31 March 2016 · Committee
Middle Cordeman, Cordeman Road, St. Marks, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 3aj
The application covers Middle Cordeman Farm, a roughly 97-hectare holding in open countryside south of Stoney Mountain. The applicant sought to develop the farm beyond its agricultural use by creating a visitor attraction with animal interaction, expanding existing cafe and shop facilities, and adding tourist overnight accommodation. The three tourist units are designed in a traditional tholtan style with thatched roofs, intended to sit low in the corners of fields and blend into the gently sloping landscape. The officer assessed that the buildings would be low-profile and possibly not publicly visible, with the thatched design helping them disappear visually into the countryside. The Isle of Man Tourism team at the Department of Economic Development fully supported the application, noting the unique style would attract visitors. The units were also considered too small for permanent occupation and lack the services that would make them suitable as permanent dwellings, avoiding a key countryside policy concern.
The Planning Committee approved the application because the proposed structures were judged to have no adverse visual impact, being low-profile and tucked into field corners with thatched roofs that blend into the landscape. The development supports the Government's tourism strategy by adding a distinctive form of visitor accommodation, and the design of the tourist units prevents them from becoming permanent countryside dwellings.
protects the countryside for its own sake
Area Plan for the East sets out locally-applicable means for implementing the policies set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. In that Strategic Plan, we find the Environment Policies. Environment Policy 1 states: 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. Maintaining the purpose of this Area Plan as a means of implementation, there is some further direction to be found in the Strategic Plan, at paragraph 7.2.1: 'Whilst landscape and coastal change is inevitable, and in some cases desirable, the emphasis must be on the appropriateness of this change and the balance or equity between the needs of conservation and those of development. The primary goal must therefore be to respect, maintain and enhance the natural and cultural environment including nature conservation and landscape and coastal quality, and ensure its protection from inappropriate development.' Given the comprehensive nature of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan's Environmental Policies, only a small number of additional Proposals and Recommendations are necessary. In order to produce an implementable Area Plan for the East it is necessary to recognise those statutory desig nations and strategies which whilst having an Island-wide scope are highly relevant to the protection of environments within the Plan Area. An example is the UNESCO Biosphere status afforded to the Isle of Man. Island-level strategies identify crossborder issues and take account of the cumulative impacts of human engagement with nature. Area Plan Objectives i. To protect, conserve and enhance the natural and cultural environment of the plan area and promote biodiversity. ii. To improve the function, usability and provision of our green infrastructure and public spaces by providing a network of green spaces and features which are connected and where possible, accessible to the public. iii. To manage and improve flood risk and improve drainage conditions. iv. To support the working countryside and its custodians in maintaini ng a sustainable rural economy. Area Plan Desired Outcomes i. Where approved, d evelopment will be ecologically sustainable and designed to protect and where possible enhance biodiversity as well as mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. ii. The Green Infrastructure network will be established and fostered, connecting people with nature in a way that achieves the best shared outcomes for the urban and natural environment. iii. Statutory and non-statutory designations will continue to provide protection to the most important and most vulnerable cultural assets, habitats and environments in the plan area. iv. Beyond the towns and villages, the area as a whole will retain its landscape setting including its important visual interaction with the central uplands, central valley, coast and marine environment. Natural Environment Proposal 1 The Department supports the protection, creation and improvement of green infrastructure in the East, particularly in those locations which have the potential to be part of a Green Infrastructure Network. Applications for development must take into account any approved Government Green Infrastructure Strategies, but in any case, must identify how development proposals intend to contribute to the long term provision of a network of connected green spaces. UNESCO Biosphere In 2017, the Isle of Man became the first ever entire nation to achieve UNESCO Biosphere status. Project partners pledge to take steps to protect natural resources, develop the economy in a sustainable way and promote outstanding living landscapes. UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are established to connect people and the economy with nature, wildlife, culture, heritage and communities. Biosphere Reserves have three functions: Conservation: to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation. Development: to foster economic and human development which is socio -culturally and ecologically sustainable. Logistic support: to support demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development. The Isle of Man Biosphere is zoned into six areas . Examples of all of these can be found in the Eastern area: Terrestrial Core areas, Marine Core areas, Terrestrial Buffer zone, Marine Buffer zone, Terrestrial Transition areas and Marine Transition areas. There is some overlap with The Isle of Man's First Biodiversity Strategy 2015-20
Condition 1
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Condition 2
The proposed new tourist units may be used only as tourist accommodation and not as a permanent or main residence for any person.
Condition 3
The pond should not be built across the path of the existing stream or ditch. This is to prevent the introduction of sediment to the stream during construction, which may in turn have an adverse effect on fish spawning areas downstream and the existing stream should not be used as the water supply to fill the pond. The pond should be filled from groundwater or from the nearby existing ponds as discussed.
Condition 5
The hedgehog/nature information centre may be used only for the interpretation of the countryside and its wildlife and agriculture and for no other purpose.
Condition 6
The walls of the new build tourist units and hedgehog information centre must be coloured such that their visual impact is limited in the surrounding area. Details of the colour of the walling of these buildings must be approved by the Department and the walling coloured in accordance with these details thereafter unless otherwise approved by the Department. Reason: to enable the new buildings to sit comfortably and unobtrusively in their setting.
Condition 7
If the new build tourist units and hedgehog information centre are no longer used for their purposes hereby approved, the buildings and bases must be removed from site and the ground restored to its former condition within twelve months of last use.
