Officer Report

Application No.: 16/00338/B Applicant: Peel Heritage Trust Proposal: Re-location of WW2 air raid shelter from Cliffe Cottage to site at Daisy Field (Retrospective) Site Address: Field 314321 Battery Road Peel Isle of Man Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is a piece of land which lies at the north western end of Battery Road to the north of Peel town and to the west of Mourne View and Cliff Cottage. The land is owned by Peel Town Commissioners and is part of a large grassed area which runs from Battery Road and Mourne View south to the brooghs to the rear of Marine Parade. - 1.2 Cliff Cottage is a property at the end of Battery Road and is the subject of building and extension work. During this work the applicant discovered a wartime bunker in the rear garden which they did not wish to retain within their property. They contacted the Peel Heritage Trust who undertook to find it a new home. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the relocation of the bunker some 10m or so across the road from Cliff Cottage. The structure is 2.37m long, 1.65m wide and 1.5m high above ground with a further 1.6m below ground. It is semi-cylindrical in shape with a small window in one side and a door in one end. The door will face south west as repositioned. PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site of the repositioned bunker is designated as Open Space on the Peel Local Plan of 1989. As such, there is a presumption against development by virtue of General Policy 3 of the Strategic Plan although the definition of Open Space in the Strategic Plan is as follows:

"Any land, whether enclosed or not, on which there are no buildings or on which not more than 5% is covered with buildings".

3.2 GP 3 presumes against development on land which is not designated for development but includes provision for "buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage". PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The site itself has not been the subject of any previous applications. Cliff Cottage was the subject of PA 15/00766/B for alterations and extensions which resulted in the shelter needing to be relocated.

• REPRESENTATIONS
• 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that there are no highway implications, however the site may not be suitable as a tourist destination if the shelter is to be marketed and will attract vehicular traffic to the site (31.03.16).

5.2 Peel Town Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application (14.04.16). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The relocation of the shelter is not considered detrimental to the character or appearance of the area: whilst it is designated as open space, the shelter is very modest and located in a corner of the site such that it will not significantly affect the area. The Highways Authority is concerned that the structure should not become an attraction which would result in traffic using Battery Road which is narrow and with little or no opportunities for vehicular turning. There is nothing to prevent vehicles from using Battery Road: whilst there is a T junction sign at the Ramsey Road end, there is nothing to indicate that vehicles should not use the road. There are no other means of accessing the application site by vehicle other than by Battery Road so some signage to dissuade people using Battery Road may be useful. Conversely, signage to attract people to the site should not be displayed and the applicant may consider information to those interested in the site indicating how to get to it other than by using Battery Road. These are not matters for this application. PARTY STATUS - 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant’s agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, in this case Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word ‘Department’ to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 18.04.2016 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

N 1. No signage or advertisements may be displayed on the site or on the access to the site, nor is it likely that such signage would be considered favourably should such an application be submitted under the Advertisements Regulations 2013 as this could increase the amount of vehicular traffic using Battery Road which is not considered suitable for such an increase.

This approval relates to the information and plans received on 18th March, 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 25.04.2016 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer

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