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Planning Application Accompanying Notes Details of applicant: Lisa Kinrade 4 Teares Terrace Ramsey Isle of Man IM8 3DL 07624 421039 [email protected]
1600490
Background Total land owned equates to some 11 acres in 4 fields: 620610, 620609, 620608 & 620565. The application is for a multi- purpose building which supports the current use of the land o field 620610. The land is being used as a small holding where we are raising sheep primarily for personal consumption. We also grow our own fruit and plan to grow vegetables. We have plans to gradually increase our livestock and diversify to raising goats subject to planning approval for a shed.
I work with children and teenagers in care and they often come up to help out which keeps them out of trouble and they get a lot out of it. For example I am currently working with a teenager with a brain injury who is not able to work. He has adopted Percy the meg lamb.
History Since purchasing the land July 2012 we have been issued with an enforcement order to remove a caravan that we have been using to store feed and equipment. We initially approached the planning department before getting the caravan in 2012 and made enquiries about being able to have a small shed explaining our aims and objectives at the time. An officer visited the property and she felt at that stage that a shed would not be passed and possibly never, or that's how we understood it. In any event we were not put off and changed our plan from raising goats to the more hardy Loaghtan sheep.
We have managed 2 lambing seasons since buying the land with heat and light being provided by the donated caravan and some old pig huts. These temporary provisions have helped us comply with the sheep welfare code but all have been practically destroyed now by exposure to the severe weather conditions typical of a North Barrule winter. In fact we have seen a lamb this year with a very serious mouth injury caused by him mouthing part of the old pig ark and he has ripped his mouth wide open and is now barely able to suckle. It is so urgent to replace the arks before more animals get injured on the corroding metal.
Initially we just had an old van for storage and were very naive about being able to cope without any shelter or storage. We were offered the caravan and thought we had found an ideal solution, something non permanent and it wasn't going to break the bank as we were running two mortgages to pursue our dreams! We really didn't think that we were going to upset anyone or get into trouble. Our dreams became a bit of a nightmare and we spent some sleepless nights after receiving the order and subsequent letters. We remained in correspondence with the planning department and took some legal advice and we eventually were advised by a letter from planning that we could keep the caravan as long as it was regularly moved. So we carried on using it and moved it around the fields being mindful of it not being in view of the neighbours. It was not ideal at all but it was a godsend for our first 2 years lambing.
In conclusion, we have a love hate relationship with the caravan. We hate it being in the field, it is an eyesore, is out of place, has caused us to get into bother and we never wanted it there we
wanted a nice neat little shed. On the other hand we have saved the lives of several sheep and lambs and kept ourselves warm during lambing time.
During 2015 however we received another enforcement letter which threatened legal action if we failed to remove the caravan. This initiated further correspondence with the planning department who visited the property again and could see that our plans had moved forward, our livestock being in place for 3 years and a genuine need was recognised. In terms of this application the perceived desire for all parties, planning, ourselves, the neighbours and after consultation also the Maughold Commissioners was to get rid of the caravan. We are therefore proposing to replace the caravan with a neat low key shed more in keeping with the farm surroundings.
Our over riding aim has always been to breed and raise goats for their milk and meat and to sell. This plan has thus far been prevented by a lack of shelter which is a requirement for goats as they do not have a waterproof coat like sheep do. Our current livestock consists of a breeding flock of 32 Loaghtan ewes, 2 breeding rams and 15 home raised lambs being fattened to weight. A shed would enable us to breed up to 20 ewes or goats each year. All female offspring would be added into the stock up to total of 40 and males fattened for meat stock. Our most Northerly field sits at the foot of Barrule and has mostly gone to gorse and native trees and shrubs. It is a haven for wildlife and we are clearing areas of dense gorse to create foot paths and areas for planting more wildlife attracting native trees. We very much plan to keep this area in a natural and native state.
We dearly want to get rid of the caravan and huts and replace with a small agricultural building which will provide:
The shed we are proposing is the best which we are able to realistically afford. The shed would be a single building: 9.144 m long in two 4.572 m bays (centre to centre of steel) $\times 9144 \mathrm{~m}$ wide (outside of steel) $\times 3.048 \mathrm{~m}$ high to the eaves i.e. from the top of the wall plate to finished floor level. 15 degree pitch roof finished in green (specs and quote included).
The ground will need to be excavated and graded as per the plans provided by professional surveyor - Groundmodels.
The location of the site has been selected as it is near to the main entrance gate, is partially screened on 2 sides by natural native hedgerow and trees and is the lowest section of the field. The location also allows for a natural yard to be easily formed making the capture and handling of livestock and transfer to road easier.
The plan provided shows an option to use the excavated earth to place a bund which could provide additional screening if felt needed by the adjacent property. The bund could be planted with trees and Hawthorne hedge. Alternatively the most ideal way to dispose of the excavation spoil which will be quite rocky would be to use it to even out several hollows in all 4 fields on the muddy tracks and gateways and also to reinforce an uneven and muddy section of pathway on the top field which is being retained mainly in its natural state of ancient gorse and trees. Some of the gorse will be cleared to make additional pathways and will be planted with sections of native wildlife attracting woodland.
My partner and I have consulted with our closest neighbours either side and with Maughold Commissioners who visited the site on our invitation. The Clerk to the commissioners Martin Royal felt that the land was being well maintained and not kept as a junk yard as is the case on some land which they are currently objecting to. He explained that our caravan had possibly been
misunderstood and had likely become "included" in the commissioners' attempts to bring some junk yard land owners to task. He felt that our needs justified our aims for a shed and could not see why there would be any objections raised to what we were proposing. This was reinforced by our sincere want to replace the caravan.
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