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Application No.: 24/00224/B Applicant: Mrs Kathleen Lowey Proposal: Erection of an extension to an existing agricultural building Site Address: Balladoole Farm Balladoole Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 4PQ Planning Officer: Hamish Laird Photo Taken: 05.06.2024 Site Visit: 05.06.2024 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.07.2024
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Reason: The countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural need. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.
Reason: The buildings have been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural need and any subsequent retention including of any foundations would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure no harm to the dark skies This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.
The application is considered to be acceptable in terms of the proposed agricultural use, its siting, scale, form and extent of development proposed in that it would have an acceptable impact on the character of the site and surroundings in this countryside location. It complies with the provisions of policies GP3 f), SP5, ENV1, ENV2, and ENV15 of the Strategic Plan and is, therefore, recommended for an approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
The development shall be carried out in accordance with the submitted drawings and details in the planning application dated 20 February, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Such details are:
Location Plan - Boundary of Farm complex edged red @ scale 1:3,000; Registered Buildings Plan - dated February, 1994, - with Registered Buildings outlined in red; Land Ownership Map @ scale 1:5,000, showing owned land edged blue and rented land edged red; Proposed Site Plan @Scale 1:500; Drawing No. P7195-01 - Plan and Elevations; Schedule of information required for planning permission for barns and/or further buildings or structures associated with agriculture;
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None. _____________________________________________________________________________
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site represents the curtilage of Balladoole Farm, Balladoole, Castletown, which comprises of a group of farm buildings/barns with a detached farm house. All the farm outbuildings and the dwelling house (exception of Dutch barn and more modern steel framed barn located along the western boundary of the orchard) are Registered Buildings. The application site is not within the curtilage of a Registered Building. All are located to the south of the Shore Road (A5) which runs to Port St Mary to the west and Castletown to the east. The farm is accessed via an access road which runs from the Shore Road in a southern direction to connecting to a number of properties and Pooil Vaaish Quarry.
2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the removal of the existing freestanding agricultural building - Shed B - which is a Dutch barn as advised above and measures approx. 32.0m long x 12.2m wide and which has a 1.5m deep canopy attached to its east elevation. It stands approx. 6.0m to the ridge and 4.m high to the eaves. It is constructed from concrete panels at ground level with Yorkshire Boarding above. It is proposed to be replaced by an extension to the existing modern agricultural cattle shed - Shed A (See PA 12/00678/B) - and to be attached to the north side of this structure of the erection of an agricultural cattle shed. The proposed shed would have a width of 12.19 metres, a depth of 22.86 metres; an eaves height of 4.57 metres; and, a maximum height of 6.2 metres to its ridge. All measurements are approximate. It would be constructed from Tanalised, Spaced, Yorkshire Boarding for the walls with a section of concrete panels on the west elevation. The east and north elevations would be open-sided.
"Most of our straw and hay is currently stored in a 1950's built "dutch" barn (referred to as Shed B). This building has reached the end of its life and has now become structurally unsafe, with cracking brick pillars, collapsing wooden 'A' frames and broken asbestos roof sheets (which now need to be professionally removed before there is a health and safety issue). It also no longer has the capacity to store the increased amount of straw and hay that we now produce. It is practically and financially important to our farming business that all of our straw and hay is kept dry, so we really need to create new, safer and larger storage.
The stone buildings in the bottom part of the yard are not tractor accessible, and we do not wish to interfere with these as they are Registered. Shed B is not Registered, as shown on the original Registration Plan of 1994. Please note that the new modern agricultural cattle shed (referred to as Shed A) is not shown on this Map as it was built in 2012 - planning approval 12/00678/B.
We therefore, propose to dismantle Shed B before it collapses and causes potential damage. We would then add an extension to the "next door" modern agricultural shed (Shed A in photos/plans). The extension would seamlessly join and match onto the existing shed. It would sit further back than existing Shed B, making a neat straight line across the front and rear of the holding. It would be the same length and have the same site levels as existing Shed B, but have a greater width - therefore creating the extra capacity that we require. As only the front of the shed would be visible from the road, there would therefore be no obvious changes to the aesthetics of the yard."
3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site lies within an area zoned on the Area Plan for the South (2013) as 'white land' or land not zoned for development and therefore is not designated for any particular purpose. The collection of buildings is identified on the map. - 3.2 On the landscape plan the site is noted as 'Undulating Lowland Plain' and in the written statement accompanying the plans the site is defined as:
"Poyllvaaish and Scarlett Peninsula (F8)" The overall strategy should be to conserve the strong sense of openness throughout the area, with strong field pattern as well as the setting of the numerous archaeological sites within the area. Key Views
3.3 The site is not within a Conservation Area or within an area identified as flood risk. It does, however, lie close to a group of Registered Buildings comprising the traditional farmhouse and stone built structures on and adjoining the site. There are no defined registered trees or registered trees areas on the Govt maps.
3.4 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. As the land is not zoned for development General Policy 3 would be applicable; - 3.5 Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate area plan with the exception of;
3.4 Spatial Policy 5 states; New development will be located within the defined settlements. Development will only be permitted in the countryside in accordance with General Policy 3
3.6 Environment Policy 1 states: 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 overriding 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. - 3.7 Environment Policy 2 states: The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance (AHLV's) as shown on the 1982 Development Plan and subsequent Local and Area Plans will be used as a basis for development control until such time as it is superseded by a landscape classification which will introduce different categories of landscape and policies and guidance for control therein. Within these areas the protection of the character of the landscape will be the most important consideration unless it can be shown that:
3.8 Environment Policy 15 states: Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part.
Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended.
Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape."
4.1 12/00678/B - Erection of an agricultural cattle shed. Approved - 11.07.2012
4.2 88/01271/B - Change of use of agricultural building to residential dwelling to rear Balladoole Farm - APPROVED - 4.3 86/01053/A - Approval in principle to convert agricultural building into dwelling APPROVED
5.1 Arbory and Rushen Commissioners (27/3/24) - SUPPORTS the application.
5.2 DoI Highways (1/3/24) comments - "24/00224/B - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. A condition to limit use to private storage of vehicles and personal items maybe suitable." - 5.3 No written representations from any third parties have been received.
6.1 The starting point for any development within the countryside (i.e. not zoned for development) is General Policy 3 paragraph F of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. This policy states that development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of those buildings which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry.
6.2 Further to this policy, Environment Policy 15 also requires consideration, as the first paragraph of this policy requires first the Planning Authority to be satisfied that there is an agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside. - 6.3 To find whether the proposed barn would have a sufficient justification to comply with General Policy 3 and the first aspect of Environment Policy 15, the Authority notes that the application is effectively for a replacement of the existing Agricultural Building B (the Dutch Barn) on site (which has already been dismantled and removed), and that the new building would be constructed as an extension to Agricultural Building A , which would make farming operations easier in terms of livestock care and welfare, and effective animal husbandry. - 6.4 It is noted that currently the farm enterprise is based on 86 acres (34.8ha), of which 60 acres is owned by the applicant and the remainder 26 acres (10.52ha), is leased land (5 year tenancy agreement). The farm operation is based on around 9 dairy (calving) cows, and 26 one to two year old beef cattle, with a view to increase this number to 40 - hence the requirement for the new livestock building. Crops are accounted for by 24 acres (9.71ha) of cereals (Barley); and, 23 acres (9.31ha) for silage. The applicant is now growing more crops 12 acres increase in Barley than previously, and requires space for straw storage. It is noted that the existing stone built farm buildings are inaccessible to tractors. - 6.5 It is also noted that the dairy based agricultural enterprise has a standard labour requirement of 0.39 standard labour units. The Department considers this enterprise as a part time agricultural business.
6.5 It is indicated that the applicant expanded his farming acreage in 2011 and activities to include Balladoole Farm. The farm has historically been managed organically, and only in 2011 ceased its official organic status. Stocking rates are therefore currently lower than that of a non-organic farm. - 6.6 When the 12/00678/B application was being considered, it was noted that there was only one existing modern building, and this is not ideal for the housing of livestock and appears to be used for hay storage (The Dutch Barn). The remaining farm buildings were and remain
7.1 For these reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the Strategic Plan and therefore recommended for an approval. - 8.00 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
8.2 The decision maker must determine:
8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 24.07.2024 Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner
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