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Received 13-4-06 06 00655 Town and Country Planning Act 1999 PLANNING AND BUILDING CONTROL DIRECTORATE
Date and Officer initials
B. H. Cowley Director of Design Services Design Services Division Department of Transport Sea Terminal Building Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2RF
April 2006
Job Ref. HW/2509
For and on behalf of: The Department of Transport – Highways Division
| Project No. | Report Status | Date | Client Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB/2509 | Planning Submission | April 2006 | April 2006 |
| Prepared By | Checked By | Approved By | Client Approved by |
| Scott Duncan signature | Alan Dando signature BH Howley Rp A. Dando | Brian Cowley signature BH Howley | Jim Davidson signature John Naul |
Design Services Division Department of Transport Sea Terminal Building Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2RF
1.0 General 1.1 Background
2.0 General
3.0 Traffic Management Strategy
4.0 UK 'Homezone' Design Guidelines
5.0 General 5.1 Options Considered 5.2 Consultation 5.3 Parking 5.4 Conservation of Historic and Port Artefacts 5.5 Surface Treatments 5.6 Phased Construction 5.7 Summary
Appendix A Location Plan Appendix B Photographs Appendix C Drawings
The purpose of this document is to explain the development of the proposed improvement scheme for the North Quay, Douglas.
Its aim is to demonstrate why an improvement scheme is necessary and show how the proposed scheme will provide the necessary environmental catalyst to enhance and regenerate the North Quay.
Douglas harbour and quayside area has always been an important focal point of the town, and although the emphasis has gradually shifted away from commercial towards leisure activities, the importance remains today.
Once a bustling commercial port, the emphasis on the inner harbour is now mainly seasonal leisure craft and the surrounding properties that define the area now comprise shops, restaurants and offices largely unrelated to the harbour activities.
Douglas Harbour represents an important gateway to the Isle of Man and the roads leading past the Inner Harbour have already benefited from a great deal of infrastructure improvements. Recent alterations to the Bridge Road / Bank Hill junction have removed through traffic from the North Quay. However, parked vehicles still dominate the North Quay, and their removal will provide an opportunity for a significant environmental benefit to the area.
This chapter highlights the underlying reasons why an improvement scheme is necessary.
The core purpose, aims and objectives of the Isle of Man Governments Business Plan is “To maintain and build on the high quality of life enjoyed by the Island’s community.
This is addressed in the Department of Transport’s Business plan to provide a sound and sufficient physical infrastructure for the Island.
The enhancement of North Quay, Douglas, is contained within the Highway Division’s Business Plan to improve environmental protection with the aim to promote and support initiatives and schemes which improve the highway network and benefit the environment.
In order to reduce the domination and intrusion of vehicles to an absolute minimum, a vehicle routing strategy has been developed with the objective of removing through traffic whilst maintaining access for residents, businesses and emergency services.
The strategy involves the implementation of three one way systems on North Quay:
See Drg No. HW/2509/P005A for further details.
The proposed scheme has been developed in accordance with the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers Home Zone design guidelines.
"Home Zone" is the UK term for a street where people and vehicles share the whole of the road space safely, and on equal terms; and where quality of life takes precedence over ease of traffic movement.
Within a home zone, traffic speeds of around 10mph should be achieved through the overall street design. This will be achieved on all points of entry by installing table top ramps.
To keep traffic speeds low through the home zone, the design incorporates features such as horizontal deflections, street furniture, public art and no raised kerbs (a raised kerb gives a powerful message to all road users that a street is divided into vehicular and pedestrian areas).
A Summary of Geometric Design Guidance for Home Zones is contained over the page:
| Item | Criterion | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Max traffic flow | 100 vehicles per hour, weekday pm peak | |
| Max number of dwellings | No set upper limit | Depends on traffic flow criterion |
| Design speed | 16kph (10mph) | |
| Max spacing between traffic calming events | 30m | Until further experience gained |
| Forward visibility | 12m | Forward visibility should not significantly exceed this value |
| Minimum width of vehicle track | 3m | With passing places 4.5m wide every 40m |
| Junction visibility splay within home zone | 12m x 2m | |
| Minimum centre line radius | No minimum | Limited by swept path analysis |
| Minimum corner radius at junctions | No minimum | Limited by swept path analysis |
| Max length | 400m | Distance to any particular point in home zone, from nearest entry point |
In developing the recommended option, the following criteria were considered:
Various layout options, based on the Department’s Traffic Management Strategy, were considered. However, onerous layout constraints concluded that only one option would fully satisfy the operational requirements of the Department’s Highways and Harbour Divisions (See Drg. HW/2509/P020A for details).
A public exhibition of the proposed scheme was held at St Matthews church hall on Friday 24 March 2006.
The exhibition was well attended and feedback was generally supportive. However, concern over the loss of on-street parking was expressed by several residents, members of the public, The Newson Trading Company, Sadler & Vanderplank Opticians and the Rev. Canon Duncan Whitworth of St Matthew’s Church.
It should be noted that many of the individuals who expressed concern over loss of on-street parking were of the similar opinion that they would support the concept of no parking on North Quay if alternative off-street parking arrangements were secured within walking distance of the quay.
Disc and contract parking is currently permitted at various locations on the Quay (see Drg. HW/2509/P015 for details).
Upon implementation of the scheme, ninety nine parking spaces (including the fourteen additional spaces provided temporarily under the recently completed enhancement works at the western end of the quay) will be removed from North Quay. On-street parking facilities in the lower Douglas area are already at capacity. There is however a number of off-street pay and display parking areas nearby, including Shaws Brow Car Park and several redevelopment sites used for parking.
In order to mitigate the impact of the proposed scheme, the Department is actively seeking to secure the agreement of Douglas Corporation for Shaw’s Brow Car Park to accommodate cars in the evening and overnight periods.
Initial feedback from Douglas Corporation in relation to this request has been positive. However, negotiations are on-going and there is no agreement in place.
There are few remaining historic artefacts on the quayside. Photographic evidence from the Manx Museum indicates that the only prominent feature is the yellow post and chain fence at the western end of the quay.
There are several examples of traditional cast iron work in road gullies and inspection covers, several of which emanated from Gellings Foundry in Douglas. Beyond this, with the exception of a few stone kerbs and sett gullies, very little remains of the original features and surfaces.
The few remaining features will be renovated and incorporated into the proposed scheme. The chain-link fence will be carefully removed and relocated to the eastern end of the quay. The cast iron posts will be stripped of their paint to reveal more detail and repainted in the same colour as the recently installed railings on the perimeter of the boatpark.
All surface treatments, railings etc. have been specified in accordance with the Douglas Development Partnership’s – Douglas Quayside Area Design Guide.
Colours and textures will be the same as those specified on the recently constructed works at the western end of the quay. However, in order to address public concern in relation to the unevenness of the ‘Riven’ York stone paving flags, diamond sawn flags have been specified on the majority of pedestrian areas (see Drg. HW/2509/P026A for details).
Subject to receiving the necessary approvals – planning, treasury concurrence etc. the scheme will be constructed in three phases over three consecutive financial years:
The Statement of Case has explained the development of the proposed improvement scheme for the North Quay.
It has long been the intention of the Department of Transport, with the support of Douglas Corporation and the Douglas Development Partnership, to complete the improvement of this important area of Douglas.
An investigation of the practical available options has been undertaken and the Department concludes that the option proposed and shown on the enclosed plans best meets all the needs and criteria for access, pedestrian facilities and the health, safety and welfare of harbour users.
The Department of Transport therefore submits this North Quay Improvement Scheme for planning approval.
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