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Application No.: 25/90619/B Applicant: Mr Robin Bigland Proposal: Installation of Starlink dish Site Address: Ballakilley Glen Mooar Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3AG Senior Planning Officer: Jason Singleton Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.08.2025 _________________________________________________________________
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.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed installation is considered to be acceptable to Housing Policy 15 and Environment Policy 1 of the Iom Strategic Plan. Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision realtes to drawings and supporting information received on 10th July 2025.
_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal None
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site identified in red is a residential dwelling Ballakilley Glen Mooar Road St Johns. The property is a detached two story traditional Manx stone farm house that has seen single storey extension to the south of the property. The property is set back from the highway witin its own grounds and is accessed via a private driveway. The site is largely concealed from public view due to the mature trees and hedging to its boundaries and is adjacent (north) to the River Neb.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the installation of a "Starlink" satellite panel. The rectangle shaped panel would measure 594mm x 383mm and 39.7mm thick and would be mounted on a metal bracket affixed to the south-west corner of the dwelling house, just below eaves level. - 2.2 The applicant notes; "The property sits within it's own grounds and no other properties can see it. The existing dish is on the side of the house and cannot be seen from any road or pathway. The new dish will sit adjacent to the existing sky dish. It is expected the dish will be of a standard size. The trees which exist within 15m of the house have no impact, and will not be impacted by the installation of the dish".
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 None.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as open countryside / woodland and not zoned for development, however the dwelling house and ancillary buildings are identified on the 1982 Development Plan.
4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application;
Strategic Policy 5 Design and visual impact
General Policy
Environment Policy 1 Protection of the countryside and its Ecology
Housing Policy 15 - Extension or alterations to traditional styled properties in the countryside
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 German Parish Commissioners had not commented at the time of writing. - 5.2 DoI Highways Services had not commented at the time of writing.
5.3 DEFA Forestry Commented (21/07/25); "There are registered trees adjacent but it is likely these will not be impacted. As such we have no objection to the current proposal on arboricultural grounds. We would however counsel that permission for pruning protected trees is not normally granted for the provision of satellite connection, so it would be best to ascertain from an engineer that there are no impacts". - 5.4 There has not been any neighbouring representations received at the time of writing.
6.0 ASSESSMENT The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; PRINCIPLE - 6.1 The site falls outside of any defined settlement boundary and sits within the parish of German. As the site is not zoned for development, it is an existing residential dwelling house and consideration shall be given to a number of policies within the Strategic Plan including Spatial Policy 5 and General Policy 3 for alteration to existing dwellings in the countryside. Environment Policy 1 seeks to protect the countryside for its own sake, and in this specific case the most relevant will be Housing Policy 15 which in this case is for the "alteration" or material alteration to the external elevation by the installation if a satellite dish for telecommunications. As such the principle of the proposals to an existing dwelling house would be acceptable subject to any visual impact. VISUAL IMPACT - 6.2 The dwelling house is largely concealed from public view and as the proposal does not intend to extend or add additional accommodation to the dwelling house but merely seek the addition of a satellite dish to the western elevation and affixed to the fabric of the building. It is considered the proposal would have a neutral visual impact on the property (Housing Policy 15 for "alterations".) and that of the surrounding rural street scene (Environment Policy 1).
7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 The application would be an acceptable addition to the property and would be compliant with Housing Policy 15 and Environment Policy 1of the Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval. RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE
8.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted). - 8.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:
8.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 8.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):
8.5 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 the Right to Appeal.
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 and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 05.08.2025 Determining officer
Signed : A MORGAN Abigail Morgan Principal Planner
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