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Application No.: 19/00450/B Applicant: Dr John Taylor OBE Proposal: Creation of a borehole (retrospective) and erection of plant building associated with Gatekeeper Cottage, Ballawoods Halt, Ballasalla (PA 17/01076/B) Site Address: Field 434112 Douglas Road Ballasalla Isle of Man Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken: 04.05.2019 Site Visit: 04.05.2019 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.05.2019 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
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.
Plans/Drawings/Information: This approval relates to drawings PL0, PL1, PL2 and 1C all received on 12th April, 2019. _______________________________________________________________
Additional Persons
none _____________________________________________________________________________
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
1.1 The site is part of a field which sits one field in from the A5 Castletown Road on its approach into Ballasalla, and to the south west of a lane which links the A5 with the steam
2.1 Proposed is retrospective approval for the installation of a borehole together with proposed works to create and landscape the associated plant and storage tank. - 2.2 The borehole extends to 160m with a 60mm bore pipe. No approval was sought for this which was undertaken in 2017. All that is visible at the surface is a small cap. - 2.3 The associated plant includes a pump/plant room over the borehole head to supply the recently approved dwelling on the land to the south, with its own water supply. The new dwelling is intended to have as much up to date technology as possible to efficiently operate as a household without the need to rely upon direct energy supplies from outside. The water supply will not only be potable water for the house but also to maintain the landscaping scheme associated with the approved development. - 2.4 In order to reduce the visual impact of the proposed plant, the application proposes to cover the structures in earth and create something akin to a burial mound which is grassed and adorned with large, monolithic stones. There are two such sites on land owned by the applicant
2.5 The mound will be 6-8m across at its highest point with the supporting bank being 14-20m across with the access into the plant facing into the field and away from the lane. The stone to be used would be Stoney Mountain granite. The mound would be a little over 3m above field level at its highest. - 2.6 The building would be constructed from a cast in situ concrete raft with 300mm thick walls buried in subsoil and topped with selected soil suitable for field grass. The grass would be allowed to grow naturally and would not be cut or ploughed like the rest of the field. The stones would be arranged as a crown to the top and then around the base and sporadically between. These stones match those to be used in the landscaping of the new dwelling further down the field. - 2.7 The water storage tank placed within the mound alongside the plant building would be attached to pipework which uses gravity to transport the water to the cottage. Ultra violet treatment of the water would take place within the proposed plant. Once constructed, no access is required to the building. PLANNING POLICY
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the South as not designated for a particular purpose and with no specific constraints. The site lies within an area on the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 as of high landscape value and scenic significance. The site is also part of a wider area of Incised Slopes where the following guidance is provided:
Ballamodha, Earystane and St Marks (D14) The overall strategy is to conserve and enhance the character, quality and distinctiveness of the area, with its wooded valley bottoms, its strong geometric field pattern delineated by Manx hedges, its numerous traditional buildings and its network of small roads and lanes. The strategy should also include the restoration of landscapes disturbed by former mining activities.
Key Views Distant views prevented at times by dense woodland in river valleys and by the cumulative screening effect of hedgerow trees, which tend to create wooded horizons.
Open and panoramic views out to sea from the higher areas on the upper western parts of the area where there are few trees to interrupt views.
Objectives include:
3.2 The Strategic Plan presumes against development which would have an adverse impact on the character or appearance of the countryside (Environment Policies 1 and 2) but supports development which would harness renewable energy and reduce environmental impact ( Development which would adversely affect the quality of the countryside is presumed against with specific guidance on protecting watercourses (Environment Policy 7 and reference is made to The Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Water, issued by DAFF, DLGE and the Isle of Man Water Authority (2000). - 3.3 Environment Policy 22 presumes against development which would pollute watercourses and ground water and the guidance on Environmental Impact Assessment requires EIAs in the case of major water management projects for agriculture, including irrigation and land drainage projects (this excludes routine water management projects undertaken by farmers). PLANNING HISTORY
4.1 There have been no planning applications for this particular part of the site. The relevant applications for the area to the south are listed above. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners have no objection (01.05.19).
5.2 Highway Services indicate that there will be no adverse highway impact from the development (15.05.19). - 5.3 Ecosystems Policy Office confirm that they have no issue with this proposal (20.05.19). ASSESSMENT
6.1 The installation of boreholes have the potential to be damaging to the countryside in terms of the appearance of the mounded structure and the alteration of groundwater levels. Indeed, a current application for one within an ASSI on the Island is the subject of concern which has been raised by officers within the Ecosystems Policy and Environmental Protection Divisions of the Department (19/00298/B). There are no such concerns which have been raised in this case and it is unlikely that the extraction of water for a single dwelling and its associated curtilage, in the context of an agricultural area, is likely to cause any significant issue in terms of water table levels or supply of water.
6.2 The mound will be limited in impact by its position behind an existing hedge and screened from the highway by existing hedging both down the lane and alongside the A5. It is considered that this, with the backdrop of the existing trees will lead to there being no adverse visual impact from the proposed works. CONCLUSIONS - 7.1 Whilst the development is in an area not designated for development, it is not considered that there would be any adverse impact on the character or appearance, or ecology of the countryside and as such, the application is supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:
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: 28.05.2019 Signed : S E Corlett Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required.
YES/NO
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