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Application No.: 15/01045/C Applicant: Hotel Bell Tent Proposal: Temporary change of use from school grounds to a campsite of a maximum of 150 bell tents for the period 27th May to 17th June 2016 in connection with the TT Races Site Address: Ballakermeen High School St Catherines Drive Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 4BE Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE PROPOSED USE IS CONTRARY TO THE LAND-USE ZONING FOR THE SITE, AND DUE TO THE HISTORY OF THE SITE
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is part Ballakermeen High School which is located between St. Catherine's Drive and Westminster Drive in Douglas. The site comprises the access, the playing field, parking areas, and shower and toilet block. - 1.2 Ballakermeen School covers a large area; the main buildings cover the northern part of the site with the playing fields extending to the south. There is a one-way access system into and out of the school. Vehicular access is via the west end of Westminster Drive to the northwest corner of the school and off St. Catherine's Drive to the south west. The St. Catherine's Drive access is exit-only. - 1.3 The school is situated in a built-up residential area, surrounded by housing on all sides.
2.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 2.1 Although the site has a varied planning history, only a few applications are considered to be material to the determination of the current application. PA 14/00921/C sought and gained planning approval for the temporary change of use of the school grounds in connection with the 2015 TT races; this followed an approval the previous year under PAs 13/00367/C and then 13/91219/C for the same thing in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Both sought specified periods for the change of use, and both were approved subject to a more or less identical set of conditions, with those attached to the 2014 approval set out below:
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
2.2 The main difference between 2014 and 2015 is the increase in tent numbers that was approved: from 60 in 2014 to 122 in 2015.
3.0 THE PROPOSAL - 3.1 The current application seeks planning approval for the temporary change of use of the site to camping in connection with the 2016 TT race event, limited to the period of 27th May 2016 to 17th June 2016 inclusive. - 3.2 The site would have 150 bell tents with each accommodating between 1 and 4 people. The applicant contends that the site can accommodate 180 tents (he indicated on a previous application that the maximum would be 172) but he felt this would be too many and it would also result in the tents being erected right up to the boundary fence with St Catherine's Drive. The site plan shows the area within the camping is to take place. The camping area is more or less central to the playing field, and measures approximately 135m by 58m - a slight difference from the 100m by 60m approved on this site. - 3.3 Previous applications have outlined what the tents come equipped with, including tea light chandeliers (LED or candle), hand loomed Indian block colour rugs, Jute door mats, luxury inflatable beds, a mirror, bamboo centre pole, low level Indian tables, fire extinguisher and various samples to enhance the guest's experience. There would also be various bedding packages where customers can order Egyptian cotton linen with bath towels and 13.5 tog duvets with cosy mattress toppers. - 3.4 Similarly, previous applications have outlined that there will be manned security for the duration of the use and CCTV will be used throughout the day and night. The applicant's traffic officers will be responsible for enforcing the one way traffic system into and out of the site. Out of hours noise will be policed by the applicant. The school's car parking facilities would be used for parking and campers would also have use of the school canteen, toilet and shower block, swimming pool and gym.
3.5 Neither of the information in the above two paragraphs has been provided on this occasion but in view of the fact that the applicant is the same for all three applications it is reasonable to expect that the same particulars will apply on this occasion. It is noted, however, that an email from the Isle of Man constabulary confirms with the applicant that they would not object to the proposal subject to the following:
3.6 Further to the above, it is noted that the Visit Report from Isle of Man Tourism states that the service offered has recently increased to a Two Star offer, relative to the One Star grading given previously. Although the Report does not provide specific support, it does outline the various services on offer to guests during their stay during 2015, indicating that those services are sufficient to enable the site to be recognised within the Isle of Man Campsite Scheme.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is within an area zoned as "Area of Building for Civic, Cultural and Other Special Use (Secondary School)" under the Douglas Local Plan. - 4.2 The Strategic Plan contains four policies considered relevant to the assessment of this current planning application. Both General Policies 2 and 3 should be addressed. While the latter refers only to land not zoned for any development, rather than for development that is contrary to
4.3 General Policy 2 reads, in part: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
4.4 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:
4.5 Business Policy 11 states: "Tourism development must be in accordance with the sustainable development objectives of this plan; policies and designations 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 situations where existing rural buildings would be used for tourist use and Environment Policy 16 sets out the circumstances where this may be permitted." - 4.6 Transport Policy 4 states: "The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan."
5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services offered no objection to the proposal on 1st October 2015, subject to the imposition of a condition: "No vehicular access is to be taken via
the lane that runs between no 1 Westminster Drive and no 26 Westminster Terrace. "Reason: In the interest of highway safety."
5.2 The Bursar of Ballakermeen High School has written in support of the proposal. In comments received 1st October 2015, she indicates their full support for the application for the use of the excellent facilities at the school and highlight their excellent working relationship with the applicant, and note that they have been in full discussion with the applicant prior to the submission of this application. They do not feel that the increase in tent numbers would impact any further on the site or create unmanageable issues.
6.1 This application proposes to increase the number of tents previously approved from 122 to
6.2 The Strategic Plan contains no specific policies which relate to camp sites or the use of any other land for camping uses but, as (a) the site is situated in Douglas, the Island's principal settlement, and is an accessible and sustainable location, and (b) the principle of use of the site for camping for a short period of time in association with the TT motorcycling events has been accepted on three previous occasions, it would be inappropriate to object to the principle of this proposal. What remains for consideration is the extent to which the intensification of the use is acceptable. - 6.3 It is evident from PAs 13/00367/C and PA 13/91219/C that a number of local people were very concerned about the proposal. Only one objection was received for PA 14/00921/C. There has been an even more muted response to the current proposal, with no objections received. On this basis, it would seem that there is a general acceptance of this kind of proposal in this location for a short period during each year.
6.4 The approved tents in 2014 were 30m from the nearest dwellings on St. Catherine's Drive to the southeast. (Although the figure given in the officer's assessment of the previous application was 22m, this distance appears to have been measured to the front garden rather than the dwelling itself. Neither distance is considered to be a more accurate representation of the distances involved, but it is considered that the impact of any noise or disturbance will be more keenly felt from within the dwellings rather than the front gardens to those dwellings.) The nearest dwellings would, under the current proposal, be 20m from the tents now proposed. These dwellings have not previously had tents any nearer than about 45m, whereas those dwellings whose distance was previously 30m (or 22m, depending on the measurement taken) from the tents would remain that distance were the current proposal approved. - 6.5 The site is, on two sides, adjacent dwellings. The proposed use has the potential to cause disturbance by a number of means, including noise from campers, noise from vehicular movements to and from the site (including cars and bikes), and disturbance from people walking to and from the site. It is noted that all the points outlined the Isle of Man Constabulary's criteria-based letter offering a conditional 'no objection' have been met as the application comes with the support of both DED and on land owned by the Department of Education. - 6.6 The increase from 122 tents to 150 is unlikely to result in a significantly different impact on neighbouring living conditions than was previously the case. The scale of the increase is small and the key point is that any increase in impact would not be an exponential one - the change in nature of the site and any impacts arising from this are likely to be far more significant from, say, the first 28 tents approved than an increase of 28 from the previously approved 122 to 150. In view of the limited concern raised, and acknowledging the distance of the site from nearby properties and crucially - the temporary nature of the sought use, it is considered that the proposal would not have such a significant impact on the living conditions of local people as to warrant the application's refusal. - 6.7 Turning to the visual impact, the tents to the southwest of the site would be very near St. Catherine's Drive, which is set down from the neighbouring land level. The effect of this, particularly from those tents nearest the highway at just over 10m, could be a little domineering, with the tents rising quite high above the adjacent highway and becoming quite prominent within it. However, the site is screened fairly well and the set-back from the site's boundary will reduce this impact somewhat. Moreover, it must be remembered that the proposal is temporary in nature and any tents approved for the site would only lawfully be present for a maximum of 3 weeks. As such, while the likely visual impact might be said to be slightly jarring, it is not considered that this could form a reason to recommend the application's refusal. - 6.8 The school will largely be closed while the camping takes place and so usual school traffic will be substituted to a degree by the traffic generated by the camp site. The previous vehicular access arrangements to the site should be maintained (i.e. two-way traffic at the south end of Westminster Drive and exit only onto Catherine's Drive). As with the previous schemes there should be no access onto the narrow lane off Westbourne Drive and again this should be controlled by condition. This would also cover the concern of Highway Services with respect to the use of the lane between 1 Westminster Drive and 26 Westminster Terrace; no specific condition has been attached on this matter previously on this site.
7.1 In view of all the above, and reflecting on the economic benefits arising from the scheme as well as the lack of objection from the Department of Infrastructure's Highway Services team, it is recommended that approval be granted.
8.1 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:
Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: The application is for the use of the site for the 2016 TT motorcycling event only and the assessment has been made on this temporary basis. While provision should be made for setting up and dismantling the camp site, the site should not be used for camping outside those times reasonably associated with these race periods.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient provision is made for off-street parking and turning of vehicles in the interests of highway safety.
The development hereby approved shall not be carried out except in accordance with the following plans and information, all date-stamped as having been received 16th September 2015: the site location plan (scale 1:1250), the aerial photograph with 150 tent locations superimposed entitled "150 TENTS" (scale 1:500), and Figure 3.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : ……PER….. Committee Meeting Date:…02.11.2015
Signed :………E RILEY………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
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