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Application No.: 20/00440/B Applicant: Mr David Wilson Proposal: Conversion of barn into a residential dwelling with associated access Site Address: Bottom Yard Stone Barn Stable Block Ballacallin Beg Foxdale Road Garth Crosby Isle Of Man Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Site Visit: 25.06.2020 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.06.2020 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
N 1. The applicant's attention is drawn to the provisions of the Wildlife Act 1990 in particular respect to its provisions for the protection of nesting and breeding birds.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The development is considered to be in accordance with Housing Policy 11 and Transport Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following drawings and information: Manx Structural Solutions Structural Feasibility Report 19th February, 2020 received on 28.04.20 Drawings DW/01A, DW/02A, DW/03 A all received on 28.04.20 DW/03B, DW/01/20 and "envelope of visibility measured 2m back from roadside kerb" all received on 16.06.20 The Manx Roots drawings TR-15620 and accompanying Survey Data all received on 16.06.20. _______________________________________________________________
Additional Persons
None _____________________________________________________________________________
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE DEVELOPMENT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
1.1 The site is an area of land which contains buildings and which sits in the middle of a complex which was formerly operated as an equestrian unit spread over two holdings Ballacallin Mooar whose principal dwelling which sits to the south of the equestrian buildings and Ballacallin Beg whose cottage sits to the east of the group. The various buildings are linked by a range of lanes some of which also link to the main dwelling, Ballacallin Mooar. - 1.2 The holding has been recently split into a number of different units now in different ownership. Ballacallin Beg now has two permanent dwellings - the cottage which has permission for a significant extension at the rear and the adjoining barn has approval for conversion to a second dwelling (both 18/00718/B). - 1.3 There is additional living accommodation within the complex, historically created within existing out buildings for farm staff and tourist accommodation within the Ballacallin Beg complex. - 1.4 This current application concerns an existing building which sits at the southern end of the group which is currently accessed from the Garth Road (B35) and which mostly accommodates equestrian outbuildings. The building has been sold separate to these but maintains an access route past the buildings to the B35 using part of a field which has two gates, one at the south eastern end alongside the existing lane which leads from the existing building to the main entrance and one adjacent to the road. - 1.5 The building which is the subject of this current application is two storey, stone built and faced and attached to a lower building which turns through 90 degrees to form an overall L shape. The application concerns only the two storey element of the existing building although the remaining structure will be retained. - 1.6 The building also has a brick single storey lean to annex at its front and a smaller structure alongside to the right. The windows in the front are square in shape and slightly different in size and there are two pedestrian doors.
1.7 There is a free standing portal frame building within the site which sits to the south of the barns to be converted. This is shown on the drawings to be relocated elsewhere within the complex but outwith the red line area. This sits almost 17m from the front of the main barn to be converted. - 1.8 There are no windows currently in any other elevations although there are two first floor pedestrian doors in the rear elevation at first floor level. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 Proposed is the conversion of the two storey element of the existing building to a dwelling. The dwelling will have three bedrooms and a hall on the ground floor and a lounge, kitchen and fourth bedroom on the first floor. Changes to the building - 2.2 The building will be changed physically in the following ways to accommodate the new use:
2.3 Construction traffic will use the main entrance from the equestrian buildings, not the new means of access. The new access proposed leads from an existing gated field entrance which sits 44m to the south west of the main entrance into the larger site. It then heads south east towards the lane leading from the main entrance to the application building, meeting a stand of trees in the north eastern corner of this field before passing between the trees and linking to the lane. This route is to be cleared and smoothed - there is no intention of excavating or resurfacing this route. Trees are shown to be removed in the Tree Protection and Removal information but it is understood that this is as a result of the condition of the trees not their removal to facilitate the development and the applicant has indicated that he would prefer to retain them if possible. - 2.4 The applicant has provided additional information which demonstrates that the visibility from the proposed entrance is 110m to the north and 140 and more to the south although the technical drawing shows these splays as 26m and 22m respectively. On the site visit, having looked at both the existing and proposed entrances, it appeared that the proposed access would provide more visibility than the existing due to impediments at the entrance to views in both directions. - 2.5 The application also includes a report from a structural engineer which confirms the structural adequacy of the building for conversion. The report explains the surveys which were undertaken and a description of the construction of the building. It identifies a crack in the front right hand corner (se) caused by a collision with a farm vehicle. Otherwise the building is described as reasonably vertical with no apparent significant bulges or distortions to indicate structural stress. It also describes a slight bow to the main front wall believed to be due to the spread of the A frame trusses and slight cracking at the centre of the front wall where a disused opening has been infilled and a large crack in the front wall of the smaller building (this is not proposed for any work in this current application). It recommends restraint to the walls
to the first floor by installing stainless steel tie rods and lateral restraint straps fixed to the timber joists to minimise outward movement of the walls due to the deterioration of the lime mortar. It also recommends the installation of a concrete slab protected from moisture by a damp proof membrane complete with insulation to meet contemporary standards. The roof is recommended to be re-slated over a breathable membrane. The front right hand corner may need underpinning.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the 1982 Development Plan Order as not for a particular purpose and not within an area of High Landscape Value or Scenic Significance with part of the site being within an area of Woodland. - 3.2 As such, there is a presumption against development as set out in Environment Policy 1. There are exceptions to this set out in General Policy 3 which includes the conversion of existing buildings to alternative uses including residential, as set out in Housing Policy 11. This states:
Housing Policy 11: Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where:
Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character.
3.3 Transport Policy 1: New development should, where possible, be located close to existing public transport facilities and routes, including pedestrian, cycle and rail routes. - 3.4 Environment Policy 4 protects ecology.
4.1 No planning applications have been submitted for this site. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services object to the application, asking for additional information on visibility splays and advise that of the width of the access, that any gate should be set back by 5m and the intervening area bound so that material is not tracked from the access onto the highway. They also suggest that in order to better adhere to Transport Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan, electric vehicle charging points and secure bicycle storage facilities should be provided
(20.05.20). Following the submission of further information, Highway Services confirm that they do not object to the application (10.06.20).
5.2 Marown Parish Commissioners have no objection to the application (21.05.20). - 5.3 DEFA's Ecosystems Policy Office ask that a bat survey is undertaken prior to determination and that the applicant is advised of the provisions of the Wildlife Act 1990 in respect of nesting and breeding birds (05.06.20). It is understood that the applicant has commissioned a survey for bats.
6.1 The issues in this case are whether the proposal complies with the provisions of Housing Policy 11 and whether the provisions for access meet the requirements for highway safety.
6.2 The building is certainly of historical and architectural interest, being a handsome structure in a rural setting surrounded by a mix of other agricultural and equestrian buildings, mostly modern. The building did not appear to be being used at the time of the site visit and given the other, modern buildings surrounding it (which sounded like they accommodated horses), it would not appear that the application building is required for its original agricultural purposes given its small door openings and upper floor. Other than a large crack in the south eastern corner, the building appears intact and stable and it is proposed to deal with this element in the design of the converted property, taking away the defective walling and replacing it with structural glazing. There is a structural engineer's report which supports the conversion as structurally viable. The building is separate from the access to the buildings immediately to the north and as such can be used independent from these buildings and its residential use would not impinge upon the agricultural or equestrian use of these existing buildings. The proposal is therefore considered to comply with these elements of HP11. - 6.3 Highway Services indicate that they are content with the proposal in highway safety terms and as is noted above, the proposed access appeared to have better visibility than the existing at the time of the site visit. - 6.4 Whilst TP1 requires development to be sited so that it is close to existing public transport routes including rail and cycle routes, this does not extend as far as saying that private dwellings should provide secure bicycle storage and the policy does not mention electric vehicles. The proposal is clearly on a site large enough to facilitate secure parking for both cars and bicycles and there could be external power points which could facilitate the charging of an electric vehicle, should the owner possess one. As such it is not considered necessary or appropriate to ask for these features to be specifically provided.
7.1 The development is considered to be in accordance with Housing Policy 11 and Transport Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan and the application is supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : …Permitted……….... Committee Meeting Date:…13.07.2020
Signed :…………S CORLETT…….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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