Objection Letter from Richard Thorpe

D.o.L.G.E. Planning Section Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas.

Herdman House Shore Road Port Erin

7th January 2007

Dear sirs

Ref: Planning Application 06/01949/B

I wish to register my objection to the proposed extension of the business premises at the Beachcomber Café, Shore Road, Port Erin, to which Herdman House is the immediate residential neighbouring building.

My grounds for objection concern:

1: An extension of the business facilities takes no account of the inadequate facility for parking an expanded business will create, and 2: The potential for nuisance deriving from irresponsible parking in the vicinity.

1: The lack of a suitable parking strategy is already of concern.

i/. As of this date, with the takeaway business opened in its present form for 10 days, there has been an assumption by patrons and staff that parking is available directly opposite the café. Despite a double yellow line parking restriction, up to 6 cars at a time have been parked mounted on the pavement on the opposite side of the road to the café. Pedestrians are forced to walk single-file to pass the cars, or in the case of parents with children in buggies, in the road itself.

ii/. This stretch of road lies between the existing traffic lights. It cannot be clear to the drivers of these cars, once parked, whether or not the lights are in their favour when leaving. This presents a very real hazard to other road users, even at this quiet time of year, let alone in the busy summer months.

There appears to be a tacit acquiescence in the above infringements by passing Police patrols.

iii/. It is well documented that restriction of speed on the Lower Promenade and Shore Road has been a recent issue for local residents, Port Erin Commissioners, the Police and the Department of Transport and measures have been introduced directed primarily at the younger drivers who congregate in the area. I would suggest that the extension of a takeaway business in this specific location with an inevitable increase in traffic runs directly at cross-purposes to the above efforts.

This is especially so since the current business intends to remain open until 2 a.m. at weekends, thus attracting further traffic late into the night, and acting as a focus for those drivers that the measures are intended to discourage.

Contd. 2.

2: The potential for nuisance arises from the above. As an immediate neighbour to the business in its previous forms I have suffered no inconvenience of note. However, nor have I experienced the current level of abuse of parking regulations, and consequent noise during evenings and nighttime.

An expansion of the current business now represents a threat of real disturbance; the bedrooms of Herdman House are at street level, and unless parking for patrons and delivery staff is organised on a proper basis rather than the current ad-hoc arrangement it will constitute an intolerable disruption of my life here.

Other residents along the Shore Road will inevitably be similarly affected by the passing traffic from a take-away delivery business. I would very much appreciate your consideration of the impact on the locality when you come to examine this proposal. Yours faithfully, Richard Thorpe.

c.c. Chief Constable, IOM Constabulary Port Erin Commissioners Department of Transport