Decision Notice

Cornerstone Architects 79 Parliament Street Ramsey Isle of Man IM8 1AQ

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019

In pursuance of powers granted under the above Act, and subordinate Orders and Regulations, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture determined to REFUSE an application by Mr Cleveland Perry, Ref 24/00534/B, for the Conversion of existing redundant storage barn to provide a residential dwelling at Barn Adj To Field 134413 Churchtown Ramsey Isle Of Man for the following reason(s):

• 1. General Policy 3 (GP3) establishes strict exceptions for countryside development, ensuring that proposals outside settlement boundaries adhere to specific housing and environmental policies. The proposal fails to satisfy GP3's requirements as it does not meet the provisions of Housing Policy 11 (HP11) or Housing Policy 4 (HP4), both of which regulate rural housing and conversion projects. The barn requires significant reconstruction, contradicting GP3's principle of retaining original structures without excessive intervention. The lack of architectural, historic, or social significance further undermines compliance, reinforcing that the development does not qualify as an acceptable countryside conversion.
• 2. Housing Policy 11 (HP11) requires that redundant rural buildings be substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation without excessive rebuilding. However, the barn exhibits severe structural deficiencies, including leaning walls, inadequate foundations, and saturated soil conditions, necessitating major reconstruction beyond policy thresholds. Additionally, HP11 mandates that qualifying buildings possess architectural, historic, or social interest, yet the structure holds no architectural, heritage or communal value. Paragraph 8.10 of HP11 explicitly prohibits the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement structures disguised as conversions, reinforcing that the extent of intervention required far exceeds permissible policy limits, leading to clear non-compliance.
• 3. Housing Policy 4 (HP4) establishes a spatial strategy for sustainable housing development, restricting new housing in the countryside unless it meets strict exceptional circumstances. The policy prioritizes housing within existing towns and villages to ensure

sustainable growth, protect rural landscapes, and prevent uncontrolled development in open countryside. Proposals for new housing outside designated settlements must fully comply with specific policy exceptions, including the conversion of redundant rural buildings under Housing Policy 11 (HP11). In this case, the proposal fails to meet HP4's requirements as the barn does not qualify for conversion under HP11 due to structural deficiencies and lack of architectural, historic, or social interest. HP4 reinforces HP11's provisions by ensuring that rural housing is permitted only where policy-defined needs exist, such as agricultural worker housing or conversions that maintain rural heritage. As the proposal does not meet these exemptions, it contradicts HP4's strategic objectives for controlled countryside development.

Date of Issue: 29th April 2025

J CHANCE Director of Planning and Building Control

Guidance Note

This decision was made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority delegated to it.

This decision refers only to that applied for under the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and its subordinate legislation.

A copy of the Officer’s report and any correspondence which led to the assessment and decision is available to view on the Government’s (https://pbc.gov.im/online-applications/)

Appeal Any appeal must be in writing and submitted to the Department within 21 days of the date of this Notice. The appeal must contain:

the grounds for making the appeal;

payment of the planning appeal fee (currently £355); and if relevant, confirmation that the appellant wishes to have the appeal determined by means of an inquiry and payment of the additional inquiry fee (currently £130).

Where the appeal is submitted by the applicant they must:

specify in detail and by reference to material planning considerations the reasons why the appellant disagrees with that determination; and

Where against a refusal, on the grounds of deficient detail or supporting documentation, set out why they consider the information or documentation forming part of the application was sufficient in the circumstance.

If the appeal is submitted by someone who has interested Person Status but is not listed in Article 4(2) of the Development Procedure Order 2019, that person must relate their grounds for making the appeal to issues which they included in representations made prior to the application being determined.

Failure to meet all of the relevant above requirements will mean that the appeal cannot be validated.

An appeal form and more detailed guidance are available either from Planning & Building Control, Tel 685950, or from the Department’s website www.gov.im/planningappeal

If this decision becomes final because there is no appeal, the Department’s public reference copy (counter copy) of the planning application (should one have been received) may be collected by the applicant or their agent from Murray House. Please note that if the counter copy of the application is not collected within thirty days following the last date on which a planning appeal can be made it will be destroyed without further notice.