Planning Officer Report

Officer's Report

Application No.:	12/00083/C
Applicant:	Mr John & Mrs Fiona Anderson
Proposal:	Change of use of existing barn to tourist accommodation
Site Address:	Knockaloe Beg Farm Knockaloe Beg Lane Raggatt Peel Isle Of Man IM5 3AQ
Case Officer:	Mr A Holmes
Photo Taken:
Site Visit:
Expected Decision Level:	Officer Delegation

The Application Site

1. The application site comprises the curtilage of the existing farm group at Knockaloe Beg Farm in Patrick, the farm group is located approximately 650m from the A27. The planning application specifically relates to any existing stone barn located within the farm group.

The Proposal

1. The proposal comprises the change of use of an existing barn to tourist accommodation.

Planning History

1. The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, one of which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

1. Planning application 05/92183/B sought planning approval for alterations to existing barns and outbuildings to form two tourist accommodation units and demolition and rebuild of existing farm house. This previous planning application was approved on appeal on the 10th October 2006.

Planning Policy

1. In terms of land use designation the application site is not designated for any site specific purpose but is located within a wider area of land classified as being High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Provisional Order 1982.

1. In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains two policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

1. General Policy 3 states:

"Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

• (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10);
• (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11);
• (c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment;
• (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14);

• (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services;
• (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry;
• (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and
• (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage."

1. Environment Policy 16 states:

"The use of existing rural buildings for new purposes such as tourist, or small-scale industrial/commercial use may be permitted where:

• (a) it is demonstrated that the building is no longer required for its original purpose and where the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation;
• (b) the reuse of the building will result in the preservation of fabric which is of historic, architectural, or social interest or is otherwise of visual attraction;
• (c) it is demonstrated that the building could accommodate the new use without requiring extension or adverse change to appearance or character;
• (d) there would not be unacceptable implications in terms of traffic generation;
• (e) conversion does not lead to dispersal of activity on such a scale as to prejudice the vitality and viability of existing town and village services; and
• (f) the use of existing buildings involves significant levels of redevelopment to accommodate the new use, the benefits secured by the proposal in terms of impact on the environment and the rural economy shall outweigh the continued impact of retaining the existing buildings on site."

Proposals to convert rural buildings to residential accommodation will be considered along with the advice given at Section 8.10 of this document."

Representations

1. Patrick Parish Commissioners have no objections to the planning application.
2. The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division do not oppose the planning application.
3. The Manx Electricity Authority expresses an interest in the planning application.

Assessment

1. It is proposed to change the use of an existing barn building into tourist accommodation. This tourist accommodation, which is intended to be bunkhouse accommodation primarily aimed at walkers, will complement existing tourist accommodation within adjacent converted barns. The proposal would not involved any external alterations to the barn, which was reroofed relatively recently as part of the implementation of previous planning approval 05/92183/B.
2. Having visited the application site it is clear that the barn is no longer used for its original agricultural purpose. As is often the case within older barns their use is no longer viable given the size of modern agricultural machinery. In this instance more modern barns are used for the farming of Knockaloe Beg Farm and the barn in question is used informally by the applicant's children and for general domestic storage. The barn is clearly structurally sound and only modest internal alterations are required for the proposed use. There is more than adequate car parking provision within the application site to handle the additional traffic generated by the proposal.
3. The proposal, which is next to existing tourist accommodation, would sit comfortably within the application site and does not harm public amenity, private amenity or highway safety. As such, the proposal is concluded to satisfactorily accord with the provisions of General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 16 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

Patrick Parish Commissioners.

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division; and The Manx Electricity Authority.

Recommendation
Recommended Decision:	Permitted
Date of Recommendation:	27.02.2012
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals
C 1. The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.
C 2. This approval relates to the use of the barn as tourist accommodation as shown within the location plan and site plan date stamped the 20th January 2012.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made: Permitted	Date: 27-2-12
Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed: Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer	Signed: Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer
Signed: Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control	Signed: Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager