Squeen Farm Planning Statement

Ballaugh Squeen Farm

13 JUN 2016

1600795

For the past 25 years Squeen Farm has been run both as a farm and the centre for a business of agricultural contracting including self-employed contract work by the Quirks and repair of agricultural machinery / vehicles owned by others. Agricultural contracting in terms of making one's labour and machinery available to use on other people's farms is a common aspect of farming and its need and importance recognised as such by DEFA as a means by which farmers can earn an additional income and / or mutually help one another.

The nature of the contracting business has changed over the years. Initially both Mr Robert Quirk and his son Eddie Quirk were involved; now there is only the latter but what is on-site largely reflects the efforts and outcome of the period when both father and son were working from Squeen Farm. The following gives a description of what has happened at the site and what still happens:

Repair of agricultural machinery / vehicles: this involved primarily going out on site to repair machinery and vehicles in situ on other farms. When the repair could not be completed in situ the machinery / vehicle was brought back onto the yard at Squeen Farm. Repairs are still periodically carried out on older style agricultural vehicles and machinery but primarily, as above, in situ and not on Squeen Farm itself.

Storing of supplies: In connection with his repairing of vehicles / machinery and with the running of the farm itself Mr Quirk carries basic supplies of agricultural spares.

Sales of agricultural machinery: a franchise for John Deere vehicles and machinery was held. The machinery however was sold direct to the farmers per the agent ie machinery was not brought into the farm yard and then sold on to the farmer.

Hiring out of agricultural machinery / vehicles: Different machines / vehicles are needed at different times of year such as silaging, harvesting, drainage work, fencing. Over the years Mr Quirk along with his father acquired and owned several different types / models of agricultural vehicles. While Mr Quirk still acts as a contractor to other farmers, he no longer hires and vehicles to other people.

21 JUL 2016

21 JUL 2016

Buildings

Two applications for certificate of lawfulness have been submitted with respect to use of some of the yard and buildings in connection with the business of repairing agricultural machinery and vehicles as well as use in connection with the legitimate farming use of the site - PA's 16/00300/LAW and 16/00303/LAW.

The original shed whose replacement is the subject of the current application was sub-divided into four having double doors at one end to allow vehicles and / or machinery to be put undercover while being worked on and other rooms generally used for storage. It had to be excluded from the certificate of use applications as although it has been in situ for a very long time, and had been used as stores and office for both agriculture and the business of the repair of agricultural machinery and

vehicles it has not been in continuous use for these purposes. The building was constructed on blockwork and had a corrugated sheet roof.

The snow in March 2013 was so heavy that it caused the collapse of the roof of the building which was then deemed not worth repairing. The current shed was put up in its place. Mr Quirk regrets that he simply did not realise that a shed damaged in such conditions needed planning permission to be replaced especially as its footprint was no greater than that which it replaced.

The replacement building is a timber frame building and has a dark green felt slate roof. The building is the same size as the earlier building - $11.060 \mathrm{~m} \times 6220 \mathrm{~m}$ - being accommodated on the same concrete slab base. The building was constructed primarily for storage and office use in association with the farm and the repair of agricultural machinery and vehicles. The building is the same overall height, 4 m , to the ridge as its predecessor; however to its eaves it is only 2.32 m compared to 3.0 m of the earlier building.

The building sits on the south side of the yard and like it predecessor faces north westwards towards the yard. It does not have large double doors on its north-eastern gable so cannot accommodate vehicles like its predecessor.

In total it has minimum impact on the appearance of the yard and being a new timber frame structure is an improvement on its predecessor. It is not seen from public places outside of Squeen yard.

Photographs illustrating the existing building and its predecessor are attached.