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Re change of use from manufacturing to community use: former premises of GH Manufacturing Ltd, Second Avenue, Onchan, Planning application No. PA07/00379/B
1) We consider that our proposed use of the building fits the Government’s criteria to provide more recreational and cultural facilities.
2) It may also be of interest that a tour of all of the trading estates in and around Douglas revealed that on every one, there were units either to let or for sale, and in most of them there was still plenty of land left to be developed for further units. Whilst we agree that it is important to have such an industrial infrastructure, it was apparent to us that the loss of one such unit would not therefore be of significant detriment to the industrial development of the area.
3) The Commissioners are concerned about parking and congestion. The existing car park at the front of the premises can accommodate about 35 cars. This can easily be extended to the side and rear should it ever be necessary to add an additional 10-12 spaces. However there is already a large car park in School Road that is completely empty on most Sunday mornings, which might be made available to us by the owners.
problems will still exist no matter who the new owner is. At least the church will not have regular visits by articulated lorries and vans!
4) The issue of noise is again not, in our opinion, as bad a problem as the Commissioners may think. Our existing church is immediately alongside and behind rows of houses and we have never had a complaint in the 24 years we have been there. However, again according to Mrs Heyes, the factory had 2 large compressors operating 6 large machines for cutting, folding and packing, all of which were noisy in operation. They also had over 30 industrial sewing machines upstairs. They also had radios upstairs and downstairs blaring out music on full volume. In the Summer they would have all the windows open for ventilation, but again, they did not have complaints.
5) Turning to the petition from the old people’s complex, this saddens us as these are the very people that we hope to be of benefit to. At our present premises we regularly visit old people’s residential homes to hold services and to offer encouragement. We realise now that perhaps we should have engaged with them before the planning process began. However we will still be arranging meetings and events specifically with them in mind. We do have elderly people already in our congregation who enjoy having younger people to mix with. We know that we cannot appeal to everyone but we shall certainly do our very best. We are, after all, a community church.
6) The perceived problems with youths 'hanging around' is one that we would tackle, but perhaps not in the way envisioned by the old folks opposite. It is probable that the very presence of a church building being used in the evenings would likely drive any potential troublemakers away. They prefer to do their mischief in the dark where no people are around. The church would also bring light and witnesses into their environment. Any youth events organised by us would of course be of a Christian nature, and would initially be for the young people who already attend our church. We would be looking to extend invitations to young people in the neighbourhood, but it would always be from a Christian standpoint. As we said earlier, we would be promoting good government and social well-being to all.
7) If we can now turn to the two letters from Mrs McGrath, again we consider that she has looked too much at the negative side without considering the positive aspects of our plan. Very few people who attend out church arrive alone by car. Most cars have passengers. The total number of cars parked outside our present church on Sunday mornings is about 20. We would therefore easily fit onto the car park of the new community church. On Sunday afternoons, when most visitors come to the old folks complex, we would happily allow them to park on our forecourt as we want to be a good witness to the community.
We are similarly aware of the problems that occurred with the youth club at Broadway Baptist Church which is why we intend to structure our youth meetings on different lines, with an emphasis on Christian standards as already described.
8) In conclusion, we have looked at several similar schemes operated by other churches in the Elim movement, who have taken over former industrial buildings exactly as we plan. Some of these are multi- million pound projects in inner cities. Others are on a scale similar to our plans in suburban or rural areas. They each serve their community in ways specific to its needs. We have tried to learn from their mistakes but equally to learn from their successes, and are intent to apply them to our local needs. In order to do this we need committed people in our congregation but equally we need the resources that we can find in the former manufacturing premises that we seek to adapt for our use.
09/08/07
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