Peel Commissioners to move forward with Marine Parade plans

It was discussed at its latest public meeting 

Peel Commissioners will be moving forward with its plan to redevelop the Marine Parade site.

The local authority wants to build a new leisure facility with a café, public toilets and a function room.

Clerk Derek Sewell told the board that the consultation days had seen about 30 people during the weekday sessions and nearly 70 at the Saturday session.

He confirmed there had also been 100 responses to the online consultation.

Of those, 92 percent said they would like to see new toilets, whilst 75 percent agreed that a new café should be in the plans.

Eight respondents, predominantly businesses, said it was a ‘duplication’ of what is already in Peel.

However, he said the two closest businesses – the BnB and the Bowling Green Club were in support of the design.

Commissioner Frank Crompton had a request from a resident that a hoist be added to the plans to make the toilets more accessible.

The board unanimously agreed to move forward with a planning application.

Also on the agenda was a letter which had been sent to the commissioners by the Department of Infrastructure requesting information about future plans for social housing and what the housing need is in the area.

Commissioner Alan Jones said the board should share plans with the DoI as it’s looking to ‘increase’ its housing stock for the future anyway.

Mr Sewell said the local authority had asked ‘nearly’ every landowner with available fields if they would be willing to sell, but he said the land valuation for social housing can be nearly one third lower than if it was for residential housing.

Commissioner Ray Harmer said the current administration hasn’t built any housing and is still looking to introduce a housing association.

The board also agreed to draft a response to the North and West Area Plan asking for more land to be designated as ‘strategic reserve’.

And a church group in the town asked the commissioners if they could use the Ward Library to store a ‘community fridge’.

The Vineyard Church said it would remove the ‘stigma’ of a food bank, but would still be available to people who need it.

The organisation suggested using the library, however the board agreed that it wouldn’t be an appropriate location for a fridge.

Instead it was proposed and agreed that they write back and ask if they had somewhere else in mind.

Peel Commissioners will next meet on Thursday 20 March.