Planning Officer Report Recommendations

Officer's Report

Application No.:	12/01241/B
Applicant:	Mrs Alma Darville
Proposal:	Creation of replacement field accesses
Site Address:	Fields 534248 & 534050 Strenaby Farm Abbeylands Isle Of Man
Case Officer:	Mr A Holmes
Photo Taken:
Site Visit:
Expected Decision Level:	Officer Delegation

The Application Site

1. The application site comprises of a number of fields that are dissected by Abbeylands Road in the Abbeylands area of Onchan.

The Proposal

1. The proposal comprises the creation of replacement field access within the application site. It is proposed to block up an existing field access on southern side of Abbeylands Road and to create two new field accesses directly opposite each other on the northern and southern sides of Abbeylands Road. The proposal is intended to provide safer movement of animals across the road between fields (534248 & 534050) within the same land ownership.

Planning History

1. The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

Planning Policy

1. In terms of local plan policy, the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as open space under the Onchan Local Plan.

1. There are no policies within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 that are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application.

Representations

1. Onchan District Commissioners recommend that the planning application be approved subject to a condition that the access be used for agricultural purposes only.

1. The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division do not oppose the planning application.

Assessment

1. The proposed development is not considered to have any significant effect on any material planning consideration other than highway safety. As such, the primary role of the planning application is to consider the acceptability of the proposed field accesses in terms of highway safety.

1. The proposed field accesses address an evident safety issues connected with the existing field access arrangements and the particular issues arising from the narrow and twisty alignment of Abbeylands Road. Due to its position the existing access that is proposed to be blocked up offers poor visibility, which gives rise to existing highway safety issues. The proposed field accesses are positioned so as to give the best visibility possible and also to minimise the

amount of time that animals are between fields, something that in the interests of both the applicant and highway safety. It is understood that the proposed field accesses have been designed in accordance with advice from the Department of Infrastructure Highways Division.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

1. It is considered that it is unnecessary and inappropriate to condition that the access be used for agricultural purposes only as a) technically the access would be primarily used for the safer movement of horses which is not by definition agriculture; and b) any other use of the fields would be controlled by the need for planning approval in any event.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

Onchan District Commissioners.

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Infrastructure Highways Division.

Recommendation
Recommended Decision:	Permitted
Date of Recommendation:	08.10.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This approval relates to drawing no.s onc.strenaby1, onc.strenaby2, onc.strenaby3 and onc.strenaby4 date stamped the 5th September 2012.

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 : Permitted Date : 9.10.13

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : _________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager