The site is part of a larger field, 124239, situated on the southern side of the Ballacorey Road which links the A9 Ramsey to Andreas Road in the west to the Bride coast road in the east. The site itself is 0.88 acres (0.3 ha) in size and has a number of trees within it. There is an access onto the highway with a metal gate and it would appear that some site clearance has been undertaken at some point in the past and there are small piles of material deposited at the edge of the cleared area.
To the west of the site is a lower area which was once a marl pit which is shown on the 1960s County Series mapping with a brick kiln shown on the application site.
The site and the road in general have self seeded trees - ash, sycamore and hawthorn within the roadside hedge which is quite low (around 300-400mm).
The Proposal
Proposed is the principle of the erection of a dwelling on the site. No supporting information has been provided to suggest why planning permission should be granted in this case. Pre-application advice provided on site clarified that the site is not within an area designated for development.
Planning Status And Policy
The site lies within an area designated on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 as Woodland, within a wider area of white land - open space not designated for development.
The Strategic Plan sets out a raft of policies which presume in favour of development which would utilise existing resources and which would direct development to sustainable locations, notably ones within existing settlements where amenities, services and facilities are available (Strategic Aim, Strategic Policies 1, 2 and 10, Spatial Policy 5, Housing Policy 4). In addition, the following policies are considered relevant:
General Policy 3: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
Application No.:
12/00460/A
Applicant:
Mr & Mrs Robert Quayle
Proposal:
Approval in principle for the erection of a dwelling
Site Address:
Field 121878 (Former Tip) Ballacorey Road Andreas Isle Of Man
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, historical, or social value and interest (Housing Policy 11) c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of buildings where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environmental 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-dependant 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".
Environment Policy 1: "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."
Planning History
No planning applications have been submitted in respect of this site or the land to the west.
Representations
Andreas Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application.
Highways Division seek a deferral as they consider that there is insufficient information to demonstrate that visibility splays of 2m by 35 are available to the plot.
A resident of Douglas objects to the application on the basis that the site is not designated for development.
Assessment
The site is not designated for development and there is no supporting information which suggests why the policies against development should be set aside here. Whilst on site, it was discussed that there is a shortage of opportunities for young people to remain in the rural locations where perhaps they were brought up and that opportunities should be made available for this. It was explained however, that such an ad hoc approach to development in the countryside would lead to an erosion of the rural character of the countryside and little or no control over how many and where new dwellings could be constructed. This is contrary to the sustainable aims of the Strategic Plan as set out above.
It is also notable that the site is almost an acre in size and the value of any property is likely to be considerably higher than most young people are able to afford. Planning permission runs with the land, not with the applicant and as such planning permission could not reasonably be tied to a particular person, leading to permissions being passed on for implementation to those who were not the intended beneficiaries, were the planning system to try to make provision for young people wishing to stay in the countryside once they wish to move out of the family home.
Whilst Highways Division express concern that there is insufficient information to demonstrate that adequate visibility is available, the existing hedges are low and drivers of vehicles emerging from the site would be able to see over the hedges for a distance of 36m without significant alteration to the roadside hedge. As such, it is not considered that highway safety should be a reason for refusal of this application.
Party Status
The local authority, Andreas Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.
The resident of Douglas is not directly affected by the proposal and should not be afforded party status in this case.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of Recommendation: 27.04.2012
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
C : Conditions for approvalN : Notes attached to conditionsR : Reasons for refusalO : Notes attached to refusals
R 1.
The erection of a dwelling on this site would represent an unwarranted development in the Island's countryside and would be contrary to both the land use provisions of the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 and to the provisions of the Island Strategic Plan, in particular to the Strategic Aim, Strategic Policies 1c, 2 and 10, Spatial Policy 5, General Policy 3, Environment Policy 1 and Housing Policy 4.
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 : RefusedDate : 2/5/12
Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed: A. Winn Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer
Signed: Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed: Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer
Signed: Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager
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Source & Provenance
Official reference
12/00460/A
Source authority
Isle of Man Government Planning & Building Control
