Re: Planning in principle for a new Agricultural Dwelling at Scarlett Farm, Castletown. Field 433139.
Please find attached application forms for the application of planning in principle for a new agricultural dwelling at Scarlett Farm, Castletown. In assessing the application, please could you take the following points into consideration.
Redacted: is applying for planning in principle to build a new agricultural dwelling on the Family farm.
Redacted: father, Redacted: owns Scarlett farm (194 acres) and leases in some further 26 acres. Please see attached maps.
The total farmed area is 220 acres. Of which 34 acres are cropped annually with spring cereals with the remainder in grass to support their beef and sheep enterprises.
The family farming business is centred around the rearing of prime beef cattle and prime lamb. The business currently has approximately 70 suckler cows with 70 calves at foot, 10 bulling heifers, 26 beef cattle for finishing, 3 stock bulls plus 230 breeding ewes, 10 tups and 2 teaser rams. The lambs are all sold finished to Isle of Man Meats. The cattle are usually sold finished to Isle of Man Meats although some may be traded depending on the market.
As a result, the business currently has a current labour requirement of 2.00 standard labour units.
The sheep flock are lambed indoors for a month from mid-February with the cows calving from mid-March until mid-June. They are lambed and calved indoors to ensure they are monitored, assisted when needed and animal health and welfare is not compromised. There is significant amount of work involved through the 12-week period. The indoor lambing and calving also allows easier management and handling of stock. As a result, there is a significant increase in the work load during this period.
Under the DEFA Agricultural Development scheme and Red Tractor Farm Assurance, which the business applies to and conforms to, there is a requirement that animal health and welfare is not compromised. Residing on site is an essential part to observing stock and also ensuring their management, handling, wellbeing and the security around livestock, medicines, fuels, machinery is a priority.
Currently, Redacted: is the primary work force. Redacted: currently works full time off farm assisting when he can at each end of the day and weekends and holidays.
redacted is looking to reduce his physical efforts into the farm even further than currently and allow redacted to take more responsibility for the running of the business.
Currently the business could not financially sustain the addition of redacted without a substantial change to the business output and income. redacted sees the proposed dwelling as a key part of succession for the farming business.
As a result of this there is a desire to grow the business enabling redacted to be more involved. If redacted was available on site to assist with the farming operation, the business would be able to grow to approximately 90 suckler cows finishing all calves which along with an increased 300 breeding ewes (plus 12 rams) increasing the labour requirement to approximately 2.85 standard labour units.
Residing within the existing family home at Scarlett farm is not practical in the long-term for redacted and his long-term partner.
redacted have resided in the farmhouse at Scarlett all of their married lives and they have no desire to move off the farm.
The house is of traditional character and any extension or significant alteration would result in the character and history being lost or destroyed.
The farmhouse at Scarlett farm does not have an agricultural tie.
A range of stone outbuildings currently exist at Scarlett farm. However, these are currently utilised for, and integral to the business, for the housing of livestock and storage of agricultural goods (grain, machinery and equipment).
The applicants are also not aware of any tied agricultural dwellings in the near vicinity that are or could be available to them.
Robert wishes to build a new home on Scarlett Farm rather than purchase a house in the vicinity for the reasons already sited above and also the cost implications.
A search of residential properties available in immediate vicinity indicate that there are a number of properties currently available including:
With a free building plot available to redacted the total capital required to build a new dwelling is likely to be reduced considerably and it is estimated that they could construct a modern dwelling, energy and resource efficient for somewhere between half and two thirds of the price of a first time buyers property with reduced ongoing costs for maintenance and operation (heating etc).
☐ 1 bed apartment
£736 PCM
☐ 2 bed Apartment
£210,000
☐ 2 Bed Apartment
£225,000
☐ 3 Bed Terraced House
£299,950
☐ 4 bed bungalow
£425,000
☐ 2 Bed town House
£450,000
2000995
www.ruralbusinessconsultancyitd.com
As a whole for the farming business, this makes better financial sense to build cheaper than buy off site and have improved cash flow to grow the business enabling everyone involved to have a wage.
Residing off site brings both time and financial implications to the business which would likely limit its growth.
The consequences of purchasing a nearby private dwelling would be that the farm is unlikely to generate sufficient income to justify a large enough wage for redact. As a result, it would be highly likely that they would have to continue to source off farm income which would result in the business not being able to grow in order for it to sustain two wages redacted.
With redacted at redacted and looking to reduce his physical efforts, it is difficult to see that this business could sustain the current level of farming activity for any significant period of time without the input of more (youthful) labour. The business would likely decline until the point where a dwelling was available which could be at least 10-15 years' time. At which point redact may have either chosen to become engaged in other activities.
There is no substitute for the enthusiasm and drive that a family member can bring to the family farm over a paid employee. Which given the nature of farming, the fact that the business has a current labour demand of 2.0 labour units and is predominately supplied by redacted and that the business is proposing to grow, with the addition of Robert to the labour force, to a point where 2.85 labour units is required this extra work would be unaffordable unless it was family labour. This is common occurrence throughout the industry.
The alternative to the proposed dwelling is that the business will consequentially not reach its potential or ability to reward everyone involved for their efforts. Any business will struggle if the next generation cannot be facilitated into the business, both logistically and cost effectively.
The proposed dwelling will be screened with sympathetic planting to ensure the environment and landscape is enhanced as much as possible.
Please see location plan for details of proposed site for the dwelling.
The application for planning in principle for a new agricultural dwelling and access is seen as key for the development of this agricultural business. The business needs to grow in order to facilitate the next generation and the building of a dwelling for redacted at Scarlett farm will be a cost effective housing solution, allowing the older generation to retire and remain in the family home whilst future proof this family farming business allowing the business to develop to meet both the islands farming needs and also the family's needs. Encouraging the next generation into family farming businesses is key to ensure that the Islands family farming businesses develop and can deliver a stronger role in the Islands Economy and Environment.
Should you require any further assistance with this application, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Best Regards
Chris Kneale
Rural Business Consultancy Ltd.
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Source & Provenance
Official reference
20/00995/A
Source authority
Isle of Man Government Planning & Building Control
