Approval in principle for the erection of a farm dwelling and associated outbuildings on Approval extended to 12th August 2008 and then further extended to 12th December 2008. Agreed by SPO on 4th July 2008.

Why Was This Refused?

• ✓Only 30 of approximately 300 acres were owned outright; the remainder was leased
• ✓Insufficient land ownership to justify a second dwelling on the farm holding
• ✓Proposal contrary to Planning Circular 3/88 on new agricultural dwellings
• ✓Presumption against new residential development in the countryside not overcome
• ✓Chief Agricultural Officer accepted agricultural need, but this did not outweigh the ownership concern
• ✓Decision made by planning committee, aligned with officer recommendation to refuse
• ✓contrary to Planning Circular 3/88

The applicant, who runs a farm holding of approximately 300 acres (30 acres owned, the remainder leased), applied for approval in principle to build a new farm dwelling and agricultural outbuildings near West Craig Farm in Andreas. The applicant argued that the existing West Craig site was too small and lacked space for expansion, and the Chief Agricultural Officer accepted that there was sufficient agricultural need for both the dwelling and the buildings. Despite that agricultural assessment, the planning officer concluded that approving the application would amount to creating a new dwelling in the countryside. The decisive issue was that only 30 of the 300 acres were owned outright, with the rest held on lease. The committee agreed with the officer's recommendation and refused the application on the basis that the land ownership circumstances did not meet the threshold required by Planning Circular 3/88 for a new agricultural dwelling, and the general presumption against new residential development in the countryside therefore prevailed.

The application failed because the applicant owned only a small proportion of the farm holding outright, with the majority held on lease. This level of land ownership was judged insufficient to justify a second dwelling within the holding under Planning Circular 3/88, and the presumption against new countryside housing was not overcome.

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