DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/00595/B Applicant: Mr Ashley Kinvig Proposal: Erection of barn and lean to Site Address: Ballakissack School Lane Santon Isle Of Man IM4 1EG Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.09.2020 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The building must be used only for agricultural purposes.

Reason: the countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural need. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.

• C 3. The agricultural building hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition in the event that it is no longer used or required for agricultural purposes.

Reason: The building has been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural need and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Overall, the proposal is considered acceptable in terms of both agricultural need and visual impact and broadly accords with EP15 and GP3 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the Location Plan, Site Plan, Worksheet for Calculation of Standard Labour Unit Requirement, Aerial Photographs and Proposed Plans all date stamped and received 09/06/2020.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.0 The site represents the holding of Ballakissack Farm, situated on the north western side of the A5 Castletown Road, via a lane which leads past the former Santon Primary School, now a centre for further education. The farm accommodates a number of buildings including a farmhouse and a large number of other barns and agricultural buildings which are largely grouped closely together around the farmhouse.

1.2 Beyond the red line boundary marked as the application site is an expansive area of land marked in blue boundary which shows land that is part of the farm holding for Ballakissack Farm. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the erection of barn and lean to within Ballakissack Farm. The building would be 9.14m in width, 27.4m in depth, with a ridge height of 6m. A lean to would be attached to this barn which would measure 7.3m in width, 27.4m long and

4.6m to the ridge height. The total floor area covering for the entire build would be on a footprint of 449.4sqm. It would be solid on three of its elevations but open fronted. The lower wall sections would be made of concrete panel walls to 2m while the upper sections would be finished with Yorkshire board Cladding above this height. The roof would be constructed of natural grey profile 6R single skin fibre cement sheeting with 18 roof lights within (6 on the front elevation and 12 on the rear elevation).

2.2 The supporting information (produced by DEFA) indicates that the farm has some 396.4acres. This farm supports 155 dairy cows, 20 beef cows, 210 other cattle, 33 ewe lambs, 19.8 other sheep and 2 sows. The information also shows that a substantial amount of crops are grown on the farm.

2.3 The applicant indicates that the new building which would face south with its rear elevation (lean to) facing north would be used for the storage of bedding and fodder. The supporting information also states that the farm currently employs 4.91 standard labour units. This information is sufficient to indicate that the farm is a significant and growing business concern which would benefit from the new buildings. - 2.4 There are no changes proposed for the existing access into the site as it is wide enough to support standard sized vehicles.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area zoned as 'white land' and which is also defined as being of High Landscape Value in the 1982 Development Plan. In view of this and the nature of the proposal, there are a number of policies of the Strategic Plan that apply.

3.2 General Policy 3

Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

f) Building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry;

3.3 Environment Policy 15 Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part.

Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended.

Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape.

3.4 Environment Policy 1 reads in full: 'The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative'. - 3.5 Environment Policy 2: The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance (AHLV's) as shown on the 1982 Development Plan and subsequent Local and Area Plans will be used as a basis for development control until such time as it is superseded by a landscape classification which will introduce different categories of landscape and policies and guidance for control therein. Within these areas the protection of the character of the landscape will be the most important consideration unless it can be shown that:

• (a) the development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; or
• (b) the location for the development is essential.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications which are considered to be materially relevant in the assessment of the current application. These include:

4.2 PA 93/00311/B for Erection of portal-framed agricultural building, Ballakissack Farm, Santon. (Approved)

4.3 PA 96/00356/B for Erection of an agricultural building, Ballakissack Farm, Santon. (Approved)

4.4 PA 05/92187/B for Erection of a slurry store. (Approved) - 4.5 PA 08/00884/B for Erection of extension to existing agricultural building. (Approved) - 4.6 15/01038/B for Erection of an agricultural building. (Approved). The building which would be the subject of the current application would be situated northeast of the building approved in this application.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they 'Do not oppose' in a letter dated 30 June 2020.

5.2 Santon Commissioners have stated that they have no objection to the application in a letter dated 8 July 2020. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key considerations in the assessment of this application are:

• i. The principle of and agricultural justification for the building;
• ii. Visual impact on the wider countryside.

6.2 The principle of and agricultural justification for the building

• 6.2.1 In planning policy terms, the Strategic Plan Environment Policies 1 and 15 are key to the assessment of the acceptability of the agricultural building in principle. General Policy 3 also provides a backdrop to EP15 by restricting development in the countryside other than in exceptional circumstances - the relevant one being operations "essential for the conduct of agriculture." EP15 goes into further detail about the 'agricultural need' for a new building sufficient to outweigh GP3's general presumption against countryside development.
• 6.2.2 The reasons provided by the applicant are that the building would be used for the storage of bedding and fodder which would support the large livestock holding on the farm. From the information submitted it is evident that the farm is a substantial farm operation and the information submitted would appear to clearly identify a need for a new agricultural building to meet the need of the agricultural business on the site. Accordingly, it is considered the justification for the building is acceptable and therefore complies with Environment Policy 15.
• 6.3 Visual impact on the wider countryside

• 6.3.1 Where sufficient agricultural need is demonstrated, EP15 goes into further detail on the requirements in terms of siting and size/material used etc. Key here is that buildings should be sited as close as possible to existing buildings if any. The proposed building would be sited in close proximity to the existing buildings on the site, and close to the field boundary which is marked by tall hedging and fencing, with mature trees behind in some sections (particularly the boundary that would offer views from the A5). In terms of siting therefore, the proposed building would be seamlessly integrated into the existing building structure on the farm without undue impact on the surrounding landscape.
• 6.3.2 In terms of the siting, scale, colour, form and materials of the proposed building, it is considered that the building would be a fitting addition to the farm. The roof which would be grey in colour would provide a level of camouflage from the open nature of the countryside, while the proposed wall cladding which would be green would ensure that the building blends

with the surrounding buildings which are of similar construction material. It is also considered that the building would not be visible from public vantage points along the surrounding highways due to the nature of the site boundary and the remote position of the site from the nearby highway. Accordingly, the proposal in terms of design, finish and siting would comply with the requirements of EP 15.

CONCLUSION

7.1 In summary, the proposal is considered acceptable in terms of both agricultural need and visual impact and broadly accords with the aforementioned policies of the Strategic Plan. The application is therefore recommended for approval. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department
• of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 03.09.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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