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This report has been prepared by Caroline Perry of Island Land - Based Services Limited.
I have an Honours Degree in Agriculture Science from Nottingham University and am a Member of the BASIS Professional Registry.
After leaving University I worked for Laurence Gould Consultants and Carter Jonas Chartered Surveyors in the UK. Much of this work involved provision of a full farm management service on behalf of private and institutional clients.
Since 1993 I have provided technical and financial advice to the agriculture industry on the Isle of Man. Firstly as an agricultural adviser for DEFA and then in 2005 I set up my own company Island Land - Based Services Limited.
Much of this work involves advising farmers on capital investments and the likely implications it will have on the farming business.
I currently work for farmers, agricultural and public sector organisations and Government Departments in the Isle of Man.
Island Land-Based Services Limited acting on behalf of Mr M Coole, Ballaquinney Farm has been instructed to prepare an agricultural appraisal to assess whether the construction of an additional agricultural dwelling at Ballaquinney Farm would meet the requirements of the relevant Housing Policies and Environment Policies as per the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and also to explain the reasoning for the preferred location of the proposed dwelling on the farm.
The planning application is for the construction of an agricultural dwelling on Ballaquinney Farm. Mr and Mrs Coole currently live in the farmhouse with their son Kevin Coole who is now 31. The new dwelling would be occupied by Mr Maurice Coole and Mrs Pauline Coole. Kevin Coole would remain in the farmhouse which would enable him to live on the farm with his partner and give them the opportunity to have a family of their own.
Maurice Coole purchased the 57 acre farm from his parents in 1984 and since then Mr and Mrs Coole have worked incredibly hard to expand the farm to enable it to remain an economically sustainable business. To do this, they have had to purchase land in the area much of which had been neglected over the years and needed additional investment to improve the fertility and clear infestations of scrub. The farm now totally surrounds the hamlet of Ronague.
The farm currently totals 246 acres plus a further 20 acres which are rented each year for the growing of early and main crop potatoes for the local market.
The land is classified as Grade 3 (Agricultural Land Classification), with the soil type being predominantly loams suitable for good grassland production.
The farm is stocked and managed to produce a range of top quality, fresh local meat for the Manx people whilst at the same time enhancing and protecting the wildlife on the farm.
The beef herd consists of 40 suckler cows and 120 different aged young stock for the production of beef or replacement cows. There is a sheep flock comprising of 140 ewes with lambs finished generally up to 6 months of age. Potatoes have always been an important enterprise on the farm with different blocks of land rented from other local farmers each year to minimise the build-up of potato pests and diseases.
The general policy background is set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. The relevant policies are:
The size and type of business requires a minimum of two full time agricultural workers to be resident on the farm. The calculation of standard labour unit requirements shows a requirement of 2.09 labour units. (Appendix 1).
It is essential for there to be two agricultural dwellings on the farm to ensure full cover is provided for:-
There are no other dwellings on the farm, or any other existing accommodation in the area which is suitable and available for occupation by a farmer/agricultural worker.
In the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, Section 8.9.3 lists 5 points which need to be considered when judging whether the need is sufficient to over-ride other policies: (a) The previous or proposed severance of land and buildings. There has not been any severance of land or buildings by Mr and Mrs Coole and there are no proposals to sell any parts of the farm. Mr Coole would actually prefer to increase the size of the farm if land in the vicinity became available and it was economic to do so. (b) The agricultural justification for sub-division of a farm. The farm has not been sub-divided. (c) The long-term viability of new or unproven agricultural enterprises. Mr and Mrs Coole have been running the current farming business for over 30 years. (d) The extent to which the applicant's employment in agriculture is only part-time. The standard labour unit calculations (see above) prove that there is full justification for two agricultural dwellings on the farm. (e) In the case of a retiring farmer, whether the proposal would result in vacation of an existing farm dwelling for agricultural use. This application does not involve anyone retiring from farming. Housing Policy 8: Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, a condition will be attached restricting the occupation to a person engaged or last engaged solely in agriculture; or a widow or widower of such a person, or any resident dependants. The application is for an agricultural dwelling for a full time farmer.
Following a stroke, Mrs Pauline Coole unfortunately is now completely dependent on other people to look after her and can only move about with the use of a wheelchair. The farmhouse is totally unsuitable for someone in her condition as it is on different levels and there are no facilities to enable her to be self-sufficient in any capacity whatsoever. It is also difficult to keep rooms warm enough and puts additional, unnecessary stress on Pauline as it is the "hub" of the busy farming business.
Access to the current farmhouse from the public highway is shared with the track used for the farm with the constant movement of farm machinery. It is narrow, rough to travel on and has no passing places and cannot be improved by the applicant as he does not own it. This has health and safety implications for the carers who come between 9 am and 2 pm , 5 days a week and also the regular visits by doctors and nurses. There is also the constant worry that at times when Pauline has to be taken to hospital in emergencies she has to endure the rough drive down the track before reaching the Ronague Road (B42). Additionally, the farm track is a deterrent to friends and neighbours who would like to come and visit Pauline and keep her company whilst Maurice and Kevin Coole are working. Currently Maurice Coole is only able to leave the farm between 9am and 2 pm when a carer is in the farmhouse. The remainder of the time he needs to be within a 10 minute radius of the farmhouse so he can support Pauline quickly if she phones needing urgent help.
The proposed location, although not adjacent to the farm buildings is centrally located for the farm as a whole. It is also the only field on Ballaquinney Farm east of the A27 which has direct access onto the public highway. It is however close to other dwellings and would provide Pauline with views of the farm and enable her to still have an interest in it. Additionally she would feel that she is still supporting the farm by being able to contact Maurice in the spring when cows or ewes require help calving and lambing as those due to calve and lamb would be kept in the field in front of the dwelling.
8.8.1 There are in the countryside many small groups of dwellings which, whilst not having the character of, or the full range of services usually provided in a village, nevertheless have a sense of place and community. These groups are found variously at crossroads, in places sheltered by trees or topography or around chapels, abandoned mills or smithys. 8.8.2 Adding further dwellings to these groups may not accord with our strategic objectives relating to settlements and sustainability but may assist in meeting the need of rural areas; may maintain social and family associations and assist in sustaining the rural economy; and may reduce the pressure for purely sporadic and isolated development which the Department would not support. Such additions would also need to be sensitively related to the existing settlement pattern and the landscape. The proposed dwelling will be in an area where there is already a small group of dwellings located near a crossroad, the area is sheltered by trees and associated with an old chapel. A further dwelling will assist in meeting the needs of the rural community, will maintain social and family associations and assist in sustaining the rural economy by ensuring the farming family will be able to retain their agricultural business.
Housing Policy 9: Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, the dwelling must be sited such that; (a) It is within or immediately adjoining the main group of farm buildings or a group of farm buildings associated with that farm, (b) It is well set back from any public highway, and (c) It is approached via the existing access.
The proposed dwelling is not immediately adjoining the main group of farm buildings for the reasons given above but is very close to other existing dwellings. It will be set back from the public highway and will be approached from an existing access.
"It is important to sustain agricultural industry by safeguarding its prime resources, by allowing appropriately designed and sited new buildings (where need is established) and by encouraging conservation-based land management regimes".
The proposed building is to be built on landscape classified as "incised slopes - this is a fairly resilient landscape which has accommodated incursions of modern built development without severe detriment". The draft Planning Policy Statement 2/09 also states that "the character of incised slopes consists of traditional hamlets and scattered farm buildings..." The proposed building would therefore retain the character of "incised slopes".
"The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake" and "development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need..." The proposed dwelling is in a field which has been used for grassland production for grazing and silage so the dwelling will have very little impact on wildlife and could actually enhance it with a well-designed planting scheme.
(a) The development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; (b) The location for the development is essential.
The proposed agricultural dwelling would be inconspicuous as it will be close to the existing dwellings and will be hidden from view from most directions and will be a one storey dwelling to enable Pauline to have access to all rooms. The dwelling is essential as demonstrated above.
Development which would result in the permanent loss of important and versatile agricultural land (Classes 1 - 2) will not be permitted except where there is an overriding need for the development. The proposed agricultural dwelling is on Grade 3 land (See above)
Agricultural dwellings must be sited as close as practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form part. The proposal is for the agricultural dwelling to be as close as practically possible to existing dwellings and the design ensures that it will be sympathetic to the landscape.
The proposed dwelling has been very carefully designed to enhance Pauline's quality of life. She will be able to access the dwelling from the garage without having to go outside when the weather is bad. The design of the kitchen and bathroom will enable her to have a little bit of independence and all rooms will be easily accessible with a wheel chair. Windows will enable her to be able to see a large part of the farm and on good days she will be able to get outside very easily without the constant worry of farm machinery and the dust which can be produced on a farm in dry conditions.
Reference to planning application 07/00375/A where the independent planning inspector recommended planning permission for the erection of a disabled dwelling in an area "zoned as open space which is not zoned for development" should be considered as well as planning application 10/01510/B whereby approval for a dwelling was approved in order that family members could help care for the applicants son without having to travel far.
The type and scale of the farm enterprises show clearly that there is a requirement for two agricultural dwellings on the farm. The current farming business is well established and will probably continue to expand into the future. No other dwellings are available and virtually all planning requirements and policies relating to agricultural dwellings can be satisfied. Housing Policy 9 is difficult to totally satisfy but the huge impact on Pauline's improved quality of life on the Isle of Man which takes pride in the support it gives more vulnerable members of the community should be reason enough to justify the proposed location.
The proposal therefore warrants support and approval.
Caroline Perry Island Land-Based Services Limited Boayl Doorn 16 Ballastrooan Colby Isle of Man IM9 4NR
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