Planning – Draft Area Plan for the East

Report Ref: A5
Ref Description: 200-300 houses based on 20-25 per hectare to be in keeping with the surrounding area
Concerns / objection:
Surrounding areas currently consist of two exclusive self-contained small estates which comprise of high range housing. The introduction of a large scale housing development to the fields adjacent to these existing estates, Tromode Woods and Tromode Falls, would create the vision of one large contained development on the landscape. In keeping with the current surrounding estates would indicate the same house size and standard is being considered, however the proposal states 200-300 affordable family housing and sheltered accommodation. This would change the demographics of the area and introduce possible problems associated from properties being predominantly rented vs owner occupied. Blurred estate boundaries making the current estates less desirable with the introduction of lower quality properties, if affordability is a factor - hence consideration needs to be given and a better understanding of the terms ‘in keeping’ for the area.

Report Ref D1 CCQ.3
Ref Description: Nationally or internationally designated site
Concerns - This has been flagged as ‘NO’ – consideration should be given to the current habitats and wildlife that frequents / lives in the field, particularly the area of marshland in the top field. It is home to a vast array of wildlife including but not limited to: bats, geese, ducks, frogs, pheasant, numerous bird species, rabbits, small lizard has even been evidenced on the estate.

Report Ref D1 CCQ.5
Ref Description :Is the site an Ancient Monument
Concerns / objection:
Evidence to support areas of tumuli within the fields being considered.

Report Ref:DC3.2
Report Description: A secondary Point of Vehicular access is possible via Tromode Woods and Douglas Rugby Club "
Concerns / objection:
Access to and from Tromode Woods was designed to cater solely for the 50 houses 47 of which are contained within the estate. Questions / concerns have been raised previously re possible access point into the side field from Hollin Bank, residents at that time were given confirmation that the road layout would not support any further traffic than expected from the 47 properties in existence.

Road out onto Ballafletcher Road barely accommodates two passing cars due to turns in road design, waiting is required while the other car passes, the bend into the estate throws cars onto the wrong side of the road and restricted driveways vs number of cars per household means that cars are parked on this road to accommodate growing families or visitors. Increased traffic would result in serious traffic problems. Moving off the halt sign onto Ballafletcher Road especially at peak periods is difficult due to the speed and volume of traffic now using this as a main link into and around Douglas. With the development of the business park there has been a large increase of traffic using this and Braddan road especially during peak times using it as a ring road up to the business park. Cars which were previously heading into town now use this ring road as their daily commute, the infrastructure would not be able to cope with the additional cars that would result from the 4 additional developments being proposed by the Eastern plan around the Braddan area.

Crossing points across Ballafletcher road are dangerous and lighting limited as is the pavement available to cater for increased foot traffic. A pedestrian waiting area was implemented a few years ago as a result of a number of accidents involving school children being hit by cars on leaving the estate to catch their school bus outside Pascoes – all of these considerations need to be factored into the feasibility as the current infrastructure around Tromode Woods is not sufficient to cater for any further traffic – road or foot.

Access point Douglas Rugby club would greatly impact all incoming traffic especially at peak time and would require a traffic system to control adding to more delays, a roundabout system would not allow traffic to leave the proposed development due to the flow of traffic from the East – the Quarterbridge / Braddan bridge / Braddan road / Ballafletcher road traffic would all be greatly impacted by a possible min 200 – 700 additional cars that such an estate would bring (best case 200 houses 1 car per household – 200 cars – more probable 300 houses 1 car per house hold – 300 cars – realistically an average of 2 cars per household 400-600 and any additional cars based on an increasing average becoming the norm – Tromode Woods currently average of 2 cars per household 94 cars with at least 2 houses I drive past having in excess of 5 on the drive and parked on the road in front!

Further consideration for the layout where there is access via various points would increase probable traffic ‘cutting through’ the estate at peak times to ‘beat the traffic queues’. Traffic could cut through from the Tromode Woods entrance and out at the rugby club entrance in favour of waiting in traffic queues on Braddan and Ballafletcher road at busy times - further increasing possible volumes through the existing estate.
Considerations should also be given to the impact of traffic traveling up

Johnny Watterson Road / Ballanard Road - Traffic congestion is currently experienced in this area during peak times, increasing this volumes of cars travelling up to Onchan or top area’s of Douglas will further impact delays.
During TT and Grandprix fortnights consideration re the impact on the Access road should be factored in. Traffic can be queued up to use the access road down past Tromode Woods entrance into Cronkbourne village, by increasing traffic coming out a new development here would create even greater grid lock and traffic policing requirements and concerns re access to the hospital during this critical period as with any other peak traffic periods."

Report Ref DC5.1
Report description: Facilities listed servicing the area
Concerns / objection:
I would seriously query that very few of the services listed are within the 1km walking distance specified for the Green status this point has been given. Consideration should be given of the impact to said services on a development of this scale – the shop, GP and school would definitely not be able to accommodate a development of this scale requiring its services. Current GP appointments are already under pressure and the school is at breaking point having to utilise a mobile structure to teach students. The dining hall already accommodates two sittings of 20 minutes and children are rushed and sent out regardless of them having had time to finish their school meal. Provisions would need to be put in place i.e. if it’s sheltered accommodation the GP would be impacted considerably, if is affordable family housing the GP and the school will in its current state not be able to cope.
There are no dental practices within the designated 1km walking distance specified."

Report Ref DC6
Report description: Would not result in loss of open space
Concerns / objection:
Maybe not ‘open space’ as you have defined, but currently this is a green belt area FULL of ‘open space’ enhancing the landscape and often used by dog walkers… It would be better utilised to turn his into an area of public amenity and open space close to Douglas centre.

Report ref DC8.1
Report Description: Protecting Visual Amenity – Development would have limited impact on visual amenity as viewed from adjacent land uses
Concerns / objection:
"If access is to be gained from the entrance below Braddan school or Douglas Rugby club loss of considerable registered trees is inevitable to accommodate roads for access.
Screening towards the cemetery is currently non-existent and an estate on the field to the side of the cemetery would impact the users of this public area.
Screening around Tromode Woods area is not consistent along its border and is very much seasonal shrubs and trees i.e. winter would provide little screening for most properties overlooking the side field, further impacted by the elevated position of the land that you are proposed to develop.
Property numbers 46, 45 & 44, are uniquely positioned on the corner of the estate with no screening and open fields at the back.

The study suggests no guidance as to the sort of screening , depth of screening or types of trees (?) that would be used to mitigate the impact that such an estate would most definitely have on surrounding properties overlooking the proposed development. We would request that our impact and input be considered into the planning, screening and landscaping of any possible future proposals this is a MAJOR concern for our future family home aesthetics and privacy.
If the proposed screening is too close to our property on both sides then we are concerned re the lack of sunlight will be restricted and could also not accept any footpaths adjacent to our property. "

Report ref: DC14
Report description: Minimising risk of flooding
Concerns / objection:
"This is crucial in the predicted changes to weather patterns from global warming, rain has been consistently increasing and there are indications we should expect a much wetter climate in the future.
The area on which Tromode Woods was built originally had a stream running through it and the area had to be built up to accommodate its development. Most properties have boggy unusable gardens or have spent considerable amounts on drainage. Given the fall of the land on the site being proposed, removing the fields for development would seriously impact/concern the residents of Tromode Woods where a number of houses have previously experienced some small scale flooding in the storms experienced in December 2015. Further consideration should be given to the impact on the surrounding estates and areas away from the development that will be effected by the run off from such a large scale removal of grassland."

Report Ref: F5
Report description: Large Scale site / access/junction works
Concerns / objection:
This is ticked as ‘not required’ I would seriously query the impact that this has been given within this study and the proposed road outlets. To accommodate access for a possible 700 cars, round about road management systems and/ or road widening if not being considered will seriously impact commute and traffic into / out of Douglas at peak times – not to mention movement within, into and out of the proposed estate itself. I don’t understand why your assessment is not factoring the current road systems and impact of the increased huge volumes of vehicles trying to filter into the existing highways.

Report ref: G1
Report description: Site Brief
Concerns / objection:
"Comments re Site Brief are very basic unsure why the following wouldn’t also be flagged:
Elevation of the land and the impact on the countryside
Elevation of the land and the impact of flooding to surrounding lower level areas
Development near Marshland and impact of flooding to surrounding area
Access through Tromode Woods and the existing road and pavement layout.
Impacts on surrounding ring road network re volume of traffic such a development would generate needs to be considered.
Main drainage, storm, sewage foul drains - where would this exit the site and any impacts on the surrounding areas. Would they tap into existing available network and how could that cope.
Bus service considerations - road developments being able to facilitate a bus route and proposed exists, a route through Tromode Woods would not be possible!
Street Lighting of surrounding area needs to be considered - currently Ballafletcher Road and surrounding areas have limited street lighting. If Braddan has to provide this extra lighting residents will see huge increases in their rates as has been the case due to developments in Foxdale."