Planning Officer Report July 2013

Case Officer:	Miss S E Corlett
Photo Taken:
Site Visit:	17.10.2012
Expected Decision Level:	Planning Committee

Officer's Report

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE DEVELOPMENT COMPRISES THE ERECTION OF A SIGNIFICANT EQUESTRIAN FACILITY IN AN AREA OF HIGH LANDSCAPE VALUE AND SCENIC SIGNIFICANCE

The Site

1. The site defined in red is an arbitrarily defined area of around 1.7 hectares (4 acres) of land within a larger area of around 47 hectares (100 acres) of land focusing on Ballamona farm buildings and stretching from Quine's Hill in the north east, the B23 Port Soderick highway in the south west and as far as and crossing over the steam railway line in the south east. To the north are residential properties - Cleveland, Ballaleshin, Cronk View, Cronk Rhenny Villas, 1, Cronk Rhenny Villas together with a recreational hall owned by Braddan Parish Commissioners.

1. The larger site, the estate, accommodates a range of buildings, accessed from two points - one at the north east where there is a small lodge building, and at the north where there is an access alongside Cleveland. This access has been the subject of a recent successful application for new walling and a bin store (PA 12/01069). The access with the gate lodge has been the subject of a recent application for a replacement lodge and alterations to the access: this application, PA 12/01067 is pending consideration.

1. The buildings within the estate include a former mill which has permission for conversion to a private dwelling (PAs 10/01468 and 10/00340), estate offices formed through conversion of existing stone barns (PA 10/0339) and two dwellings, one of which has permission for alterations and extensions (PA 10/0493). The extensions to this property resulted in a dwelling which was not greater in floor area than 50% of the existing.

1. Permission has also been granted for the erection of stabling to the north of the main group of buildings on site (PAs 11/00489 and 11/00898).

1. The master plan accompanying this application shows, in addition to the already approved developments, shows a large equestrian development in the area to the west of the estate offices. This was previously shown in the master plans submitted with the previous

Application No.:	12/01285/B
Applicant:	Richmond Square Estates Limited
Proposal:	Erection of equestrian facilities including stables, staff facilities and indoor riding arena
Site Address:	Fields 524030 & 522779 Ballamona Estate Oak Hill Port Soderick Isle Of Man

applications, as equestrian and agricultural. This is the subject of the present application - PA 12/01285. A current application is presently pending for the replacement of the main house with a larger replacement house on a different site and with a considerably larger and formal garden setting (PA 12/1245)..

1. The site is not easily visible and the buildings are largely screened other than a view across the site from the north west of the site where the farmhouse, the mill and estate offices may be seen if one looks in this direction. The site has many trees within it, along the entrance drives and in groups around the buildings on site. The character of the site is very much part of the open countryside with a cluster of buildings set amongst established trees.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the construction of an indoor equestrian arena, stables and associated office, viewing area, kitchen and changing facilities. The indoor arena is 37m by 17.5m housed in a building which is 20m by 46.5m. To the west is a barn on the northern side of the central courtyard and to the south is a row of five stables, a store, and access to the land to the south and a foaling stable/sick bay. There is then a row of six further stables, two further foaling facilities and office, tack room and feed store. This stable area with central courtyard amounts to 28m by 46.5m.

1. The buildings will be situated to the south of the existing converted mill, in an area which is slightly lower than the surrounding land and buildings. This part of the site was formerly used for landfill and has not been actively used as part of the farmholding since then and the nature of the infill material - road sweepings - suggest that its usefulness for agricultural activity is limited.

1. The proposed arena building will be 8.2m high, the barn 6.7m high and the stables 5m high. They would be finished in timber cladding and the arena finished in green coloured corrugated sheeting and the rest of the buildings in slate. Also proposed is a field shelter to be sited to the west of the larger buildings, and a covered store, which will be sited behind a new brick wall to the east of the larger buildings, to the south of the existing converted outbuildings. The field shelter will be 5m by 6m and 4.5m high: the covered store will be 4.5m by 8.5m and 4.5m and the wall will be 2.6m high.

1. Additional planting is proposed throughout the estate and between the proposed building and the main road.

Planning Policy And Status

1. The site lies within an area designated on the Braddan Local Plan of 1991 as Open Space (Agricultural). This plan also indicates that any land which is not designated for development is to be considered as High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. On the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 the site also lies within an area of Woodland within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance.

1. The Landscape Character Assessment defines the site as within an area of Incised Slopes where the following general advice is provided:

"The overall strategy for the protection and enhancement of the Incised Slopes Landscape Character Type is to conserve and enhance: the remote and rural character; the relatively sparse settlement pattern of traditional hamlets and scattered farm buildings; the network of sunken and enclosed rural roads; and the substantial hedgerows and sod banks dividing irregularly-shaped pastoral fields.

Key landscape planning considerations in relation to the protection and enhancement of this Landscape Character Type are as follows:-

• (a) Care should be taken to ensure that housing and business development does not detract from the distinctive identity and setting of settlements, and avoids coalescence with other settlements within this Landscape Type;
• (b) The design and layout of new housing and business development should include appropriate native structure planting to soften urban edges and enhance the transition to the wider landscape;
• (c) Approach routes, key views, and gateways to settlements within these landscapes should be enhanced;
• (d) Linear development along roads from settlements that extends urbanising influences into the wider countryside should be avoided;
• (e) The use of local vernacular building styles and materials should be encouraged;
• (f) New farm buildings that would compromise the pattern and scale of farmsteads across the undulating Incised Slopes landscapes should be discouraged;
• (g) Care should be taken to minimise loss of hedgerows, sod banks, and other distinctive boundary features along road corridors;
• (h) Tourist-related development, such as camp-sites, should avoid visually prominent locations, particularly those which can be viewed from higher land and those which would extend urbanising influence along the coast;
• (i) Care should be taken to avoid the suburbanisation of river valleys and stream corridors;
• (j) Tall vertical telecommunications masts or structures which detract from the sloping landform or create visual clutter should be avoided."

1. In addition, the draft Policy Statement states: "3.3 Housing and Business Development Issues:

3.3.1 Siting: The character of the wider landscape may be affected by visual intrusion. This will occur where a site is prominent because of limited screening from topography or vegetation, or where the siting and layout of a development conflict with landform or with existing landscape patterns and characteristics. This sort of development should be avoided.

3.3.2 Design: Development must be properly integrated into the landscape in terms of scale, materials, architectural style, engineering works, and landscaping. Landscape features such as trees, hedgerows, sod banks, and traditional stone walls which are important to landscape character should be retained.

3.3.3 Landscape character in and around settlements: New development in and around existing settlements may affect their distinctive landscape settings, including key approaches to the settlement, inward and outward views, woodland, trees, river corridors, and open spaces. This will, in turn, affect the wider landscape. Design, particularly of structure planting, should address these key landscape elements."

1. In addition to the above, there are policies within the Strategic Plan which apply to equestrian developments in the countryside:

1. General Policy 3: Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10) b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historical, or social value and interest (Housing Policy 11) c) previously developed land which contains a significant amount of buildings where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environmental and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment

d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14) e) location-dependant development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services; f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative and h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage".

1. Environment Policy 1: "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 over-riding 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".

1. Environment Policy 2 states: The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape of 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 difference 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:

a) the development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; or b) the location for the development is essential".

1. Environment Policy 19 states: Development of equestrian activities and buildings will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of high quality agricultural land (Classes 1 and 2) and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic (see Environment Policy 14 for interpretation of Class 1 and 2).

1. Environment Policy 20 states: "There will be a presumption against large scale equestrian developments, which includes new buildings and external arenas, in areas of an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance unless there are exceptional circumstances to override such a policy".

1. Environment Policy 21 states: Buildings for the stabling, shelter or care of horses or other animals will not be permitted in the countryside if they would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the countryside in terms of siting, design, size or finish. Any new buildings must be designed in form and materials to reflect their specific purpose; in particular cavity-wall construction should not be used".

Representations

1. Highways Division and Braddan Parish Commissioners indicate that they do not oppose the application.

Assessment

1. It is clear that there is a presumption against the development of large scale equestrian developments in areas of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. What is proposed is considered to be of large scale and is within an area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. The policy therefore determines that such developments should only be permitted in exceptional circumstances.