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The attached report submitted by Douglas Royal AFC and Corinthians AFC in support of their Planning (Amendment) Application was compiled with the knowledge of and from data supplied (where relevant) by Isle of Man Vagabonds RUFC.
Both sites were operated over the 2016 TT period as a first venture to offer camping at the Ballafletcher Sports Centre.
Although the Clubs operated separately there was a great deal of cooperation between them and the sites were operated successfully, especially considering this was a first venture.
It is foreseen that the cooperation will continue in future years and it is again proposed that meals and bar services will be operated from the Vagabonds Clubhouse.
For the 2017 TT it is again anticipated that Blue Bell Tents will operate their ‘glamping’ setup which offers clients the luxury of erected tents with carpets, beds, bedside tables and lamps and also 24 hours attendance of their staff. All advertising and sourcing of clients is undertaken by Blue Bell Tents
16/00912
Received 9/8/16 Amended DEFA, PLANNING AND BUILDING CONTROL DIVISION T D D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S
Corinthians & Douglas Royal Football Clubs
Proposed campsite at Ballafletcher Sports Ground, Strang, Braddan
We propose to amend the current planning permission ref: 15/01284/C to have a temporary campsite at Ballafletcher Sports Ground for the two week period of TT (practise/race week). We currently have restricted permission for up to 100 tents for TT 2016.
We would like increase the number of tents from 100 to 200 for TT 2017 and future TT festivals.
Our bookings for 2016 were as follows (planning was only approved in February 2016):
| Tents | 4 * |
| Number of people | 6 |
| Foot | 6 |
*These were the number tents in total over the TT period with the busiest period being the weekend in between practise/race week, when we had around 70 tents and there was still ample space for further tents.
Vagabonds Rugby Club also had a separate planning application approved and their bookings were as follows: {{table:206702}} As you can see from the numbers above the majority of visitors were foot passengers travelling by ferry or plane.
| Tents | 40 |
| Number of people | 98 |
| Cars | 4 (Includes 1 van for the tent Company) |
| Motor Bikes | 17 |
| Foot | 56 |
The hospital did not have any adverse incident reported from TT 2016, so in the absence of a complaint, we would have to say that it appears to have gone well.
We have been asked to include a car park study in the last 3 years with this amended application.
The number of cars booked through Regency was 4 and number of motorbikes was 12. Vagas had a further 4 Cars and 17 motorbikes.
There was ample parking for the whole of the TT period and we never received any complaint from anyone needing to park nor did anyone have to use the hospital car park. Campsite volunteers and delivery vehicles were all able to park as and when required and the car park capacity was around 40-50% at all times and this probably also included use by the general public. Out of the 243 people that booked, 185 arrived on foot, which represents 76% of the bookings.
We are in discussions again with Regency Travel and IOM tents who would take the bookings for the site. The camping would be pre-erected tents, own tents, or a mix thereof. We understand that Douglas Rugby Club will not be dealing with IOM tents for future festivals and we have already started receiving bookings from campers wanting an alternative to Douglas Rugby club but continue using IOM tents as they offer a pre-erected package.
The football/rugby clubs will work together again in relation to the usage of the car park, showers and toilets. Vagabonds have been advised that their facilities are adequate for this number however the football clubs may need to hire a toilet/sink block (further information below).
The two football pitches for Corinthians and Douglas Royals, large training area and small training area are located within the Ballafletcher Sports Ground, which is situated on the Ballafletcher Road, Tromode, with bus stops at the Hospital and the Strang Road, for travel in to Douglas or Peel and onward connections to other locations within the Island. The site is within easy walking distance of the general stores located at the Strang Crossroads and also within walking distance of many popular vantage points for spectators for the TT.
The camping area would involve the two football pitches, and a surrounding area. Access for campers from the car park area to the proposed campsite areas for the football clubs will be alongside the rear of the main building. Motorbikes will be able to park in the main car park, which has 110 car spaces, which can be adapted for motorbike parking and there will be a designated area to leave the motorbikes. There will be access alongside the back of the shed building for the catering van to access the area beside the decking area for purchase of food.
The facilities (see attached plans showing building, with changing rooms, canteen area and toilets)
Showers
The two football clubs have four good sized changing rooms within the main building, which could easily be segregated for men’s & women’s. Each changing room has a shower are with 5 showers (therefore 20 showers in total).
Vagabonds also have 4 changing rooms, which means an additional 24 showers and there is a referees room with a further 4 showers and 1 separate shower which can also be used.
As mentioned above the clubs will work together to segregate the showers into men, women and disabled once the bookings are confirmed and the numbers known by the clubs.
Toilets
Each changing room including the referees has a toilet, with each changing room also having a urinal, there is one disabled toilet inside and 2 disabled toilets outside the building; one designated for men and one for women. These would be available 24 hours. Toilet facilities will also be available in the public bar when it is open.
The football clubs are also looking at adding additional toilet/sink facilities in the form of a toilet/sink unit, which would be located next to the shed area and the main building.
Car Park
The main car park has lighting and there is also sensor security lighting around the whole perimeter of the building.
The car park has 110 spaces for cars.
Canteen
The football clubs have a small canteen facility, which will be used to offer prepared food, likely to be an outside catering firm. As an alternative, an outside catering van could be allowed onto the site to provide catering; the site will not be offering cooking facilities to campers.
Bar
There is a public bar facility within the main building run by Vagabonds Rugby club, who have advised that this would be open each evening and any campers on any of the Ballafletcher Sports ground site would be able to use. The room has a number of TVs with satellite, where campers would be able to view TT highlights and other programmes.
Telephone
We propose to ensure that a landline telephone facility is available within the main building and available to be used should there be mobile downtime.
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