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Application No.: 15/00394/B Applicant: Mrs Sarah O'Shea & Mrs Sarah Hill Proposal: Additional use of premises as a children's day care nursery Site Address: Port Soderick Community Hall Quines Hill Port Soderick Isle Of Man IM4 1AU Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Site Visit: 27.04.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Port Soderick Community Hall, a single storey detached building located on the southern side of Old Castletown Road, Port Soderick. - 1.2 The application site building is a metal clad building. To the east of the site is a newly created car park that was granted planning approval under PA 12/00402/B.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The planning application seeks approval for the additional use of the premises as a children's day care nursery. - 2.2 The building comprises a community hall, store, lobby, porch and male and female W.C. - 2.3 The full day care nursery would operate from 08.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday and would accommodate sixteen full time children between the ages of 2 and 5. There would be three members of staff; two full time and one part time. - 2.4 The car park provides twenty-two parking spaces.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Most recently planning approval was granted in 2012 under PA 12/00402/B for the formation of a car park and vehicular access. The application site has been the subject of other planning applications, none of which are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as open space (agricultural) under the Braddan Parish District Local Plan 1991.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
Community Policy 2 states: "New community facilities should be located to serve the local population and be accessible to non-car users, and should where possible re-use existing vacant or underused buildings."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (24/04/2015). - 5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application but state, "Having been out on site the entrance to the parking area can only accommodate one vehicle at a time. To minimise traffic queuing on the highway it is recommended that improvements are made to the existing access to accommodate two way traffic flow." (28/04/2015).
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The use of the application site building as a nursery does not readily fit into any established use class. Throughout the Island nurseries have predominantly been accommodated in established residential or newly developed residential areas. - 6.2 In assessing how the proposal may affect the surrounding area, consideration should be given to the principle of using the site as a children's nursery; the potential impact upon neighbouring amenities and whether there is an acceptable level of parking provision in the area to accommodate the proposed use. - 6.3 The surrounding area has been identified as open space. There are a number of residential properties within close proximity to the application site and further along Old Castletown Road and Quines Hill. Whilst the additional use of Port Soderick Community Hall
community hall where one would not find a children's nursery unusual. There are across the Isle of Man a number of children's nurseries and pre-school nurseries that are occupied within such premises such as Braddan Church and The Old Chapel in Union Mills. This in mind it is not felt applicable to warrant a reason for refusal on the basis of the use of a nursery in a community hall.
6.4 It is not considered that the additional use of the building as a nursery would undermine the amenity of nearby residential properties, buildings and users of the locality. The main issues which arise with children's nurseries and nearby residential properties are noise generated by the children, normally when they play outside, and the traffic generated by people coming and going from the nursery during drop off and pickup times. - 6.5 There is no outdoor space connected to this nursery and therefore the play areas are all located within the building. The comings and goings would be at times when traffic would already be constant and frequent within the area as a result of people travelling to and from work. The traffic coming and going from the site would not be at intermittent times throughout the day, and if so would only be on a small scale and infrequent. Nonetheless, the site is located on a road that has a fairly constant flow of traffic throughout the day so the passing of vehicles would not be uncommon in this area. - 6.6 In addition to the above, the number of children attending the nursery would not be of a level to cause harm or disturbance to those closest properties. It is judged that the additional use of the building would be acceptable for use as a nursery and would be beneficial to those in the area that may currently travel into a town centre for such a use. - 6.7 The proposed use would result in higher vehicle journeys to and from the building as a result of dropping off and picking up of children. The recently created car park can provide twenty-two parking spaces which is more than what would be required. Highway Services have acknowledged that the entrance to the parking area can only accommodate one vehicle
6.8 There are no external alterations proposed and therefore the proposed use of the building as a nursery is not judged to undermine the status of the building.
7.0 CONCLUSIONS - 7.1 The application would introduce an important community facility into the area and make use of a currently unoccupied building in the daytime building which enable Port Soderick and Quines Hill area to be served by a local community facility which would reduce the need for travel into Douglas or another nearby or further town which would be considered to be particular sustainable. - 7.2 Overall it is concluded that the planning application accord with the provisions of General Policy 3 and Community Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.
8.1 It is recommended that the planning application be permitted.
9.0 PARTY STATUS - 9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation:
12.05.2015
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approval
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the surrounding area along with highway safety and parking and to safeguard the welfare of children.
This approval relates to Drawing No.:09 505 1, IM1488/01 and 501:93:2 all date stamped as received on 14th April 2015.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 12.05.2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed :…………………………………….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management
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