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The application site represents an area of land to the west of the new Nobles Hospital complex and to the east of Strang crossroads. The area is currently an undeveloped field (Field number 524242) and is bounded by a wall with railings resulting in the site being open and readily visible within the streetsce.
The current local plan that covers the application site is the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Braddan Parish District Local Plan) Order 1991, which was adopted by Tynwald on the 10th July 1991. This order is accompanied by and should be read in conjunction with a written statement (Planning Circular 6/91). Under this document the application site is within an area zoned as being part of the Ballamona Hospital Site.
The existing local plan was in the process of being revised through the Braddan Parish Plan. A draft version of this document went to public inquiry and the report of the appointed Planning Inspector into that public inquiry was published. Under the draft version the application site is within an area that is specifically zoned as Proposed Public Open Space.
The Department has subsequently decided not to proceed with the revised plan and, as such, I would suggest that only limited weight can be attached to the policies contained therein.
The site is further identified as being within an area identified in The Braddan (Ballamona Estates) Planning Scheme (No 2) Order 1996 as ‘Hospital in its own grounds’.
The following previous applications are considered relevant to this application:
PA 02/0338 – Erection of staff accommodation comprising 28 apartments and 6 houses, part playing fields, Ballamona, Strang, Braddan. Refused initially 18th October 2002, approved at Review 10th January 2003.
PA 05/92419 – Extension to existing accommodation to provide 14 DHSS staff flats, Phase 3, Ballamona Estate, Braddan. Approved 7th April 2006.
The application proposes in principle, the construction of a group practice surgery, together with associated car parking for 40 vehicles.
Braddan Parish Commissioners recommend that the application be approved. The SPMCE raise concerns regarding the proposal, and the Department of Transport Drainage Division advise of no objection subject to condition. The occupiers of Bardsea, Ballaoates Road, Braddan, and Daa Yeig As Feed, 32 Ballanawin, Braddan, object to the loss of proposed public open space and increase in traffic. The Department of Transport Highways Division advise of no objection subject to the
imposition of a condition should permission be granted. The Disability Access Officer has submitted comments with regard to the need to provide disabled parking spaces.
The application proposes in principle, the construction of a group practice surgery to accommodate the current general practitioners surgery in Murray's Road, Douglas. Parking for 40 vehicles would be provided directly adjacent to the building, with access to the car park gained via the existing hospital access road and an entrance/exit point opposite the Newlands development.
During the assessment of the application, additional information was sought from the applicant to indicate which other sites had been considered suitable for the proposed surgery, and an explanation as to why such sites have not proved suitable. The Estates Services Directorate submitted further information indicating that a number of sites had been considered to accommodate the Palatine Group Practice, Murrays Road, Douglas, which requires to relocate in order to accommodate the increasing number of patients and staff. The current surgery accommodates 5 GPs, 3 nurses and approximately 9300 patients and there is currently no off street parking for patients and only one disabled parking space, which is on-street. In a number of instances, the sites considered within Douglas required demolition and clearance and little or no parking and in other cases, the purchase price was considered to be prohibitive.
The application site is within an area identified as being suitable for hospital use, both in the adopted Local Plan, and the Planning Scheme (No 2) Order 1996. A GPs surgery, whilst a medical use is not considered to be a hospital use; however hospital staff accommodation has also been granted approval and constructed on land directly adjacent to the application site and it is considered therefore that development has taken place within the immediate vicinity of the site, for uses not inextricably linked to the hospital use.
The application is in principle only and therefore the impact of the building itself cannot be assessed within the streetscene, however, the site is some 85m from the nearest highway, and it is not considered that the construction of a two storey building in this location would adversely impact on the visual amenity of the area, on the basis of this separation distance and the view of built development against and adjacent to other built development on the site.
With regard to the relocation of a GPs surgery to meet the needs of a population located some distance from the site, the applicants submit that approximately 70% of current patients arrive at the surgery by private car. In addition, a bus route regularly serves the hospital, and pedestrian walkways within the hospital site would allow for patients arriving on foot to reach the surgery from bus stops within the site.
It is always desirable to site such uses within the area that the use serves; however, it is considered that the advantages of a new group practice in the location proposed, by way of a continuation of service to the community, outweigh the disadvantages in terms of distance from patients. In addition, the site is served by a regular bus service and on site parking exists for vehicle users. Whilst the use would result in the loss of an area for future public open space uses, adequate space remains and on balance, the proposal is considered to be acceptable.
It is recommended that the application be approved
It is considered that all parties, who submitted comments, with the exception of the following:
Mr & Mrs Barfoot, Bardsea, Ballaates Road, Braddan Mr & Mrs Barfoot, Daa Yeig As Feed, 32 Ballanawin, Braddan
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 03.01.2007
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
This approval is in principle only and will remain valid for a period of two years within which time no development may take place until such time as details of the reserved matters (siting, design, external appearance, internal layout, means of access, landscaping) have been approved by the Planning Authority. Such reserved matters should form the subject of a single application.
This approval relates to Drawing Numbers K093/OP/10-01 and 02, submitted as part of this application and date stamped 29th September 2006.
Any future application seeking Reserved Matters approval must include a traffic management scheme, to indicate the facilitation of vehicular and pedestrian access to the site from within the hospital road network. In addition, the car parking layout must include designated disabled parking spaces.
Prior to the submission of any future Reserved Matters application, the applicant is advised to carry out the necessary percolation tests, in order to support the proposal for the drainage of surface water to a soakaway.
Decision Made : _________________________ Committee Meeting Date : _________________________
3 January 2007 06/01672/A Page 5 of 5
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