Loading document...
Application No.: 17/00620/B Applicant: Mr Derek & Mrs Jane Cain Proposal: Use of two tourist accommodation huts instead of approved glamping pods (retrospective) Site Address: Field 411363 & Part Field 411361 Glendown Farm Truggan Road Port St. Mary Isle of Man Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 21.06.2017 Site Visit: 21.06.2017 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DUE TO THE PLANNING HISTORY OF THE SITE
1.1 The site is a field and some land alongside which sits to the east of Glendown Farm at the south eastern edge of Port Erin but within the parish of Rushen. The land to the west, north and south is actively farmed by the applicant and to the north west is the edge of the built up part of Port Erin in the form of Erin Way, Erin Lane and Erin Close. - 1.2 The site slopes away from the road and has recently been the subject of works to create a camp site. The works include the improvement of the access and the planting of trees along the boundaries in accordance with an approved landscaping scheme required as part of the earlier application, 14/00800/B. These elements have been undertaken. The planting was undertaken in accordance with the approved scheme, other than the introduction of griselinia hedging between the pitches. The blackthorn trees have not survived and the applicant will be revisiting the location of these trees in the planting season. - 1.3 Two shepherd's hut style glamping units have been parked on the site not in the areas where the glamping pods were originally approved but further uphill and slightly closer to the western boundary of the site. THE PROPOSAL
2.1 When planning approval was granted for the creation of the camp site, conditions were imposed to require details of the glamping pods which had been included in the application but without any elevations or details. These details were provided by way of further plans following the issue of the approval and showed curved roofed timber units with timber shingle roofs with a small timber patio adjoining the unit. These were not moveable and had no foundations. - 2.2 Following an objection, the applicant has relocated the position of the proposed shepherd's huts further up the site, away from the northern boundary and closer to the main group of existing buildings. The applicant has also confirmed that they will paint the galvanised sheeting dark green once the shiny surface has weathered (as the paint will not take until the shiny surface has weathered away). PLANNING POLICY
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as not for any particular purpose and on the Draft Character Appraisal the land falls within a much wider area of Incised Slopes one of whose principal objectives is to preserve the open green space between Port St. Mary. - 3.2 A more significant direction is from an approval which was granted for the site to be developed into a camp site for motorhomes, glamping pods and tents, 14/00800/B. This application was initially refused by the Planning Committee for reasons relating to highway safety and the impact on the character of the countryside as well as concerns at the absence of information. There were also objections to the scheme by Highway Services and a number of local residents, primarily on highway safety and mainly through the introduction of motor home traffic, but also regarding the potential visual and aural impact of the use of the site as proposed. - 3.3 The inspector reporting on the appeal disagreed with the objectors, commenting on the visual impact concerns as follows:
"There is no doubt that the appearance of the field would change, not least because it would have a new access onto Truggan Road and some internal roads. But the majority of it would remain as grass, there would be no new buildings and during the 5 winter months, no motor homes, tents, cars of caravans. This, together with the likelihood of generous landscaping around and within the site, and a controlled scheme of external lighting, leads to the view that the proposed campsite would not have a materially harmful visual impact when viewed from Truggan Road or from the nearest houses in Port Erin and further afield. The Minister agreed with this and the application was approved subject, inter alia, with a condition which required the approval of the number, appearance and location of the glamping pods which were to be installed in accordance with the approved details."
3.4 The applicant provided details of two glamping pods, as described in paragraph 2.1 above, along with details of the lighting and landscaping, all of which were approved on 13th April, 2015. REPRESENTATIONS
4.1 Rushen Parish Commissioners raise no objection to the application (29.06.17). - 4.2 Highway Services indicate that there is no highway interest in the application (27.06.17). - 4.3 The owner of 38, Erin Way, Port Erin objects to the siting of the units which are directly in her line of sight such that they will also adversely affect her privacy. She also comments that the huts do not appear to be in keeping with the countryside but does not object to them per se, just the siting (17.06.17). ASSESSMENT
5.1 The issue here is whether the location and appearance of the shepherd hut type glamping pods have any adverse impact on the character of the countryside or the living conditions of those in nearby properties, taking account of the existence of the approval under 14/00800/B and the findings of the inspector, in particular in respect of those glamping pods. - 5.2 The Government's policy on tourism is set out within its Destination Management Plan 20162020 and more specifically, the Department of Economic Development's Tourism Division has undertaken research into the different elements of tourist accommodation offered on the Island, with a study into the Island's hotels and hotel potential having been undertaken first with a more recent study into non-serviced accommodation, including camping and self-contained units where there is no provision of housekeeping or catering facilities. This study has yet to be published but discussions which were part of this revealed that there is often merit in creating accommodation which has its own style and is different from other accommodation in the same market. The shepherd's hut style accommodation is not new, although there are not too many (if any) currently available on the Island and these have been made by the applicant's family. Images of existing accommodation can be seen via the Internet and what is proposed here is not dissimilar to these
INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
In addition to those above, article 6(3) of the Order requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.
In this instance, it is recommended that the following persons have sufficient interest and should be awarded the status of an Interested Person in accordance with Government Circular 0046/13:
the owners of 39, Erin Way who were granted interested person in respect of 14/00800/B.
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: 24.07.2017
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.
This approval relates to the location and site plan/elevations both received on 7th June, 2017 and the site layout reference 1714-03 received on 30th June, 2017.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : Permitted Committee Meeting Date: 07.08.2017 Signed: S E Corlett Presenting Officer Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required YES/NO See below PLANNING COMMITTEE DECISION 07.08.2017 Application No. : 17/00620/B Applicant : Mr Derek & Mrs Jane Cain Proposal : Use of two tourist accommodation huts instead of approved glamping pods (retrospective) Site Address : Field 411363 & Part Field 411361 Glendown Farm Truggan Road Port St. Mary Isle of Man
Presenting Officer : Miss S E Corlett
Addendum to the Officer’s Report
The Planning Committee approved the application at its meeting of 7th August, 2017 but amended condition 4 to refer to the external metalwork of the proposed huts must be coloured dark green, not just the roofing. The members also noted the incorrect reference to 39, Erin Way at paragraph 4.3.
The members did not accept that the owner of 39, Erin Way should be afforded interested person status as she would not be directly or materially affected by the proposed changes to the scheme approved in general under 14/00800/B.
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.
This approval relates to the location and site plan/elevations both received on 7th June, 2017 and the site layout reference 1714-03 received on 30th June, 2017.
Copyright in submitted documents remains with their authors. Request removal
