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Application No.: 16/00833/B Applicant: Mr Philip Kelly Proposal: Erection of a replacement agricultural building Site Address: Agricultural Building Algare Farm East Baldwin Isle of Man Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 24.08.2016 Site Visit: 24.08.2016 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is a rectangular parcel of land within which is sited an old and dilapidated agricultural building. It is interesting to note that the applicant's address is at Ballamodda Farm, which is sited nearby to the south, and yet the application site is described as Algare Farm. - 1.2 The site is an isolated one, located in Braddan to the south of a highway called 'East Baldwin', and which joins the Ballamodha Road to the west and East Baldwin Road to the east. There is a residential dwelling within the site, simply called 'Algare', which is presumably the farmhouse associated with the large landholding defined by the submitted 'blue line' plan. The dwelling appears to have had replacement windows installed fairly recently although it is not immediately clear if it is being lived in. - 1.3 The site is surprisingly well-screened from the highway via the presence of mature and evidently quite old trees, as well as banks; topographically, the site also falls away from the road. - 1.4 The submitted photographs show that within the barn are bales of hay and some agricultural plant; the site visit confirmed this, albeit that there is quite a lot of farm-related materials and plant outside the barn as well. Presumably its original form was as a Dutch barn, but once that has been added to with some extensions many years ago. Although the building, which is open on all sides to a greater and lesser degree, is in active use, this is limited by the fact the building itself is in a very poor state such that some of the roof has collapsed in on the items being stored below. - 1.5 Adjacent the site to the west is The Old Parsonage, which is a private residential dwelling wholly unrelated to the application, even though it does appear as within the blue line on the submitted application. There is a large extension currently under construction at The Old Parsonage, from which views of the application site are possible.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the demolition of the Dutch barn plus its extensions, and in place of this would be a new building for agricultural purposes on a slightly larger footprint and also, it is probable, somewhat taller than the existing structures.
2.2 The building would measure 23m in length by just over 18m in width: with a ridge height of just under 8m and a 15-degree roof pitch, the eaves would sit 5m above ground level. On one side there is a roof overhang. The four sides would be clad in 'plastisol metal sheets' to some degree, with two sides also having concrete panelling. This would leave the front and side elevations almost completely open. The submitted plans indicate that the elevation sheeting would be coloured to match the existing, adjacent buildings, with the roof sheeting in natural grey and the concrete panels apparently unfinished. - 2.3 On the application form, the applicant explains that the proposed building would be used for livestock and storage of foodstuffs (hay and straw are specifically mentioned).
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Neither the specific site nor the farmyard itself has been the subject of any recently submitted planning applications.
4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 The scale and quality of the maps associated with the Braddan Local Plan 1991 make it difficult to be absolutely certain what the zoning for the site is, but it would certainly appear to either be 'white land' of 'Wood'. There is a small area of the latter zoning located in a much wider area of the former, and, such as it can be discerned, the Old Parsonage would appear to border this zoning to the west albeit that there are not so many trees here as might be expected to be found in an area so zoned. - 4.2 With this in mind, the site is not zoned for any particular kind of development; policy 13.3 of the Local Plan is also clear that this means the site should also be considered as being of high landscape value. The nature of the proposed use of the building, though, is such that assessment of the application against General Policy 3, Environment Policies 1 & 2, and also Environment Policy 15; it is worth noting the wording of the latter in full:
"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."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DoI Highway Services stated on 18.08.2016 that the proposal had no highway implications. - 5.2 The Chairman of Braddan Parish Commissioners offered no objection to the application on 4th August 2016. This view would appear to not be one reached following a formal meeting where there was a quorum.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 While the Strategic Plan policies are clear that the countryside - in which this site technically sits - is to be protected for its own sake (EP1), there is also a clear exception that can be made where an essential agricultural need can be demonstrated (GP3(f)). In such cases, special consideration will still be needed with respect to the impact on the character and appearance of the countryside, and especially so in view of the site's high landscape value (EP2). Finally, there is a need to ensure that new buildings are physically associated with existing where possible (EP15). - 6.2 In this case, in spite of the lack of planning history for this particular farmyard, it would appear clear that the applicant's business is well-established and operating successfully across at least two sites. (Extensions to two farm buildings were approved at Ballamodda Farm under applications submitted in 1987, but nothing else has been submitted since then: both such applications were submitted in the name of PE Kelly, who is also the applicant for the proposal the subject of this report.) - 6.3 It is also to be very strongly noted that there is an existing building in the position of that here proposed, such that the actual net increase in floorspace will be fairly limited should the application be approved. - 6.4 Accordingly, it is considered that - even in the absence of any particular supporting statement - there is sufficient reason to conclude that there is a justification for a new building at this location. - 6.5 In consideration of the appearance, massing and location of the proposed, building, it is concluded that the overall impact will be satisfactorily limited and that the character of the countryside protected. Although no dimensions have been provided, the Dutch barn (as extended) is evidently a fairly large building - there are images showing a combine harvester sat next to it and the barn still sits some way above such a large piece of agricultural plant. It is also well-hidden from the highway and also the approach to the site, and so a building of similar massing would not have a significantly greater impact. - 6.6 Indeed, though the loss of a somewhat characterful Dutch barn might be considered a little unfortunate, it is evidently in a somewhat sorry state and its replacement with a new building of contemporary styling is considered to be something of an improvement over the existing visual impact. Views of the site from further afield are very much obscured by existing trees and banks and the natural topography of the area, and in any case it must be remembered that there already is a small collection of buildings here that the new building would be seen very much a part of, rather than separate from. - 6.7 It will likely be the case that the new building would be used more than the existing, purely because the existing is in such a poor state of repair. This may therefore have an effect on the living conditions of The Old Parsonage. However, the site has clearly been in agricultural use for many years and so low-level noise and odour associated with the use of what is a fairly small overall site (it is unlikely another building could be erected within the defined yard area) are of the kind to be expected in rural locations such as this. Accordingly, no objection on this point is raised.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 In view of the favourable findings of the assessment against the key policies, it is considered that the application is acceptable and recommended for approval. As often in cases such as this, a condition requiring the building's removal should it cease being used for agricultural purposes is both necessary and reasonable.
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.08.2016 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
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.
The development hereby approved relates to Drawings PK/01, PK/02 and PK/03 A all date-stamped as having been received on 18th July 2016.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 05.09.2016 Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer
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