Owner of 16 Selborne Road Appeal Statement
Statement Of Case
Submitted by: – 16 Selborne Road, Douglas, IM1 4BT (Interested Person) Property: All Saints Church, Alexander Drive, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 4EB Planning Ref: 23/01454/GB Appellant: – 17 Selborne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 4BT Outline: Alterations to facilitate a change of use from place of worship to gym with
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associated facilities (in association with 23/01453/CON)
The reasons for lodging this appeal are:
- A) Concern over long opening hours.
- B) Increased parking problems in an already busy area
- C) Possible breaches of the Conservation area planning rules
The applicant’s plan to open between 0500 and 2200 during the week goes against the Noise Act of
- Customers would be allowed to in from 5am but the proprietors would have to be there earlier to open the doors. After closing time at 10 pm, cleaners would need to be working on the premises ready for opening at 5am the following morning. This would make it close to a 24 hour commercial operation in a residential area.
There is also the problem of noise emanating from the premises during the opening hours. There appears to be very little provision for noise insulation and the use of air conditioning units will be intrusive. Compared to other gyms in Douglas, of which there are many, the proposed operation would be open for an excessive number of hours considering its position in a purely residential area.
Parking is already a problem in the area with local permit holding residents sometimes having to park well away from their homes. There is congestion in the surrounding streets and Selborne Road is used a rat run by commuters. The presence of a gym would make this considerably worse. There have been several serious accidents at the junction of Alexander Drive, Selborne Road and Selborne Drive over the past couple of years. An increase in traffic would exacerbate the problem.
All Saints Hall is well used by the public and patrons need to park. The presence of the gym will make this more difficult.
The proposed provision of 21 parking places associated with the gym is inadequate and the use of parking spaces in the adjoining roads coupled with the long opening hours will cause problems for local residents.
The conservation of trees on the site must also be protected. Selborne Road is a Conservation area and the church itself is protected. The use of the building as a gym does not fit in with the concept of conservation or preservation.
