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| Application No.: | 13/00294/B |
| Applicant: | Department Of Environment Food And Agriculture |
| Proposal: | Creation of compound area and installation of light to side of existing building |
| Site Address: | Saw Mills |
| Foxdale Road | |
| St Johns | |
| Isle Of Man | |
| IM4 3AS |
1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Saw Mills, an operation by Government, (Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture) situated on both sides of the Hope Road to the south of St. John's. The land owned by DEFA includes Thie Slieau Whallian on the eastern side of the road which accommodates offices associated with the Department, together with parking and other services provided by the Department. On the other side of the road is the saw mills, an expanse of land of which around 6.5 acres are used for storage, processing of timber, a small area for the creation of timber-based products and associated car parking and service areas.
1.2 The part of the site which concerns this application is located off the car park which is alongside the public highway, at the western end of the site. There is currently a grassed area between the car park and the main saw mills area which is fenced and gated off from direct access from this area. The grassed area continues north towards St. John's on the route of a former railway line from Foxdale. This is not a public access.
1.3 On the other side of the former railway line is St. John's football and cricket club facilities.
2.1 Proposed is the creation of a hard surfaced access from the car park to this part of the saw mills site, the removal of a sycamore tree at the end of an existing hedge between the car park and the saw mills yard and the creation of a compound area within the saw mills yard within the fenced area. A security light is to be fixed to the northern side of the existing saw mills building whose ridge runs parallel with the public highway and the new access road.
2.2 A 1.2m high field gate is to be installed from the existing car park onto the new access towards the new compound and a 1.2m post and rail timber fence erected along the length of the access to separate it from the grassed area. A new 2m high timber security gate is to be fitted to the entrance into the yard. The access way will be formed with 150mm deep type 2 fill material with grassed edges down to the existing grassed area.
2.3 The compound area will be hard surfaced. It is presently quite muddy due to the storage of timber there and the vehicular movements to and from it, like the remainder of the saw mill storage area.
| Case Officer : | Miss S E Corlett |
| Photo Taken : | |
| Site Visit : | 30.01.2013 |
| Expected Decision Level : | Officer Delegation |
2.4 The storage area is needed as the Department has recently re-organised its depots and has combined three into one, requiring additional storage area for vehicles, equipment and machinery - all associated with the operation of the Department.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the St. John's Local Plan of 1999 as Buildings for Civic, Cultural or other Special use - DAFF depot. This designation does not include the car park but starts with the saw mills site proper. 3.2 The proposed use is therefore considered to be in accordance with the land use designation. In fact if the access were not required, it is unlikely that planning permission would be required for the creation of the depot: the use would be in accordance with the existing and authorised use of the site and the surfacing of the compound area could be considered as repair. 3.3 As such, the provisions of General Policy 2 are considered applicable in this case, particularly as follows: "Development which is in accordance with the land use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them; c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; i) does not have an adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; j) can be provided with all necessary services; k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan." 3.4 The area outside of the depot is identified as Open Space. The Plan recognises the importance of preserving "the open space and rural landscape qualities of the village" (paragraph 3.1) and identifies areas which would benefit from being tidied up in paragraph 3.9 - the application site is not one of these.
The Plan also identifies the existing industrial operations and presumes against new industrial uses which would adversely affect the amenities of the surrounding areas in terms of noise, smell, traffic or parking problems. PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 There have been a significant number of planning applications submitted for the sawmills site, very few of which are relevant to the consideration of this application. Permission was granted for the creation of a hard surfaced area within the site for log storage (PA 07/00554) which is not dissimilar to this current proposal, and very recently an application was submitted for a compound area to the south of the site. This application, PA 12/01484 met with objections from residents of The Hope and as a result the Department has sought an alternative which is proposed in this current application. If this is permitted, it is understood that the other application will be withdrawn.
5.1 The owners of Struan Beg in Lower Foxdale and Cummal Noa on Ballavar Road, St. John's object via the same letter, and at the same time to PA 13/00195 which has been permitted and which was for a storage compound on the western side of the A30, to the south west of The Hope junction. Their objections relate to the fact that previous applications for additional storage compounds (PA 11/00298) were on the basis of "essential forestry operations" They have previously noted discrepancies between the approved plans and what was being built. They also suggest that there is no screening between the proposed storage areas and the public highway and what they consider is the "ongoing program of industrialisation" is contrary to the provisions of the St. John's Local Plan which recognised this area as one of an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance and will visually impact the area for future generations. Much of these comments actually relate to the proposed compound to the south west of The Hope rather than the proposed compound within the timber yard. Indeed, they note in their letter that the local plan refers to the timber yard and states: "The established principal industrial uses within the local plan area are represented by the DAFF depot on the Hope Road and the sewage treatment works sited north west of the Farmer's Arms. Over recent years the DAFF activities have been concentrated at the St. John's Depot and whilst no further centralisation is considered desirable at present, the Department is of the view that in the long term there will probably arise a need to expand further the timber processing as the Island's plantations become more productive. In this regard, any proposals to extend the existing facilities at the depot will need to be carefully evaluated in order to ensure the minimum impact of the amenities of the area" (paragraph 7.2) 5.2 It goes on to state, although not cited by the objectors, "Furthermore, the proposed designation of the DAFF sawmill should be so annotated within wider sites zoned for "Government or Service Department Purposes" in accordance with the category of land use described in the 1982 Development Plan Order. In addition to the above, there are other small scale privately operated industrial businesses currently operating as established uses which provide employment for the village and any proposals either to intensify or extend these operations should be carefully evaluated against the potential impact on the amenity of local residents". 5.3 They go on to refer to policy I/P/1 in the Plan which states "The rural and historic and historically important character of this part of the Island is such that no new major industrial development should be permitted within the local plan area" to which they consider the proposal is contrary. They suggest that the increase in interest and use of biomass boilers on the Island will only increase wood pellet production at the site and before this occurs there should be a robust and transparent assessment of whether this is an appropriate road to go down for the Island. 5.4 The DEFA has responded in the past to some of these concerns (see letter dated 9th August, 2011) where they state that "the entire site at St. John's has been part of a working nursery, compound, sawmill or other working area for many decades." They explain that at present there is temporary machinery and equipment storage on the site which relates to the Department's operations and keeping it together allows it to be better screened and more securely stored and to enable the gardens to be enjoyed without unsightly equipment stores in that area.
6.1 The objectors are right to be concerned with the appearance of the area which is identified in the local plan as being Open Space but with an established depot within it which is not identified as being unsightly or in need of improvement. It is important in this respect that the proposal does not involve expansion of the depot beyond the boundaries established on the plan, but will introduce an access across presently grassed land. Therefore, whilst the appearance of the area will change slightly, it is not considered that there will be so
significant a change to warrant refusal of this application. It is important, as the depot is established, that it is used as efficiently as possible whilst still having regard to the impact on the environment.
7.1 The local authority, Patrick Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005 paragraph 6.4(d) interested parties and as such should be afforded party status to this application.
7.2 The objectors live some distance from the application proposal and are not considered to be directly affected by it and as such should not be afforded party status in this case.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.04.2013 Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
This permission relates to the creation of an access and hard standing for storage in association with the use of the sawmill depot, all as shown in drawings and plans received on 11th March, 2013.
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 : 10/4/13 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed : __________________________ Signed : __________________________
Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer Senior Planning Officer
9 April 2013
13/00294/B
Signed : _______________________________ ________________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : _______________________________ ________________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager
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