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TO: Planning and Building Control FROM: Department for Enterprise DATE: 4th Oct 2020 SUBJECT: PLANNING APPLICATION - NOBLES PARK ROADWAY & PATHWAY
REFERENCE:
A: Planning Application - 20/00542/B dated 7th May 2020¹
1.1. The aim of this paper is to provide the supporting information required for a planning application from the Department for Enterprise (DfE) to install a permanent roadway and pathway within Nobles Park. The proposal, now approved in principle by Douglas Borough Council (DBC)², would enhance the facilities within the park area for the Manx public and serve to improve the visitor experience for the TT and Festival of Motorcycling (FOM). It is accepted that the cost of the improvements for permanent infrastructure would be borne by the DfE and balanced over time against the need for equivalent temporary vehicle track matting and continued rental costs.
2.1. The background to the application. 2.2. The requirement for the new infrastructure. 2.3. The reason for the original planning application at Reference A being withdrawn. 2.4. Location diagrams of the site with a schedule of drawings (SODs) and pictures. 2.5. The detail on the questions raised within the formal planning application.
3.1. The TT Production Manager (TTPM) is responsible for the planning and management of the TT Grandstand and Paddock Complex (TTGPC) for the TT and the Manx Grand Prix/Classic TT (MGP/CTT) in May/June and Aug/Sep respectively. The post was first established in Nov 2017.
3.2. The land used for the event is controlled by DBC and is split North/South by a central pathway orientated East/West. The overall area is known as "Nobles Park" and is completely laid to grass, except for the central pathway and a minor perimeter path to the South of the park. During the TT and MGP/CTT event periods, the Northern area of the Park is used as an area for a campervan park (known as the "RV Park") for competitors and their teams and families. Additionally the Northern area is used as a major event attraction space with a temporary (DfE owned) marquee being erected and a bar facility (known as the "Trackside" pub) also built for the event periods. Both facilities are serviced directly from Glencrutchery Road and both facilities have been subject to separate successful planning applications in the past.
¹https://services.gov.im/planningapplication/services/planning/planningapplicationdetails.iom?ApplicationReferenceNumber=20 %2F00542%2FB
²Email from David Hewes (DBC Head of Parks) to TT Production Manager dated 11th Sep 2020. Page 1 of 11
3.3. Outside of the event periods, the Northern section of the Park is a grassed area used as public open space. However the land suffers from poor drainage which limits its practical use, especially during the winter months. 3.4. During the events, the Southern area of the Park is used as a car park area for cars and motorcycles, however due to the amount of traffic that is expected during both events, this car parking area relies on having an all-weather capable access/exit road. 3.5. Outside of the event periods, the Southern end of the Park is used as a football pitch and for the DBC organised "fun-day". Additionally, there is also an organised "park-run" held across the entire park area which takes place regularly throughout the year. None of these events would be affected in any detrimental way by the proposal.
4.1. Having taken post in Nov 2017, the TTPM quickly established that the existing traffic management plan was not suitable and required improvement. In order to use the area effectively with vehicles able to cross the grassed area of the site and to have an effective traffic management system that can be used in all weathers, some form of roadway was required. Any roadway would have to service the teams and competitors arriving and leaving the RV Park and provide a realistic road surface that could withstand the amount of traffic arriving into and departing the car park area. The solution for 2018 and 2019 events was to hire a large amount of temporary track matting from the equipment hire contractor, which was laid on the grass surface and could take the load of a fully laden articulated truck. The track matting was also laid to provide hard standing to build and dismantle the DfE marquee and bar facility and permitted heavy vehicles to service the 2 main hospitality facilities. 4.2. In addition to the need for a temporary roadway, pedestrians needed to walk across the grassed area from the car parks to reach the grandstand area. There was therefore also a requirement to install a pathway from the car park areas to the paddock areas and link up the activities at the TT grandstand. The solution for the 2018 and 2019 events was to lay temporary pathway. Whilst this pathway was owned by the DfE and not hired, each time it was put down it took 2 full days to complete, and with the land not being level it also needed a hard-core base in the more uneven areas in order to remove a possible trip hazard to the public. Additional to the manpower costs each year for the labour, there were therefore ongoing transportation, build and equipment storage costs. 4.3. The solutions proved extremely successful; however, this success came at significant overall cost, especially in regard to the vehicle track-matting. Additionally post the events the temporary roadway and pathway needed to be removed, resulting in significant damage to the grassed areas underneath the matting. These areas then needed returning to their pre-event condition, with significant landscaping and re-seeding being required, all adding to the overall costs. Significantly, post the events, the area used for the matting was unusable by the general public as it recovered. This recovery period covered most of the winter months, with the grass seed only taking in the following spring. In reality the use of temporary matting meant that the ground was unusable outside of the event periods. 4.4. A decision was therefore made to approach DBC to gain approval to install a permanent roadway and pathway in Nobles Park. This would be a "spend-to-save" approach, negating the need to hire and lay/remove vehicle track matting and pathway and also have additional advantages. 4.5. The resulting pathway works would link the existing central pathway with the main tarmac area behind the TT grandstand. The roadway, used only for vehicles during the event periods, would effectively become a second public pathway from the Hoggery entrance to the central pathway. Both routes would therefore open the Northern section of the park to the public in all weathers and be available all year round. Of note, the IOM Fire Service
advised that ideally any pathway would also be capable of supporting a fully laden fire vehicle in case of fire at the Trackside pub or the DfE marquee. Ensuring the pathway could take such a load in all weathers would also improve the overall safety of the sight in case of any emergency services response being required when roads are closed for racing.
5.1. This is the second time this application has been submitted. The first application (Ref A) was withdrawn under the request of DBC based on concerns over the impact the application would have on local residents, specifically the residents located at St Ninian's Court. In order to proceed with the application, DBC had requested that the Department consult these residents. 5.2. The Department therefore undertook a consultation in the form of a questionnaire, with the questions being raised agreed with DBC. The Department received a consolidated response from the residents in the form of letter addressed to the Department Minister. The resident's response focused on the existing traffic management plan for the events and the use of the exit from Nobles Park onto the land at St Ninian's church. Concern was also raised that the planned roadway would lead to further use of the church exit outside of events with a resulting increase in traffic flow past their accommodation. The resident response made no comment on the plan for a pathway. The concerns raised by the residents were therefore related to the overall traffic management plan for the events and not the specifics of the application. 5.3. The Department replied to the resident's letter and addressed the points made, making it clear that the Department acknowledged the resident's concerns and that, with the support of DBC, would pursue a new exit location. The Department stated that with this in mind, and as the planning application was an important cost saving measure, the Department would intend to re-submit the application.
6.1. The DfE has an agreement with DBC to operate within the "Licensed Area" (as shown at Annex A, with the perimeter shown blue in colour) in order to permit the DfE to use the land for the organisation of the TT and Manx Grand Prix (MGP) and Classic TT (CTT). 6.2. At Annex A, the area shaded in green covers the Nobles Park grassed area (known as "the Fields" within the agreement) and the area shown as the "Snoozebox site" and shaded orange (with a partial dashed-blue perimeter) is also included within a variation to the original agreement. 6.3. Annex B shows the DBC approved areas of roadway and pathway that apply to this application. 6.4. Annex C show the overall affected areas highlighted in red as per the planning checklist requirement. 6.5. Annex D shows the track matting partially installed and the pathway fully installed during the build period for the 2018 TT. 6.6. Annex E and F show overhead drone shots of the entire area showing the vehicle trackmatting and pedestrian matting in place during the 2019 TT.
7.1. Initial DfE Request for Approvals. Due to the anticipated time it would take to gain the necessary approvals, the Department wrote to DBC requesting approval for number of infrastructure improvements in Nobles Park, including a permanent roadway and pathway in a letter dated 11th October 2018. That proposal was met with initial agreement with conditions as specified in an email from DBC Head of Parks dated 29th Nov 2018, a copy of which is available upon request. The application was then delayed due to the significant workload between the 2018 and 2019 events.
7.2. Agreed Specification. The DBC Design Engineering Officer studied a number of options for a solution to a replacement roadway and pathway and DBC approved a specification for a Grasscrete style solution (e.g. www.grasscrete.com). The specification of the solution was such that it would be capable of supporting a fully laden articulated vehicle. Confirmation of this agreed specification is in an email from DBC and available on request. The proposed solution would be aesthetically in keeping with the existing area (i.e. not a tarmac solution) and have no vertical extent. 7.3. DEFA Tree Survey/DEFA Input. Mr Andrew Igoea from DEFA was consulted about the proposal and a reply was received in an email on 11th Oct 2019, where DEFA advised a tree survey should be carried out to assess any possible impact on the area concerned. In Jan 2020, Manx Roots Ltd were consulted on the plans to install a permanent road and pathway on the same footprint as the temporary road and pathway for TT2019. Manx Roots had carried out a full survey of the Nobles Park area prior to the installation of the temporary road in 2018 and had given advice on tree protection within that survey. There were no additional restrictions put on the planned route by Manx Roots. In order to update DEFA on the application plans, a meeting with Mr Charles Harrison took place on site on 18th June 2020. Mr Harrison was in general support of the plans, with advice given on ensuring the route of the roadway stayed outside any of the tree canopies as it routed west up the hill from the Hoggery. There was no concern over the trees at the central pathway. 7.4. Drainage. As part of the plan to install a permanent roadway in the Nobles Park area, DBC Design Engineering Officer was consulted as to a possible drainage solution in the Park to include within the design of the proposed new roadway. At the same time this consultation was taking place, the Manx Utilities Authority (MUA) was carrying out works in Nobles Park with Paul Carey Ltd laying a mains water pipe right across the Park. These works had enabled a detailed investigation into the condition of the ground in the Park and had showed the formation of the earth layers down to below a meter in depth. In consultation with DBC, Sean Craig \& Sons Ltd (local ground workers) and Paul Carey Ltd ground workers and MUA engineers (Dave Cain and Lionel Bell), it was agreed that an acceptable method of achieving the required drainage was to carry out sub-soiling in Nobles Park. This was agreed to form the basis of the necessary drainage solution for the laying of the roadway and pathway. 7.5. Highways Division. Paul Davis from Highways was informed of the plans to lay a permanent road in the Park as part of the overall traffic management plan for TT and MGP/CTT. Highways had previously been consulted as part of the process of introducing a traffic flow into the Park through St Ninian's Church, with the overall aim of improving traffic flow along St Ninian's Road. As there were no changes to the permanent Highways road structure involved and the pathway was essentially on private land, Highways raised no concerns over replacing the temporary road used in 2018/19 with a permanent solution. 7.6. Topographical Survey of Nobles Park. In accordance with the planning checklist requirements a full topographical CAD survey with PDF of the relevant areas within Nobles Park area was carried out by WGS Ltd and is available on request via email. The relevant software would be required to open the "dwg" files and "ctb" files. 7.7. Applicant. The Applicant is the DfE. The application follows pre-application discussions with a senior planning officer from the IOM planning and Building Control. 7.8. Pre-Application Planning Officer Comments. On behalf of the DfE, the applicant met with Planning Officer Chris Balmer during early Oct 2019 and discussed the proposal. Mr Balmer replied in an email on 9th Oct 2019 and advised that a full planning application would be required. The Department met again with Mr Balmer on 17th Sep 2020 where the reasons for the initial withdrawal and re-submission of the application were discussed.
8.1. During TT and MGP/CTT in 2018 and 2019, a temporary roadway was introduced as part of the traffic management plan within the Nobles Park area. The ability to route traffic through the Park effectively in all weathers was acknowledged as a major improvement over previous events, and the pathway introduced also made for a more effective means of travel across the grassed area for pedestrians. However, the ongoing rental and manpower costs were significant and major savings could be made if replaced by permanent solutions. A new pathway that linked the existing central path with the northern end of the site would open up the existing space for the public, creating an allweather footpath link route and also improve safety during the events as it would improve emergency vehicle access.
9.1. The IOM TT and FOM are very special and unique events with significant cultural and economic importance to the Isle of Man. As the popularity of the events has increased and continue to do so, there is a requirement to match that increase in visitor numbers with improved offerings of the facilities on site, whilst mindful of the need for effective safety management of the event, in particular having a realistic and effective traffic management system. The proposal would support the operation of the events, forming a major part of the necessary health and safety transport management plan and improve the overall visitor experience. Approval for the proposal would lead to a significant long term financial saving for the Manx tax-payer by removing the need to rent and install/remove track-matting and temporary pathway, and result in better all year round access to the Northern section of Nobles Park for the Manx public. redacted
Nigel Crennell TT Production Manager Department for Enterprise
A. The DBC Licensed Area (Blue Outline). B. Douglas Borough Council approved footprint. C. Site Overview - Area affected by application. D. Site Overview - Track matting partially installed - Pathway fully installed. E. Overhead Picture - Planned roadway footprint. F. Overhead Picture - Planned pathway footprint.
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