Planning Statement Background

1. Background Information

The applicants, Mr. & Mrs. Hawley, are currently in a position whereby they must sell their present residential property to fund the renovation work at Ballargey Farm. This application proposes to convert one of the farm outbuildings to form temporary living accommodation so that they can move onto the site and sell their existing home.

This temporary solution will give Mr. & Mrs. Hawley time to carefully consider the renovation and design of the main farmhouse, which will ultimately become the only dwelling on the site. The outbuilding will then become a home office/ studio with additional workshop and stores for the purposes of managing the estate.

The final overall development will provide for a single private dwelling with ancillary outbuildings. The attached development plan, drawing no. 0415/05, shows the overall proposal for the site.

2. Renovation Work

The survey of the existing outbuilding, drawing no. 0415/02A, clarifies the areas that are to be retained and renovated. The outbuilding is in a very poor state of repair and it is inevitable that there will be a certain amount of reconstruction to make this building useable.

In brief the work involves:-

1. The main south elevation and gable wall to the west will be retained and renovated as necessary to maintain the character of the building.
2. The two remaining elevations are to be rebuilt using the salvaged stone from the existing walls.
3. New exposed timber trusses will replicate the design of the existing trusses which require replacing.
4. The corrugated sheet roofing will be removed and a natural slate roof will be reinstated to match the main farmhouse.

3. Approval In Principle

Our attention has been brought to the original Approval in Principle for the 'Refurbishment of the derelict farmhouse and barn' dated March 2003, and that although our current application is for the outbuilding it must be taken within the context of the original approval.

To clarify some of the points raised in the Approval in Principle:-

1. 'All living accommodation created on the site is to be associated with each other and not let or sold separately'. We can confirm that when the main farmhouse has been renovated, the temporary living accommodation will be converted to an office, studio and workshop. All outbuildings will be ancillary to the main house and will not be sold as separate units. We have no objection to this being made a condition of the planning approval.

1. Reserved matters. Although the approval in principle requested that all reserved matters be finalised within a 2 year period and form a single application, we hope that the Committee will appreciate that Mr. & Mrs. Hawley have had little time since buying the farm to finalise the designs for the whole development.

It is hoped that if they can carry out phase 1 of the work, enabling them to move onto the site as well as providing funds for the main renovation work, they will also be in a position to consider the detailed design for the farmhouse in consultation with the Planning Department.

We would have no objection to there being a time limit whereby the work to the farmhouse must be completed, and the outbuilding then becomes ancillary to the main house. A period of 3 years has been suggested by Onchan Commissioners.

4. Timescale

It is proposed that, if approval is granted for this application, the work to the outbuilding will commence as soon as Building Regulation approval has been obtained.

With the construction of temporary accommodation underway, we will be in a position to finalise detailed design for the farmhouse. It is envisaged that an application for the outstanding reserved matters will be submitted prior to September 2005.

5. Summary

1. The proposal for the overall site will be for a single private dwelling. The outbuildings will be ancillary to the main farmhouse as shown on the proposed development plan, drawing No. 0415/05.
2. The extent of the renovation of the existing outbuilding has been demonstrated on drawing No 0415/02A
3. We have no objections to there being a 3 years time limit imposed on the residential status of the outbuilding, as recommended by Onchan Commissioners.
4. We confirm that a detailed planning application, following consultation with the Planning Department, will be submitted for full planning approval prior to September 2005.