27 April 2017 · Committee
Composting Site, Poortown Road, St Johns, Isle Of Man, IM4 3nq
The application sought permission to erect a building at the existing Ballaneven Compost Ltd site to provide covered composting facilities, with a mezzanine-level office area of 9m x 6m including kitchen, toilet, and shower facilities. A small concrete apron on the eastern side of the building would serve as a loading and unloading area connected to the main access track. The site sits in countryside with High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance; it is not readily visible from Poortown Road but is partially visible from sections of the A3. The key planning issues were the building's impact on the character of the countryside, whether its design and scale were sympathetic to the landscape, and whether the operational need was strong enough to justify an exception to policies restricting countryside development. Officers concluded that, while the building would be partially visible and would normally conflict with Strategic Plan countryside policies, the supporting evidence demonstrated an essential need: the facility provides a vital green waste recycling service for the Isle of Man, contributes to the Government Waste Management Strategy, and produces a horticultural product used across the Island.
The Planning Committee approved the application because the essential operational need for the building — supporting a vital Island-wide green waste recycling facility — was judged sufficient to outweigh the general policy presumption against countryside development. Although the building would be partially visible in a landscape of High Landscape Value, the need for the facility and its contribution to the Government Waste Management Strategy were considered overriding factors. The use is restricted by condition to green waste composting by Ballaneven Compost Ltd only.
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 building hereby approved shall be used solely for managing the composting process and all ancillary processes associated with its production of compost.
Condition 3
For the avoidance of doubt, no retail uses shall be undertaken from the site.
Condition 4
No development shall be commenced until a soft landscaping scheme has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Such a scheme shall include details of all planting which is to be retained and details of all planting which is to be proposed. Specification to include numbers, species and positions of all new trees and shrubs and a programme of implementation.
Condition 5
In the event that the use of the site for recycling of green waste and composting of material ceases, the building, the concrete pad and hard standing areas of the site hereby approved within Field 315142 shall be removed from the site to a licensed facility within 12 months of the date of the cessation of works and the land returned to its original use and appearance.
Condition 6
The existing portacabin must be removed from site on completion of the works or upon the coming into use of the approved building whichever is the sooner.
Condition 7
The use hereby approved shall only be for the benefit of Ballaneven Compost Ltd for the purpose of composting green waste and in accordance with the details set out in the application.
Condition 8
All external facing materials to be used on the approved building must be dark green in colour or otherwise approved in writing by the Department, and retained as such thereafter.
Condition 9
All external facing roofing materials (excluding the translucent rooflights) to be used on the approved building must be dark green or dark grey in colour or otherwise approved in writing by the Department, and retained as such thereafter.
Condition 10
External lighting of the development hereby approved may only be illuminated between 0700hrs and 1800hrs in any day.
Condition 11
Internal lighting of the development hereby approved may only be illuminated between 0700hrs and 2000hrs in any one day.
Condition 12
Within 28 days of the completion of the building hereby approved the site shall be cleared of all plant, machinery or other extraneous material not used in the day to day lawful use of the site.
construction of an organic composting facility (Ballaneven Compost Ltd)
approved at appeal
erection of an agricultural building within field 314583
refused at Appeal due to the visual impact on the landscape
Repair and widening of existing / former tracks, and creation of new tracks, and repair to hedges
Split decision at appeal
construction of two agricultural building on land at Ballaneven Farm
refused at appeal
