Loading document...
Application No.: 17/00847/B Applicant: The Childrens Centre Proposal: Conversion and extension of existing barn Site Address: Wallberry Farm Old Castletown Road Douglas Isle of Man IM4 1AQ Case Officer : Miss Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken: 13.12.2017 Site Visit: 13.12.2017 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.02.2018 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
This approval relates to drawing numbers 01 Rev A and 05 and Supporting Statement and Business Case all date stamped and received 4th August 2017 and drawing numbers PL-02, PL03, PL-04, PL-05, Drawing Issue sheet and Design Statement all date stamped and received 19th December 2017.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site forms part of an existing barn building within the land occupied by Wallberry Farm. The farm and associated land is located on the south east side of the Old Castletown Road half way between Douglas and Port Soderick, sited 500m from the main
1.7 The long barn is currently used as a long and narrow storage area with two wheelchair friendly level access toilets in the western corner. Access into the barn is only achieved from within the courtyard via a single door. There are four existing windows along this elevation and
1.8 The south facing elevation has a solid and unbroken stone finish, beyond which is a small walled garden area before the site joins with the main access road.
2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current application proposes the extension and conversion of the existing long barn to create a facility to provide the community farm with an educational kitchen and flexible open space. - 2.2 The proposed pitched roof extension will project 3.35m from the unbroken south elevation of the long barn and into the small walled garden area. The extension is to sit 3.3m from the nearest side elevation of the farmhouse and is to be 5.9m wide. - 2.3 The extension is to be finished in stone material to match the existing barn and is to incorporate window and door units on each side elevation opening out to a small decked area and garden amenity space. A large picture window is proposed on the south facing gable elevation. All the window and door units are proposed to be finished in dark grey metal frame. - 2.4 A new door is proposed to be installed in place of an existing window on the north elevation providing additional access and a mean of escape for the proposed training kitchen.
2.5 Part of the existing storage area between the toilets and the proposed kitchen dining facility will be converted to an open space and flexible learning area. No changes are proposed to the existing toilet space. - 2.6 The current application follows from a previous scheme for a similar training kitchen that in filled in the corner directly adjoining both the long barn and the main farm house. The extension was a pastiche style to the main farmhouse.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has been subject to one previous planning application in 2011 for the use of farm as community farm for educational and recreational purpose. The application was submitted under PA 11/00350/B and included within it associated office facilities, drainage, vehicular access alterations, creation of a car park and erection of two polytunnels. The application was granted full approval.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The application site is located within an area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance on the 1982 Development Plan and within an area of open space (agricultural) countryside on the Braddan Local Plan 1991 map 3. There is a general presumption against development as set out in General Policy 3 and Environment Policies 1 and 2. However given that the site already has an approved use as a community farm and a number of existing buildings relevant to its use, it would be considered most relevant in this instance to assess the application against Environment Policy 16 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 where it sets out a number of standards towards the development of rural buildings: "Environment Policy 16:
The use of existing rural buildings for new purposes such as tourist, or small-scale industrial/commercial use may be permitted where:
Proposals to convert rural buildings to residential accommodation will be considered along with the advice given at Section 8.10 of this document."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Braddan Parish Commissioners confirmed they had no objection to the application on 02/02/2018. - 5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicated that they had no highways interest in the application 18/08/2017. Superseded
6.1 The planning application seeks planning approval for the conversion and extension of the longest barn on the site into a flexible learning area with a new training kitchen and dining area. The new facility will benefit those visiting the community farm, by educating and practically learning ways in which to grow, prepare and cook their own produce. - 6.2 Given that the site is already an established community farm the principle of the proposal is considered acceptable, however the test of the application will fall to whether or not the proposed extension and alterations to the existing barn meet the tests of EP16 and are considered acceptable. - 6.3 The long barn is structurally stable, fully intact and currently used as an area of accessible toilets and storage. The building forms part of the central courtyard and contributes to the historic interest and visual attraction of the farm. - 6.4 Due to the traditional construction of the barn the internal width is 3.8m. Although benefiting from considerable length the conversion of the existing building into a suitable training kitchen and dining area was not possible as the confined spaces would limit who could use the facility due to the restrictions in physical access and movement especially for those who may have impairment. - 6.5 Considerable thought was given to the application following the initial submission and discussions with agent and officer. The original scheme for the proposal was pastiche in its design and considered to have an adverse impact on both the existing farm house and the existing barn. A revised scheme was sought. - 6.6 Ways were explored looking at alternative locations for the extension. It was considered inappropriate for the extension to be sited internally to the courtyard as this would have impact on the linearity and attraction of the courtyard while impacting on its function as a sheltered communal meeting point and as an area where free movement of people and community farm vehicles is required. - 6.7 It was carefully deliberated that the most reasonable and practical location of the community training kitchen had to be in and around the existing long barn. It was either to project as an extension to the existing farm house or to project as a new entity along the unbroken elevation. - 6.8 Following a site visit to the community farm it was evident that it was a hub of creative activity where both young and old were able to explore new and resourceful ways of learning. It was considered that the progression of the scheme as an extension to the long barn would reflect the primary objective of the planning application which was to provide a new educational kitchen that was functional for all. - 6.9 Although the proposal requires external alteration to a section of the longest unbroken south elevation of the barn, it is considered that the extension is of a reasonable size, style and finish limiting impact on the historic quality. The proposed extension will bring about a new feature to the farm that will contribute to the growing character of the site and that ultimately the considerable future benefits of the proposed training kitchen to the site were sufficient enough to outweigh any of the limited concerns on the impact of the historic appearance of the courtyard buildings from the southern side. - 6.10 The proposal contains activity within proximity of the site with no impact on traffic safety on the site. The siting of the scheme remains within an existing garden area and has not significantly changed or altered from the original submission, there are no changes or impacts on highways requiring any further comment, it is considered reasonable that their previous comments of 'no highways interest' still stand from 18/08/2017.
6.11 The proposal will bring about a new feature to the farm helping its visitors to learn, connect and grow without impact on the quality and appearance of the existing farm buildings, farmhouse or the wider character of the countryside landscape.
7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 For the above reasons the application and its proposals are considered acceptable and to comply with the relevant parts of EP16. The proposed extension and alterations are considered to be within the bounds of acceptability in respecting the site and the surroundings, and that the future benefit of the proposal for the general public and users of the site is sufficient enough to outweigh any concerns for the impact of the extension on the historic quality of the south elevation of the long barn. - 7.2 The application is recommended for approval.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision-maker must determine:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 07.02.2018 Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal
