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This Supporting Information Statement accompanies the planning application for Retrospective Approval for engineering works carried out in Field 434534.
This application seeks approval for the tipping works carried out and completion of the works to provide additional agricultural grazing land within part of Field 434534.
In this Supporting Information Statement the existing site, details of retrospective application consultations and the development proposals are discussed in full and should be read in conjunction with the following: -
Field 434534 is located to the west of Kerrowkeil Road and has an approximate area of 3.8 acres . The field is located at the western end of a larger parcel of agricultural land, known as Glen Moar and to the northern end of another parcel of land, known as Ballaloaghtan. Both the holdings of Glen Moar and Ballaloaghtan are owned and farmed by the applicant, Manx Rare Breeds Ltd.
The field consists of a mixture of general agricultural grazing land, having an approximate area of ( 3 acres) to the eastern side of the field with a natural gully to the western boundary. Due to the depth and profile of the gully this land is not suitable for agricultural grazing and contains natural gorse bushes and vegetation that has taken hold over the years. Although the field is used for grazing annually, the animals do not venture into the gully. The application site is bounded to the remaining three sides with shrub / hedging to a height of approximately 2.0 m .
There is a watercourse which runs along the eastern and southern field boundaries of the application site and this takes water from the other side of the Kerrowkeil Road. There is very little water flow through the existing gully located on the western boundary as any water entering the site at the northern boundary appears to disperse into the surrounding area before reaching the southern boundary of the site.
The application site gradually falls from the northern boundary to the southern boundary and is relatively level across the agricultural grazing land. The application site is surrounded on four sides by agricultural grazing land in the ownership of others, except for a small frontage onto the Kerrowkeil Road to the east. Vehicle access to Field 434534 is in the north eastern corner of the application site and consisted of a 15ft wide opening onto the Kerrowkeil road. A full topographical survey of the site is shown on IOM Groundmodels drawing numbered 1511F/01.
Legal Ownership of the application site is confirmed on the attached Land Registry Documents and Corbridges Advocates, Solicitors & Notaries Public letter dated 24th November 2014.
The application site of Field 434534 is identified outlined in red on the Location / Land Ownership drawing (numbered 2015/39/01) and is owned and worked by Manx Rare Breeds Ltd. The holding of Glen Moar, with an approximate area of 383,225 square metres (38.32 Hectares / 94.7 acres), is outlined in blue to the east of the application site. The holding of Ballaloaghtan, with an approximate area of 160,000 square metres (16 Hectares / 39.5 acres) of grazing farm land, is also outlined in blue to the south of the application site. Both holdings are owned and farmed by Manx Rare Breeds Ltd.
We are not aware of any previous planning applications made by the current owner for this parcel of land.
Manx Rare Breeds have made several planning applications for various other fields which form part of the Glen Moar and Ballaloaghtan holdings and Outline Application ref: 14/01422/A and Reserved Matters Application ref: 15/00506/REM impact directly on this retrospective application for engineering works.
None of the other applications made by Manx Rare Breeds at Glen Moar or Ballaloaghtan have an impact on this retrospective application for engineering works.
The current proposals seek to reduce the width of the existing gully to the western boundary of the site by tipping excavated material from current building operations at Glen Moar (see Reserved Matters Approval 15/00506/REM). As part of the Reserved Matters Approval the agricultural buildings are to be dug into the slope of the filed resulting in a large quantity of excavated material. The reserved matters approval stated that the excavated material is to be distributed around the Manx Rare Breed holding at Glen Moar. This excavated material consists of a silty/clay material that has been brought to field 434534 by tractor and trailer using the Corlea and Kerrowkeil Roads during the good weather and all operations have now ceased and will not continue until next spring.
The imported sub-soil has been placed in the gully to reduce the width of the gully to approximately 10 metres and will be levelled to approximately 450 mm below the existing field level. Imported topsoil from the agricultural building excavations carried out under 15/00506/REM will then be placed over the top of the sub-soil to build the surface up to the existing field level and provide suitable strata for the ploughing and planting of the field next season. Should this application be successful then this topsoil material will be brought from the agricultural building site (see 15/00506/REM) using tractor and trailer units during the better weather of next spring.
Upon completion of the tipping works the edge of the gully will be defined with stock proof fencing to prevent animals entering the gully and the sloping banks will be planted with grass seed to help stabilise the earthworks. Over time it is envisaged that local species will reclaim the banks of the gully.
The bottom of the gully will be cleared out to create a field ditch which will provide a natural path for any water entering at the northern boundary to discharge at the southern boundary. A material extraction consent licence will be sought from the Fisheries department should it be required.
The existing vehicular access comprised a 15 foot wide opening directly off the Kerrowkeil Road, which has been increased in width by 2 ft as a temporary measure during the tipping works. The ground around the field entrance has been reinforced with imported hardcore to provide a stable platform for the vehicles entering and egressing the application site during the tipping operations. Upon completion of the works it is intended to install a 15 foot wide metal field gate with timber gate posts, restoring the opening to its original width.
Approximately 6000 tonnes of excavated material have been imported to the site and no further importing of sub-soil will be required should this application be successful. However in order to complete the works then further importing of topsoil (approx. 750 tonnes) will be required to top off the works. The exact timescale for this importing operation will be subject to weather and may not happen until the spring next year. During the importing operation all temporary road signage will be put in place and the roads will be swept to ensure they are kept clean and safe to motorists.
It is anticipated that an extra area of approximately 0.5 acres of agricultural grazing land will be created should this application be successful. As the land available to Manx Rare Breeds in the area is limited or expensively priced then any gain of useable land will be of significant benefit to farming operations.
Following verbal discussions and written correspondence with Ms E. Spencer, Planning Enforcement Officer of the planning department we understand that a planning application should have been submitted for approval prior to commencement of the works. We apologize for this error and seek to submit a retrospective planning application to cover the works carried out to date and cover the activities required to complete the works.
Email correspondence has been issued to Mr Malcolm Cowin, Flood Risk Management Engineer for Manx Utilities, Dr Karen Galtress, Inland Fisheries Manager for DEFA and Dr Richard Selman, Senior Biodiversity Officer at DEFA. A site meeting was held with Mr Cowin and Ms Spencer on Friday 23rd October and it is understood that Dr Galtress had spoken to Mr Cowin prior to this meeting.
A copy of an email received from Mrs Gledhill of the Fisheries department, dated 6th November has been included in the submission documents.
As the site is located within an agricultural parcel of land and involves engineering works then it is anticipated that the following planning policies are relevant. Strategic Policy 1, General Policy 2, Environment Policies 1,4,7,10,22 and 28 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.
The proposals will ensure the continued long-term use of the agricultural fields by providing additional suitable grazing land for use by Manx Rare Breeds Ltd.
b) the proposals respect the site and surrounding area. c) does not adversely affect the character of the surrounding landscape. d) does not adversely affect the wildlife, watercourse or important habitats on the site or adjacent land. k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land.
1) will not create an unreasonable risk of flooding.
The proposals will not adversely affect the countryside.
The proposals will not adversely affect species and habitats of international or national importance.
The proposals will not adversely affect any watercourse, wetland, pond or dub.
The application site is not subject to flooding and the proposals will not adversely affect the risk of flooding.
The proposals will not pollute are surface water or ground water.
The proposals will not be at risk from ground instability due to landscaping works carried out as part of the proposals.
We recommend that the proposals be granted planning approval on the grounds that the proposals comply with the policies set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and do not have an adverse impact on the surrounding area or adjacent properties.
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