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The application site relates to Ballingan Farm, Braaid, Marown. The site is occupied by a dwelling and a number of farm buildings, some traditional stone and some modern portal framed. Approximately 170 metres to the east of the group of farm buildings there is an abandoned stone built cottage. The A26 road passes the west of the site and on the other side of the road is the property Corvalley, a modern bungalow with an adjacent modern agricultural building which are served by a widened driveway access.
The proposal site is currently accessed from the A26 via a narrow opening which runs between the existing dwelling and the group of outbuildings. The roadside boundary is made up of a sod bank which is grassed with some gorse hedging in parts and some isolated trees. Either side of the existing access there are mature trees or the level of the road drops down resulting in the bank being higher.
This application seeks approval for the creation of a new vehicular access and driveway to serve the site. The existing access would be closed off and the new access would be constructed to the south incorporating improved visibility splays and a wider opening to accommodate farm traffic. The proposal includes the removal of three trees and a comprehensive planting scheme consisting of a realigned sod hedge and tree planting.
A gravel surfaced access road would be constructed from the new access which would split to serve the existing dwelling and outbuildings and the surrounding agricultural fields. This access would largely define and consolidate existing tracks which serve the holding (see aerial photograph on file).
The application site is located within an area identified as being "white land" by the 1982 Development Order and as such represents the countryside. Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan, the following policies are considered to be relevant:
General Policy 3, which states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
Environmental Policy 1, which states: "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."
There have been no previous planning applications considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application.
The Department of Transport Highways Division does not object to this application. Marown Parish Commissioners do not object to this application.
The main issues to be considered in the assessment of this application are the impacts upon the surrounding countryside and highway issues.
It is important that the openness of the countryside is not detrimentally affected by inappropriate development. Where areas of countryside fall outside the designation of 'High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance' this does not imply that these land areas are poor in appearance or quality. It is recognised that all of the countryside across the Island is generally of a good quality and where development proposals are permitted by other policies of the plan, they should be designed in such a way which helps preserve the rural character of the open countryside.
The existing vehicular access serving the site is restricted in terms of width and visibility. The speed limit on the A26 is not restricted and as such exiting the site is dangerous. The width of the existing access could likely be increase albeit with the removal of parts of the high bank either side and trees. However whilst this would improve access, visibility, particularly to the left would remain poor due to a rise in the road. The proposed replacement access would be positioned so as to take advantage of flatter topography and would incorporate visibility splays of 80 metres in both directions as a result of re-aligning the existing sod bank. It is judged that given the improvements to the access proposed, the development should be considered to fall within part (f) of General Policy 3 which relates to "building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry".
In terms of the impact upon the surrounding area, the proposed development would change the view of the site as seen from the A26, the main public vantage point. The works would be relatively considerable in scale including the removal of three mature trees and the re-aligning of the boundary bank. In order to mitigate the resulting visual impact, a comprehensive scheme of tree planting is proposed behind the re-aligned sod bank. The effectiveness of the proposed planting is difficult to appreciate from plan drawings and as such a photographic representation of the site before and after the proposed development has been implemented has been requested from the applicant's agent.
The photographic representations show that whilst the view from the A26 would change, the planting scheme and retention of the sod bank as a boundary treatment would soften the visual impact. Furthermore, views of the existing modern portal framed structure would be masked by the proposed tree planting. One issue which was highlighted by the photographic representation is that the proposed run-off areas would act to emphasise the width of the proposed opening. It was agreed between the planning officer, the applicant's agent and the Department of Transport Highways Division that these areas should be grassed and the plans have been updated to reflect this change.
It is accepted that the visual mitigation obtained from the planting scheme would take time to develop and in the initial years following the implementation of the development, the visual impact may be relatively high, in time the visual appearance would improve. It is judged that on balance, the improvements in terms of highway safety coupled with the comprehensive landscaping scheme render this application acceptable.
Permit.
It is considered that the following parties, who submitted comments, accord with the requirements of Planning Circular 1/06 and are therefore, afforded Interested Party Status:
The Department of Transport Highways Division Marown Parish Commissioners
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 26.08.2009
N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
This approval relates to the creation of a vehicular access and driveway, land adjacent to Ballingan Farm, Braaid, Marown as shown by 2008/22/02, 2008/22/03, 2008/22/05 and 2008/22/06 all received 8th April 2009, Photo Montage Existing received 27th July 2009 and 2008/22/04 REV B and Photo Montage Proposed received 26th August 2009.
All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development. Any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.
C 4. Within 1 month of the completion of the approved development, the existing access must be closed off with an earth bank which must be graded and seeded so as to match the bank either side.
I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular No 09/09 Delegation of functions, 10/09 Delegation of Functions (Development Procedure), GC No 11/09 (Advertisements) and GC No 12/09 (Registered Buildings) all to the Senior Planning Officer
Decision Made : Permitted Date :
Signed : Senior Planning Officer
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