Berries Ltd Planning Statement

4. Proposal

• The proposal seeks to create a single storey, purpose built, light industrial unit incorporating a small product sales outlet looking to the roadside A30 elevation, with the main production area, again in single storey, situated behind and partially screened by further planting.

• In line with the clients requirements the proposal would equate to approximately 6000 sq ft of production area with around 700 sq ft of shop floor sales.

• Indicated in outline is a single storey building measuring 35x16m with an 8x8m shop unit. The shop unit would incorporate a tasting area, display area and have on sale a variety of the goods made on site.

• A viewing area for visitors to see how the product is made would look into the production floor.

• Visitor parking would be provided on site, off the main A30 road behind the beech hedge screening and in front of the shop unit.

• Deliveries and exporting of products would utilise the same entrance egress point but be separated from the visitor parking area, continuing past a planted screen which would serve to break up any large elevation of timber clad unit and to the side / rear of the production unit, out of the view of shop customers/ visitors and passing vehicles on the A30 road.

• With the goods manufactured on site there is no requirement for heavy goods or articulated vehicles and any delivery vehicles would generally be small to medium fixed axle vans.

5. Building Materials

• Although at this stage it is not possible to offer accurate information on the building design we can offer outline information for early consideration.

• There exists a mixture of uses and finishes in the area, however with the proximity of Thie Slieau Whallian and its associated timber works/stores, we may would be looking to offer up a lightweight framed unit and utilise similar finishes such as vertical timber cladding to the vertical wall faces with a light green or grey roofing material.

• The visible part of the roadside elevation would be styled in a way which would not suggest an industrial appearance but to appear more as the outlet to a cottage industry in order to attract passing tourist and visitors into the car park premises.

• We would of course be careful not to introduce an incongruous elevation into the street scene. Further discussions would take place with the planning department prior to the formulation of any reserved matters application

{{image:633953}} {{image:633954}} {{image:633955}}

6. Landscaping

• Within the already extensive boundary treatment, the proposal would incorporate further planting immediately by and around the shop outlet and to separate the visitor car park both visually and physically from the Staff car parking and vehicle deliveries area.
• The new hedging would likely be a continuation of the existing boundary beech hedge.
• The outline block plan, parking and planting attached, offers an outline indication of what would be proposed as part of a reserved matters planning application.

• The existing land use is defined upon the Local Plan as open space.
• Of relevance to the current proposal adjacent to and within the immediate vicinity are the established and current principle industrial uses, represented by The Department of Environment Forestry and Agricultures (DEFA) Thie Slieau Whallian Sawmill complex.
• These buildings centre around the processing and management of the islands plantations. Operations include office infrastructure, timber deliveries and the cutting, chipping and processing of timber products from the islands plantations.
• Across the A30 road from the site, the land use is identified upon the Local plan as an area of residential properties.
• There are just two residential properties opposite the site subject to the application site, namely Westwold & Riversdale.
• Due to the light industrial nature of this proposal, the impact upon these properties would be less than the current impact of the sawmills buildings.
• The proposal due to its nature of production would not produce any noise, small, dust vibration etc business. Traffic would be minimal and small scale (deliveries) and all parking would be retained within site.

Industry

Existing Industrial Uses

7.1 The 1991 Western Sector (D) Plan does not encourage the development of major new industrial development where it states “THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THIS SECTOR OF THE ISLAND IS SUCH AS TO DICTATE AGAINST ANY NEW MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AREAS” (paragraph 6.3) Within villages the Sector Plan allows small scale industrial uses together with craft workshops on the basis that these activities generate employment opportunities for the rural area and provide places of interest to tourists.

7.2 The established principal industrial uses within the local plan area are represented by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s depot on the Hope Road and the sewage treatment works sited north west of the Farmer’s Arms. Over recent years the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s 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. Furthermore, the proposed designation of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 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.

8. Planning Policy

The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (St Johns Local Plan) Order 1999 holds particular relevance to this approval in principle application. We propose that this application fits well with the current Local Plan.

• Extract 1

The proposal is:

• small scale
• would generate employment for the rural area
• provide a place of interest to tourists.

• Extract 2

The department recognises that there may arise the need for future expansion of the timber processing area. This would undoubtedly bring with it an increase in noise, heavy goods traffic, dust etc due to the nature of the timber business.

Our proposal would not create any of the above problems due to the nature of its production. This proposal would therefore have a far more minimal impact up the amenity of the area than the heavy industry associated with timber processing.

• Extract 3

It is recognised that there are other small scale industrial businesses within the area and again, the future expansion of these businesses should be weighed up against the potential impact upon the amenity of local residents.

Due to the “soft” nature of this type of production and its siting and screening, the impact would be a minimal one.

7.3 It is considered important to the preservation of the rural and historic character of St. John's that the establishment of further new industrial activities in the area is restricted to small scale operations which accord with the policies for this general. Consequently, industrial uses will only be supported where the use provides direct additional local employment to the area or consists of small craft workshops providing a point of interest to tourists. The use of redundant buildings for such uses will be encouraged. Notwithstanding this provision, no further industrial development will be permitted which would adversely impact the amenities of the surrounding area in terms of noise, smell, traffic or parking problems.

• Extract 4

The proposal would: be a small scale operation provide direct additional employment to the area provide a point of interest to tourists and visitors

• Extract 5

No noise would be created by this development No smell would be created by this development All staff/visitor traffic would be encompassed within the site and no parking problems would be created as a result of this development.

The proposal not only accords with the requirements of the Local Plan but also would offer a far lesser impact upon the area than the further anticipated expansion of the sawmill complex.

9. Planning Consultations

• To date our client has sought the advice from the Planning Department in regard to this outline proposal. Early consultation with the area Planning Officer took place on site and further advice sought thereafter.

• Planning applications applicable to this site are :

11/00653/B Creation of an access Field 314879 Curragh Road St Johns Isle Of Man

12/01484/B Creation of hard standing to accommodate forestry machinery, vehicles and equipment Field 314880 Adjacent To Saw Mills Site Foxdale Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3AS

13/00147/B Installation of a 10,000 litre bunded steel diesel tank Saw Mills Site Foxdale Road The Hope St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3AS

13/00294/B Creation of compound area and installation of light to side of existing building Saw Mills Foxdale Road St Johns Isle Of Man IM4 3AS

• On the above planning applications, the land in question has been identified as falling within the industrial boundaries associated with the above applications.

• The site has been utilised for conifer planting and harvested for Christmas trees in the recent past. The site is currently planted with trees for harvesting also. It is anticipated that trees falling outside of the building and hard standing vehicular areas will be retained and allowed to continue to maturity

• The A30 road fronting the site is approximately 8.0m wide and falls within a 40mph speed limit.
• There are no reported traffic collisions pertaining to this stretch of road.
• Penketh Millar Ltd have met on site with Mrs Andrea Hawley of the Department of Highways in order to discuss the new site access.
• Following discussion, the highways department have requested the provision of 120m visibility splays in both directions with a 2.4m step back and any existing manx stone walling reduced to 1050mm in height for any part of the wall falling within the splay zone. See entrance details

11. Trees

• In order to gain access to the site a requirement would exist to remove one tree which falls in line with the proposed new access point.
• This tree is a Maple tree and is highlighted on photograph no. 8. We seek permission to remove this single maple tree as part of the planning permission.
• All other boundary trees, beech and other hedging would remain insitu and be maintained to provide the existing high level of screening to the site.
• Further tree planting would be proposed as part of a reserved matters application.

12. Drainage & Waste

• The proposal would utilise the existing drainage system within the A 30 road.
• New surface water from drained roof and hard standing areas would be taken to new soak aways situated within the site boundaries.
• Any water from the vehicular areas would be fitted with petrol interceptors to ensure no contamination of the ground occurred.
• Sealed storage bins would be provided for the waste product.
• These would be removed from site as required.
• There is very little waste produced by Berries Ltd. It is largely in the form of packaging from goods in and Berries Ltd recycle all packaging waste.

• Within the current Isle of Man (St John's Local Plan) 1999 Order (para 7.2) The suggestion is the future, further expansion of industrial activities within the area associated with the timber yard, sawmill and its associated processes.

• Due to the nature of the timber industry, this would likely bring with it greater noise, dust, traffic etc. Our proposal would not have any adverse impact due to noise, dust and vibration etc upon the neighbouring properties due to its light unobtrusive nature of production.

• The presence of such a unit would generate additional local employment within the area.

• The presence of such a unit would provide a point of interest to local visitors and visiting tourists.

• The proposed use would not be out of keeping with the neighbouring and surrounding industrial usage.

• The site would retain the excellent screening afforded by the extensive planting and would be further planted within the site boundaries.

The lack of suitable premises is suppressing the existing production and expansion of an IOM based product and the production of these high quality goods assists to further sell the IOM overseas.

• Due to the light industrial nature of this proposal, the impact upon these properties would be less than the current impact of the sawmills buildings.

• Traffic generation would be minimal and small scale with deliveries and all parking retained within the proposed site.

• Along the entire stretch of A30 road, the application site is extremely well screened with well established hedging and mature trees as described and as such is very well screened from the road.

• The proposal would be unobtrusive and set back further from the road than the neighbouring industrial unit.

The current temporary premises are located within Balthane industrial park in the south of the Island. Part of the feel of the product is to associate with a Ma & Pop industry which removes itself from a industrial scale mass produced product.