan be modified accordingly. Sewage Treatment 65 There was also some public concern about the adequacy of the sewerage system, both in terms of its capacity to accommodate the effluent from proposed residential development areas, and in terms of the current practice of discharging untreated sewage into the sea. Infrastructure Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan indicates that developments entailing the erection of multiple dwellings should take place only on sites that will ultimately be connected to the IRIS system, which takes sewage to a treatment works at Meary Veg. (IRIS is an acronym for Integration and Recycling of the Island's Sewage). However, as long ago as 2006/7, a review was undertaken to decide whether to continue with the IRIS strategy. This concluded that it would be beneficial to adopt a regional sewage treatment strategy (RSTS) for those settlements that were not already connected to the IRIS system, including Laxey, Baldrine and settlements in the Central Valley. To that extent, Infrastructure Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan is now out of date. 66 I understand that a planning application will soon be submitted for the development of a local sewage treatment facility for Laxey. Feasibility studies for the provision of a similar facility to serve Baldrine are ongoing. A replacement sewage works at Ballagarey, serving part of the Central Valley became operational in 2018. However, capacity limitations mean that planned development in Crosby is likely to have to rely on standalone sewage treatment for the time being, until the existing treatment works is replaced as anticipated in 2022. The Programme for Government (2016-2021) indicates an intention to complete the regional sewage treatment infrastructure within the lifetime of the present administration. 67 It seems to me that these considerations should be taken into account in the allocation and phasing of land for development. I will return to this matter when considering the draft Area Plan's proposals for housing. Electricity Renewable Energy 68 Peel Energy considered that the Area Plan should contain a detailed and specific chapter on renewable energy, providing measurable criteria against which applications for the development of renewable power generating facilities would be assessed. They cited the States of Jersey Island Plan 2011, which includes such material. And they pointed out that a Climate Change Emergency has recently been declared on the Isle of Man; that a Climate Change Bill is soon to be presented to Tynwald; and that there has been strong public support for the Government's Climate Change Mitigation Strategy. They argued that, in failing to provide detailed guidance on renewable power generation, the Area Plan was inconsistent with the Strategic Plan; and that since the Area Plan post-dated the Strategic Plan, its largely negative provisions would prevail. 69 Energy Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan applies to development proposals for renewable energy generated by wind, water, tidal or solar power. It indicates that any such proposals will be judged against that Plan's environmental objectives. Proposals for wind, water or tidal power would need to be supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment. The supporting text indicates that renewable energy schemes will be given similar scrutiny as is gi

Design and visual impact

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Strategic Policy 5: New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island. In appropriate cases the Department will require planning applications to be supported by a Design Statement which will be required to take account of the Strategic Aim and Policies. 4.4 Economy 4.4.1 The Spatial Strategy identifies the Major Employment Areas around the Island. While the majority of business and employment is focused around the Douglas Metropolitan Area, there are other major employment areas at Castletown, the Airport/Freeport, Peel, Ramsey and Jurby. The Department considers the distribution of employment areas provides a spread of employment opportunities around the Island. While recognising the opportunities for small scale local employment within existing centres it is considered new employment should, in the main, be concentrated within existing settlements or those major employment areas referred to in the Island Spatial Strategy and illustrated on the Key Diagram. Existing Local and new Area Plans will provide detailed boundar ies for these areas. From time to time Government may judge it appropriate to offer financial incentives to encourage economic activity or investment in particular parts of the Island.

Tourism development to accord with sustainable development objectives

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Business Policy 11: Tourism development must be in accordance with the sustainable development objectives of this plan; policies and designat ions which seek to protect the countryside from development will be applied to tourist development with as much weight as they are to other types of development. Within the rural areas there may be (1) Tourism Strategy 2004 - 2008 Fit for the Future Department of Tourism and Leisure April 2004 situations where existing rural buildings could be used f or tourist use and Environment Policy 16 sets out the circumstances where this may be permitted.